Night Riding

[Chrisj CMA]

Tonight was security at church. While I was there Judy had to make a surprise trip to the base for a medical issue. We got home at the same time but she needed medications so back out I went. That was the most night riding I have done in a while.  For some reason I really enjoyed it more than usual. Maybe because I recently got my headlight and driving lights dialed in really well on the road. Or maybe the temperature, just cold enough to feel it but perfect for the Valkyrie. She seems to love cold weather. There was also a sensation of moving faster than I was really riding. I didn't even have to break the speed limit to feel like I was speeding. The darkness and the cold kept me in a heightened state of vigilance and that really is an empowered feeling. I rode very defensively but was determined to stay in safe sight lines of traffic that could threaten me. My bike has custom lights front and back so it's visible but I always pretend other drivers can't see me. I probably only rode 25 miles total but they were great fun. Ok back to your normal scheduled programming.

[Chrisj CMA]

Oops meant to post this on the general board

[rug_burn]

yeah, feels that way to me, too;  it's a good thing, cause you really gotta go slower, especially if its a dark road.   There's a road  near me I used to go 100 on on the way to work (when I worked) which feels good at about 65 at night, now.

[Jess from VA]

Riding at night up here right now would involve frozen nuts (hands and feet).

On the upside, you could ride all night and never see a bug.   

The bikes do run better in cool damp weather. 

 

[old2soon]

         Something bout the Night wrappin her arms around you and accepting you into her world. Had a 920 Virago when I lived in Texas. Some of those cool damp evenings I'd swear it picked up 8 or 10 more H P with the humidity. I really like night ridin with a full moon. Bright nuff you actually see yer shadow while Rollin.  Hope Mama better? RIDE SAFE.

[h13man]

Definitely run well enough for the front end to rise above the pavement with a serious twist of the throttle in 1st. gear rolling start. Love running 65 mph. at night on I 65 with little traffic but still cautious of deer traffic at all times.

[0leman]

20 years ago would have agreed with you about night riding.  Now, night vision is not as good.  Just don't feel confirmable riding at night.   Also the forest rats are out and about even in town this time of year.  Not to mention temps drop into the low 20's.

Enjoy it while you can.

[Oss]

Like others I have significant problems seeing at night when there is glare from other cars or fog which is even worse in a full face helmet  Doc says I have a cataract in my good eye but not ready to operate yet

I used to go to lower Florida at least 1 or 2 times a year driving non stop about 22 hrs.
                 Cant do that anymore  wont even try.

Yes a Valkyrie will let you know how much she loves the cooler weather and it is my favorite riding time
from 40-70 degrees  Glad you got out Jeff  Best regards to the Queen hope all is ok

[baldo]

I'm still commuting on the bike, about 130 miles round trip. I get out of work at midnight, so I get a steady dose of night riding. I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I'm still commuting on the bike, about 130 miles round trip. I get out of work at midnight, so I get a steady dose of night riding. I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting.

No ice ?

I've only got 12 miles in the morning dark. But occasionally I get in some desert night riding. It's pretty invigorating doing 90-100 in the pitch dark. Not much worry of animals, maybe a coyote or a jack rabbit.

[Robert]

When either to busy, to hot, or need to get out, sometimes the night is the best. Love the different smells, views and lights. Really beautiful sometimes to stop on the bridges here and look around. About the only thing that bothers me at night is the possibility of animals running across the road. Dont know why you can travel the same road thousands of times but at night its different.

[Chrisj CMA]

I'm still commuting on the bike, about 130 miles round trip. I get out of work at midnight, so I get a steady dose of night riding. I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting.

No ice ?

I've only got 12 miles in the morning dark. But occasionally I get in some desert night riding. It's pretty invigorating doing 90-100 in the pitch dark. Not much worry of animals, maybe a coyote or a jack rabbit.

My family used to go on waterskiing vacations at lake Mojave on the Colorado river. We always arrived in the wee hours of the morning and we get out of the car at 0200 and it's 100 degrees. But such a magical sight as the sun started to come up. I'd love to be riding there but at maybe 80 degrees instead

[The emperor has no clothes]

I'm still commuting on the bike, about 130 miles round trip. I get out of work at midnight, so I get a steady dose of night riding. I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting.

No ice ?

I've only got 12 miles in the morning dark. But occasionally I get in some desert night riding. It's pretty invigorating doing 90-100 in the pitch dark. Not much worry of animals, maybe a coyote or a jack rabbit.

My family used to go on waterskiing vacations at lake Mojave on the Colorado river. We always arrived in the wee hours of the morning and we get out of the car at 0200 and it's 100 degrees. But such a magical sight as the sun started to come up. I'd love to be riding there but at maybe 80 degrees instead

100* isn't too bad. When it gets above 128* my riding mileage goes down a little. Were the casinos in Laughlin there at that time ?

[f6john]

I have trouble driving at night these days and haven't been on my bike at night in years. I'm sure I would need major improvements in lighting before I would want to exceed 35 mph at night these days. I do remember many enjoyable night rides on my Valkyrie at Daytona Bike Week but that was over 10 years ago.

[Chrisj CMA]

I'm still commuting on the bike, about 130 miles round trip. I get out of work at midnight, so I get a steady dose of night riding. I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting.

No ice ?

I've only got 12 miles in the morning dark. But occasionally I get in some desert night riding. It's pretty invigorating doing 90-100 in the pitch dark. Not much worry of animals, maybe a coyote or a jack rabbit.

My family used to go on waterskiing vacations at lake Mojave on the Colorado river. We always arrived in the wee hours of the morning and we get out of the car at 0200 and it's 100 degrees. But such a magical sight as the sun started to come up. I'd love to be riding there but at maybe 80 degrees instead

100* isn't too bad. When it gets above 128* my riding mileage goes down a little. Were the casinos in Laughlin there at that time ?

Lol. I was too young to be concerned about casinos. I gave no idea if they were there in 1972/3

[cookiedough]

I have trouble driving at night these days and haven't been on my bike at night in years. I'm sure I would need major improvements in lighting before I would want to exceed 35 mph at night these days. I do remember many enjoyable night rides on my Valkyrie at Daytona Bike Week but that was over 10 years ago.

not sure a reason to go only 35 in a 55, but 10 mph or so slower at night is a good thing to do just in case the critters come after you which they do.  I use to travel some spooky rural country roads going home from work several years after midnightish or so where NO cars ever just critters.  You know you are in the middle of nowhere when you hear bullfrogs croaking enough so it makes you almost poop your pants the sound blasting over the VAlkyrie engine doing 45-50 mph or so in the dead of the night - very eery feeling/sound.   Few roads call Tin Can Road and Rat Hollow Road to name a few...  Came so close mere inches away from running over raccoons and oppossums and where there is one, usually is a clan to avoid of them both.

[_Sheffjs_]

Worked the high noon to late evening shift yesterday and took the Valk - the noon ride to work in traffic is painful, it's just to clogged up, I feel confined. The ride home at night was way to short with very little traffic. 

[Chrisj CMA]

Worked the high noon to late evening shift yesterday and took the Valk - the noon ride to work in traffic is painful, it's just to clogged up, I feel confined. The ride home at night was way to short with very little traffic. 

I hate it when a nice ride is too short. It has happened many times to me as well.

[Wizzard]

I like night riding too, but too many forest rats around here so I refrain.

[MarkT]

I enjoy night rides a lot.  Little traffic, cool esp during a hot summer.  I have very good lighting and have learned to watch the ditches and road carefully for brown bodies - especially after the Deerslayer incident on 6/15/01.  http://www.horseapple.com/placeholder/Boo-boo/boo-boo.html  In fact that is second nature and dominates my attention.  There are LOTS of mule deer herds around here.  Fortunately they move in groups, and mosey rather than wait until you're almost there then run in front of you - whitetail behavior.  Other animals are mainly too small to be deadly for our big bikes, or behavior isn't unpredictable or they avoid traffic.  Skunks, raccoons, coyotes, foxes.  Dogs at night are rare.  Very rare but sometimes cattle get past the fence.  Horses rare as well.  There are llama and alpaca farms around here - never seen any get out on the roads.   I recall back about 20 years ago, the other founder of the VOA in the NE, hit a moose and survived.

[cookiedough]

ouch a MOOSE on a bike, not good.  Every year around me it seems like a cow gets loose and collides with a vehicle, at night of course.  My next door neighbors kid hit one years back when he was still in high school never heard of hitting cows before then.  I hit one deer, winged another grazing it barely, and hit a german shephard head on doing 60 mph not good on that one with construction worker chewing me out for killing his blind and deaf age 15 year old dog who was in the middle of the road unavoidable with a car coming at me as well.  Never knew a german shepherd could do 3K in damage to a vehicle and still be driveable.  I had to stop and pull the carcass off the road was not pretty made me near puke.