first real ride at night

[bargovic]

So I've ridden at nite in the city many times.  But this Sat my fiance and i decided to take a 100 mile ride up to watkins glen NY and back to see my friends team race. (Turner motorsports). The ride up was awesome, ~80 degrees and sunny the whole way. But we didnt head back home until dark. So now were riding on back country roads for 85 of our 100 mile trip at night. Its alot darker out there, and you always see more deer than cars.

I have to say riding at night is a lot more fun in the city. All i could thing about was bambi awating into the next turn. Do many of u travel by bike at night long distances?

[TadMC]

Hell i dont even ride on my bike at night in the city.  It just seems too risky.

IDK, im a wimp

[LPC2104]

I think I may have went on that same ride last week on my first kinda long ride.  It was about 150 miles from State College PA to Corning NY and I had to go through billtown to get there.  Did you ride rt15 or take another route?  I thought that was one of the prettiest rodes I've ever been on.

Anyway, we left later than planned and had to ride the last 30 minutes in the dark.  I was a little scared of animals but more scared of the big bumps in the road.  After 120 miles my butt was getting sore and we were going about 60mph all of a sudden "bump" every 50 feet or so got really old really quick.

 

[pandy]

During the winter, my commute home is in the dark. I don't mind it on the freeway, but I'd probably take it pretty easy in the hills where Bambi is around every corner.

I remember the very first night ride I took. It was unplanned, but it was fun. scratch had done some work on my commuter Baby G, and I was there longer than I'd expected to be (scratch is thorough and totally fun to talk to!  ). My bf had caged it over to bring cherry coke and other little offerings to the Gawd who was working on my bike (that would be scratch  ).

When we finally left, it was dark. I followed my bf in his car (my eyesight just isn't what it used to be at night..well, it was never that good to begin with   ), and I stopped to flirt madly with him at every red light. You can just imagine what folks on the road thought! 

It was kind of surreal...all the lights...and the cars seemed FASTER at night... I've ridden at night many times since then, but I remember my first time as if it were yesterday....  

[TadMC]

(my eyesight just isn't what it used to be at night..well, it was never that good to begin with 
It was kind of surreal...all the lights...and the cars seemed FASTER at night... I've ridden at night many times since then,

Pandy do you get kinda dissoriented with on coming lights at night

[bargovic]

I think I may have went on that same ride last week on my first kinda long ride.  It was about 150 miles from State College PA to Corning NY and I had to go through billtown to get there.  Did you ride rt15 or take another route?  I thought that was one of the prettiest rodes I've ever been on.

Anyway, we left later than planned and had to ride the last 30 minutes in the dark.  I was a little scared of animals but more scared of the big bumps in the road.  After 120 miles my butt was getting sore and we were going about 60mph all of a sudden "bump" every 50 feet or so got really old really quick.

 

I went up rt 15 for 10 miles, then I took rt 14 noth to watkins glen. Its at the southern tip of lake senica. Ive gone up 15 all the way as well, when i travel to oswego ny. But ive only done all of 15 in the car so far. You are right its very scenic. as is 14. and the lake. awesome riding. haha you are also right about bumps. since we did 200 miles round trip in one day, we were both ready ice our arse when we got back. To top it off when we werent on the bike up at the glen, we were sitting on bleachers to watch racing, or riding the go cart track. Lots of seat time this past sat.

[bargovic]

(my eyesight just isn't what it used to be at night..well, it was never that good to begin with 
It was kind of surreal...all the lights...and the cars seemed FASTER at night... I've ridden at night many times since then,

Pandy do you get kinda dissoriented with on coming lights at night

The on coming cars were blinding me. but that was because of all the bugs on my helmet. i had to stop twice to sqeegie my helmet because i couldnt see anymore

[LPC2104]

I went up rt 15 for 10 miles, then I take rt 14 noth to watkins glen.

14 is nice too.  Trout Run exit I believe.  I went to college in Elmira NY and my parents lived in State College so I would make that trip often.

I was an idiot the first time I rode at night.  It was the day after I passed the MSF, after a movie, with my wife on the back.  House was only about 10 minutes away but it was still wierd.  I think the worst part is turning where you can't see and just relying on the road to be there.  Like on a dark street at a stop sign and taking a rt/left turn.  

[Yankee Punker]

 My father once told me a very long time ago that there's nothing there in the dark that's not there in the light, and ever since I guess I don't let things like that bother me, so I ride when ever too get me were I want to go !!!!!

[annguyen1981]

I've riden MANY times at night.  I like it.  But I will choose WHICH nights to ride.  Friday and Saturdays nights are always  off-limits cause of the drunk drivers taking their position on the roads.  Also the night before and the night of a holiday.

Treat the oncoming headlights the same way you would in a cage.  I was taught by the driving school that you look to the right curb to keep your car traveling the correct lane, but at the same time, it'll let you keep tabs on the oncoming headlights.

[skoebl]

Bleh....last night I had to ride home in dense, wet fog. Every 5 or 10 seconds my visor was completely coated with a thick film. When a car came (luckily I took a route less traveled), I couldn't see anything. That's a little scary 

[Chris2P]

When I only had the bike to commute with, I did alot of night riding.  I tried to always to stay at the speed limit and just take my time.


Chris

[CirclesCenter]

Debris in the road is harder to see at night.....

Ask me how I know.....

LOL ow......