Pretty foggy around here this morning – about 100m visibility (less in places), so defo fog light conditions.
I’ve seen two sets of motorbike instructors out and it got me wondering why bikes don’t have fog lights. Almost seems they need them more than cars.

Edit: This is about rear fog lights.

wouldn’t be able to see that they are braking

Do cars REALLY need front fog lights? I find them a hindrance.

A lot don’t seem to have the hang of turning their main beam off. Adding fog lights into the mix would be chaos. 8)

Maybe I guess.
I would have thought that could be sorted by separating the fog light/s from the brake light, so a pair of LED fog lights out by the indicators leaving the running/brake light in the middle.

A lot don’t seem to have the hang of turning their main beam off

Apparently its so you’ll see them. With the newer brightly headlight and at more driver head height its tiring.

There’s simply no room. If you looked at the back of my bike your see why. It’s very slim indeed. You need to separate the fog light from the brake light by a reasonab distance and that’s just not possible in such a small area.
Also, AFAIK, North American cars don’t have fog lights either.

Wasn’t there a rule in the days of after sales fitted fog lights that they had to be a set distance away from number plates? I’d imagine motorbikes not having that sort of distance available.

Also, at least they had some lights on, yesterday morning, low visibility half the cars I saw had either side lights only or none at all.

Also, AFAIK, North American cars don’t have fog lights either.

That’s bonkers. Maybe they don’t have fog?

Oh, wait…

As I left home this morning saw one car with just one brake light, but it turned out to be it’s fog light and you could barely see the running lights at all – so rear fogs do work.

All lights have to be a set distance apart from each other and also the road. As Peter stated there isn’t room on the back of a bike to do so without a fog light been too close to brake light and interfering with it’s light output.

Regarding the main beam thing, remember most bikes don’t have an electric adjuster like cars do. Also, on at least half the bikes I’ve had the light has been set too high from the factory and I’ve had to sort it myself…… Also, you can “flash your headlight with the throttle” on any reasonably powerful bike. Acceleration raises the nose, see..?
That said, when I’m filtering (which I do a LOT of) in heavy traffic, yes, I stick high beam on. I’ve experimented with that against hazard lights (lots of bikes don’t have hazards either) and the difference is noticeable. Nobody’s sees hazard lights. High beam acts like a snow plough!
People still change lanes in front of you though. Just fewer people. It’s noticable how many drivers start to change lane THEN look….. And only then see you and move sheepisly back in.
If you’ve spent your whole life coccooned in a car, it’s quite eye opening how you need to change your habits on a bike. 🙂

All new bikes are sold with volvo front lights by law 🙂

I’ve recently fitted some leds where my wing mirrors mount (on the NC700, PP) as daytime running lights to add some width to my front on visibility in a bid to reduce smidsy risk.

Edit : BTW PP I find that riding a black and white bike with a hi viz gilet seems to clear a path wherever I go 😉

it still surprises me that idiots in their cars don’t have them on!!!

As I left home this morning saw one car with just one brake light, but it turned out to be it’s fog light and you could barely see the running lights at all – so rear fogs do work.

Also why automatic cars are less likely to be run into from the rear, because your foot is on the brake (when stationary).

All new bikes are sold with volvo front lights by law

I’ve recently fitted some leds where my wing mirrors mount (on the NC700, PP) as daytime running lights to add some width to my front on visibility in a bid to reduce smidsy risk.
I’ve noticed some bikes are now being fitted with proper DRL’s, in particular Ducati, probably the Audi influence.
Makes a hell of a difference, too; last March I drove down to Wells and Glastonbury with a couple of Japanese girls, and somewhere around Beckington I spotted, (couldn’t bloody miss it!) an incredibly bright white light some way behind me in the traffic, the bike itself was almost invisible.
As it came up alongside I saw it was a Ducati Supermoto-style of bike, lovely looking thing.
That DLR was amazingly effective, much more so than a regular headlight.

Hella DE lights as fitted to my F650 GS. Picture was during trial fit , hence the dangling wires !

Subsequent to this I swapped out the H3 halogen bulbs and with a bit of creative engineering fitted Hids still using the Hella DE bodies and lenses.They give a nice bright , white light and illuminate the road between 1 to 10 metres ahead and to 10 o/clock to 2 o/clock each side. Not only that , they give the bike more road ” Presence ” which is a useful safety by-product !

With the Hids fitted and lights re-located above the homemade mounting bracket….

I’d be happy if the Biker’ists used their lights on and on Dim.. Rather than no lights or Full Beam.

We can see you, and hear you too. 🙄

Why don’t motorbikes have fog lights?

Because there’s no vroom…

I’d be happy if the Biker’ists used their lights on and on Dim.. Rather than no lights or Full Beam.

We can see you, and hear you too.

Judging by how many shitty car drivers hit motorcyclists, you can’t.

I can’t ?

[video]https://youtu.be/9DZXOANUaNk[/video]

I’m kind of an ex-motorbiker, but the deal I’d want to strike with you guys is this- if you can see us, start acting like you can see us rather than trying to kill us. Maybe then we’ll stop having our lights on all the time. Weird how my bike with its HID headlights, apocalyptic exhaust, and hivizzed rider was so impossible to see.

Because motorcyclists are too awesome to need them, they use their spidey sense and increased observational skills instead 😉

….last March I drove down to Wells and Glastonbury with a couple of Japanese girls, and somewhere around Beckington I spotted….

Odd little factoid to throw in there.

tell us more about these Japanese girls..

did they have headlights?

Do cars REALLY need front fog lights? I find them a hindrance.

They don’t need them. They’re not compulsory- they’re an optional extra. People who have them use them because they’ve paid for them.

I’ve wondered aloud on here before – are rear fogs a UK legislative thing and not standard equipment in other territories? The switch for them them always seems an afterthought – amongst the spaces for auxiliary switches. On the rare occasions I need to use rear fog lights finding the switch can be a real arse, especially as I drive a lot of different vehicles- not part of any of the other clusters of switches, not illuminated, sometimes not even in view and you have feel around the dash for it.

Do cars REALLY need front fog lights? I find them a hindrance.

In proper for? Yes. A but of drizzle isn’t proper fog.

I drive a lot of different vehicles- not part of any of the other clusters of switches, not illuminated, sometimes not even in view and you have feel around the dash for it.

Before driving any unfamiliar vehicle you should spend some time checking where things are and that the lights work etc.

Judging by how many shitty car drivers hit motorcyclists, you can’t.

Judging by how many shitty bikerists cause accidents.

(Just to balance things up)

Yarp just to balance things up too..

Come down to Hampshire, the A32 out of Fareham through to Alton on any Sunday because it’s the missing circuit from the IOM TT they decided to take out because there are cars using it too.

Now what I mean about lights: I see quite a lot of bikers not using their lights on roads, I’d prefer it if they turned them on, but on dip.
What I mean about HiViz: I don’t get it, but if it makes you feel safe use it, thats your choice.
What I mean about loud exhausts: No need for these, I’d hazard a guess that 90% of the racers that use the A32 on any Sunday have aftermarket exhausts and that they don’t give a shite about the noise but that they think it helps improve the bike and produce more power (because thats the mentality) There is a Law in the UK about noisy exhausts, I think it ought to be enforced. You get the same power out of a STD manufacturers exhaust and far less noise. Now as for blipping the throttle every .3 of a second, that just pathetic. All you do is prove that you are addicted to noise and annoying people. I work in London, I don’t have an issue with lane changing or overtaking when stationary or squeezing into gaps or wheeling from the lights, I have an issue with blipping the throttle and intimidating other road users by “claiming” you want to come through, like you have some sort of God given right for everyone moving out of your way. No, no and thrice No. Overtake by all means if you can get through but don’t intimidate other road users, you look like idiots (but then you don’t really care about that I suspect)

There are plenty of sensible motorbike riders out there, many thousands who are sensible, have fun, ride their bikes for the enjoyment and take care on the roads and also care about where they ride and how they ride. I applaud them and thank them and hope they continue to ride their bikes. The annoying noisy idiots can sod off and play in a disused gravel pit or perhaps an Airfield somewhere else off the Road network.

Ohh, I seem to have ranted on there. About time I reckon.

Have you ridden a motorbike on that road? The windy, corner filled road that involves quite a lot of gear changing and resultant ‘blipping the throttle’?doesnt automatically mean an illegal exhaust is fitted.
Dealt with the muppets in cars oblivious to the presence of bikes, despite lights, hi viz or whatever. The mud strewn on the road by farmers who ignore their responsibilities to place warning signs of such causing multiple crashes a year.
I’m not a biker myself but I appreciate that road in particular and the hazards faced by bikers in general.

For everyone’s interest, most bikes on the road, certainly all the new ones made in, ohh, about the last 10 years, have their headlights hard wired on. You cannot turn them off.

Before driving any unfamiliar vehicle you should spend some time checking where things are and that the lights work etc.

Indeed but that doesn’t answer the question – the controls for fog lights are often separate from all the other lighting controls – in fact sometimes away from all the other controls. Thats why I’m wondering if they’re not a standard spec elsewhere

The mud strewn on the road by farmers who ignore their responsibilities to place warning signs of such causing multiple crashes a year.

Perhaps the countryside should have a permanent mud on road sign, drive to the conditions.

mattbee – Member
Have you ridden a motorbike on that road?

No why would I. What I do though is ride my bike across it whilst riding.

As to the windy roads, well clearly motorbikers love that I understand that, I have no problem with that. What I have problems with is the inconsiderate and loud overtaking on blind bends, squeezing in between the car in front after a ridiculous overtaking manoeuvre when theres NO gap, then the hard acceleration they do just to annoy the driver they had to both overtake and slow down for.

It’s a bloody racetrack and it’s why the Police patrol it, shame they don’t patrol it more often or with more patrol vehicles or indeed catch the 15% of racers that give normal sane bikers a bad name.

I know it’s the same elsewhere in the UK, there are roads that bikers love riding, there are roads that bikers think are racetracks too..

Most of these roads have “Bikers Beware” signs plastered all over them… Shame it has no effect nor do bikers seem to take notice (Ok not all bikers)

*shrugs.

I’m kind of an ex-motorbiker, but the deal I’d want to strike with you guys is this- if you can see us, start acting like you can see us rather than trying to kill us. Maybe then we’ll stop having our lights on all the time. Weird how my bike with its HID headlights, apocalyptic exhaust, and hivizzed rider was so impossible to see.

+1

I had a Tiger 1050 in white with dual-headlights, and even commuting while wearing the full day-glo spec Hein Gericke suit and white helmet folk would still see straight thru me…

Honestly people used to look straight through my lwb transit. It’s not just bikes

bikebouy – Member
mattbee – Member
Have you ridden a motorbike on that road?
No why would I. What I do though is ride my bike across it whilst riding.

As to the windy roads, well clearly motorbikers love that I understand that, I have no problem with that. What I have problems with is the inconsiderate and loud overtaking on blind bends, squeezing in between the car in front after a ridiculous overtaking manoeuvre when theres NO gap, then the hard acceleration they do just to annoy the driver they had to both overtake and slow down for.

It’s a bloody racetrack and it’s why the Police patrol it, shame they don’t patrol it more often or with more patrol vehicles or indeed catch the 15% of racers that give normal sane bikers a bad name.

I know it’s the same elsewhere in the UK, there are roads that bikers love riding, there are roads that bikers think are racetracks too..

Most of these roads have “Bikers Beware” signs plastered all over them… Shame it has no effect nor do bikers seem to take notice (Ok not all bikers)

*shrugs.

Here’s a novel idea – bit random maybe….. controversial perhaps….

How about YOU sod off and ride somewhere else instead?

Don’t like it? Toughen up Princess……

Could be due to the same requirement as trailer lighting.

Under 1.3m wide there is no requirement for a trailer to have a fog light.