How often do you check your motorbike’s headlights and other bulbs?
According to eBay, if you don’t check them over often, you are not alone: a survey by the online marketplace found that 67% of all motorists admit to having never checking their bulbs were working properly or looked them over for potential problems.
As we head into the depths of winter this is particularly worrying news. Our bikes are often hard enough to spot at night in the first place, as our slim silhouette and single light gets lost in the background of other lights on the road or in the background. Riding in the dark with no lights showing is not only illegal, it’s asking for trouble.
Keeping our headlights in working order should sit high on the priority list.
According to GOV.UK, a motorcycle must be fitted with a minimum of one headlight, it must light up immediately when switched on and must be able to change from the main beam to the dip beam when the dip switch is operated.
Checking the lights is easy; just pop the bike on its stand with the ignition running and hop off to check front and back lights are shining brightly. Don’t forget to deploy the indicators and brakes, and dip the lights, to check all is okay.
What problems can we face?
Headlights appear dimmer than they used to
This can be difficult to recognise but is one of the best ways to identify a problem with your headlight. Typically, motorbike headlights don’t just turn off, instead they grow gradually grow dimmer until they burn out.
If the headlight feels like it isn’t illuminating the road as well as it used to, chances are it’s on its way out. Get a new bulb pronto and make sure you are seen, and can see.
If the lights are LED they won’t dim, they will fully burn out. It must be replaced immediately.
Flickering lights
One sign that your headlight needs replacing is they start to flicker. It could be caused by loose wiring or worn or broken parts. Best bet is to take the bike to a garage for a check over.
Check for casing cracks
The headlight casing can deform and crack over time. This can let water in, causing initially flickering but ultimately will cause the lights to fail. A new headlight casing is needed.
A final reminder…
The daytime running light (DRL) law came into effect in February 2011. After that date all passenger and light goods vehicles manufactured had to be fitted with daytime running lights. It doesn’t mean every car or van is running them, but the vast majority are.
No such rules exists for motorcycles but most new bikes have automatic headlights (AHO) which function almost identically to DRLs.
Some bikers worry that DRLs on cars make it harder to distinguish a motorbike, particularly in murky light.
It is recommended that motorcyclists use ‘DRLs’ that are approved for daytime use, to increase their visibility and reduce the risk of SMIDSY (Sorry mate, I did not see you) when riding during the day.
At night, let’s make sure all the lights are shining brightly.
