Bike color - helmet color, what do you do to be visible for safety?

[Dutchbike]

Bring back the 80's

[Afook]

White is probably the best.......at least you can see it better at night/dark out........a bit more on the safety side than a Black, and day.....and why so many people pick Black bikes or cars, beats me.........also are hotter in the day!

[Dannyboy666]

Everyone wears Fluorescent green in the states now

[Dogbarker]

I wear a yellow nike dri - fit running shirt which has fully reflective strips on it ( I hate Nike usually but this was one of my better purchases) , also a flashing rear light when on the man roads. Other time I use a Hi Viz jacket as if I am on a building site all are extremely effective . BUT not so effective if you have a drunk driver .. being seen and reactions do not come into the survival equation ... !!!!

[ttakata]

I would do those 80's; hope you get my joke.

You can get Petzl headband lights at Amarin Plaza at the Tank Store.

Flashing led lights are also sold at the gps/gadget store nearby too.

I think they are both effective ideas but am too lazy to be wearing and changing flashlight batteries.

[Lokie]

You can get geared up looking like TRON, but it ain't gonna stop some nutter full of Yabba or Chang running up your chuff at a junction or Kamikazi mini vans out to get ya, couple with numerous Ghost riders.

Save ya money and wait until they invent a Star Trek type Sheild and sensor array that can repel most Fo ok wits, a couple of Photon torpedoes would be great also for the weapons pod lol...

[jacko45k]

Light Blue Manchester City colors get the attention of red loving Manchester United supporters.

And vice-versa.

Seriously, best bet is double 'always on' headlights and keeping the tail lights working.

[CarolJadzia]

I am currently working on an essay about applying our system of Roadcraft in Thailand. Have any of you heard of it?

We call it the blue book. Got my first copy in the early 80's. Latest version came out 2013.

It is the British Police Riders Handbook and is used as a training manual for anyone wishing to advance their motorcycle skills in the UK.

You can find out about it at http://www.roadcraft.co.uk/motorcycle-roadcraft

But if you wanted to buy it best to get it from Amazon.

Please note this is a government publication, Her Majesties Stationary Office. Not an advertisement. I get no commission.

Amazon should let you have a look at it as well. Very good read and just as applicable in Thailand as it is in the UK.

[Mousehound]

A Ki Viz jacket has saved me on several occasions. I have a white helmet and keep my lights on - in fact can't turn them off as they are factory fitted that way.

[tifino]

rather than be like a gas-bagging full-of-hot-air-pollie type - full of rhetoric'n'do nothing...

...I carried through with my ideas, and have been quite visible on the roads for quite some time:

In the following pic(s), everywhere you see:

White - it is a retro-reflective surface

Orange - irredescent i.eDayGlo

Instead of a waving fishing rod, I used a horse whip

also an old safety vest, and even some little-doggie vests

evan the mirrors have forward-facing retro-reflectors

And, since the photos were taken years back - also now have the retro stripes added to the inside of the rims.

Edited May 7, 2015 by tifino

[misterphil]

You can be lit up like a christmas tree and they still wont see you. Most Thais are as blind as a bat so its pointless really. Even if they do hit you they'll drive away and leave you there, as being proved many times.

[soihok]

Do you ride that on the roads in Thailand?

Do you feel safe?

I do like the touch of forward facing mirrors

[BKKBike09]

rather than be like a gas-bagging full-of-hot-air-pollie type - full of rhetoric'n'do nothing...

...I carried through with my ideas, and have been quite visible on the roads for quite some time:

In the following pic(s), everywhere you see:

White - it is a retro-reflective surface

Orange - irredescent i.eDayGlo

a very bright trike.jpg

Instead of a waving fishing rod, I used a horse whip

also an old safety vest, and even some little-doggie vests

evan the mirrors have forward-facing retro-reflectors

And, since the photos were taken years back - also now have the retro stripes added to the inside of the rims.

Mate. Do you have another set of panniers to store your massive 'nads because you must have a pair the size of coconuts to ride that contraption on any busy road, let alone in Thailand!

[tifino]

the 'nads are happy, as there's no sore 'rse to contend with due to the comforting ride.

traffic gives me a wide berth, and I toured it up there for 3 years.

The only accidents actually only happened when back in OZ - and it fared well, tit for tat, in giving dents back to wayward drivers' fenders

The black panniers BTW are huge enough for me to do an entire shopping

And the trike is big enough that I take up a complete car parking space, if I get to one first

[Happy Grumpy]

Bring back the 80's

NEON.jpg

I'd rather bringing back the E'd up 90's rave scene.

[papa al]

Skyrider.

You are going to need a good shop to help you with your bike.

Where are you?

[Rhys]

How about this one for a thought.. those custom made "Predator" helmet with dred locks... in Green...

They even have a version with Green strobing eyes..

Edited May 7, 2015 by Rhys

[Dutchbike]

[BKKdreaming]

there are LEDs you buy for bicyles that you put in the spokes and it makes a pattern or even can be programmed !

Also USB charged blinking rear lights for bikes

I think side impact is a greater threat as you are dead meat if hit dead on from the side ,

as for as colors , contrast would seem to be the way to go , a white helmet with a day-glow stripe.....

they also make day-glo mesh safety vests with blinking LEDs

If you put all this stuff on one bike you might look like a circus clown , but they will see you

[DILLIGAD]

Panda riders sold a kit to add LED"s to the back of your lid. I think Shark produce one helmet with built in green LED lighting too.

[tifino]

How about this one for a thought.. those custom made "Predator" helmet with dred locks... in Green...

They even have a version with Green strobing eyes..

...and The Alien is in the car behind...

[SkyRider]

Skyrider.

You are going to need a good shop to help you with your bike.

Where are you?

I'm in Samut Prakan - on the boarder of Bearing, (Bangkok).

I'm thinking of doing an Eddie Van Halen guitar design on a white Click using with reflective tape. He only used one color on each guitar, but I would use multiple colors - yellow, orange, and green.

[papa al]

Good idea.

[Rhys]

Actually a bit fun and sad to observe.. those yellow construction hats used as a CRASH helmet that some Thais wear.

[SkyRider]

Do white motorbikes get so dirty over time, that after a few years, no matter how much you clean them, the dirt can't completely come out? A friend of mine told me that after a few years they turn to an ugly cream or yellowish color. Not sure if it's true or not. Can't find anything on it with google searches.

[ttakata]

I parked my white Nouvo ouside for 4 years in the sun and it never yellowed.

Maybe some rattle can paint job will discolor or if you grind dirt into the paint when cleaning it.

I do notice the molded in color plastics do fade like the red on Nouvos.

I think molded colors and stickers tend to fade, but automotive paints seem to hold up well.

[SkyRider]

I parked my white Nouvo ouside for 4 years in the sun and it never yellowed.

Maybe some rattle can paint job will discolor or if you grind dirt into the paint when cleaning it.

I do notice the molded in color plastics do fade like the red on Nouvos.

I think molded colors and stickers tend to fade, but automotive paints seem to hold up well.

So it was also outside in the rain? I live in a building that has no covering for it's bikes. So every time it rains, my bike will get rained on. That bothers me. Does the Bangkok heavy thunderstorm rains hurt motorbikes?

[thailandforumaddict]

Do white motorbikes get so dirty over time, that after a few years, no matter how much you clean them, the dirt can't completely come out? A friend of mine told me that after a few years they turn to an ugly cream or yellowish color. Not sure if it's true or not. Can't find anything on it with google searches.

Only plastic can turn yellow, never the paint, even on old cars.

[CarolJadzia]

The history of Aria helmets.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/05/06/on-the-record-michio-arai-president-and-ceo-arai-helmet-ltd-cycle-world-interview/

[soihok]

I have had a few Arai helmets, I still have my favourite - RX7 RR3 Doohan Rep.

Below pictures not of mine, the one I have is in a bit of a state after being worn for 7 years.

Edited May 10, 2015 by soihok