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Daytime Running Light Color (Amber or White)
- Thread starter 88bmwjeff
- Start date
bernieecht
Member
While riding in the NC Mountains, I had a line of bikes coming towards me. They all had extra driving lights, but one bike had one driving light in White and one in Yellow color. It really stood out in the crowd. That is why after installing a set of Clearwater lights on my 2018 R1200RT, I installed a yellow and a clear lens cover on my driving lights.
R1150RT, and my approach was to replace the OEM low beam, hi beam and fog lights with standard replacement yellow bulbs. I then added 2 super bright, white LED Motolights lower on the forks, near the brake calipers. Give that recommended triangle shape of lights they say is more noticeable. Others I've ridden with say they don't have any problem seeing me. Always have wonder how I look from a distance to oncoming traffic though.
vetbmwrider
Member
I am not trying to be a downer on lights, but most states have laws covering what types of colored lights a vehicle can have. Most states have laws that state “No vehicle shall be equipped with a light of any color other than white or amber mounted on the front nor shall any vehicle be equipped with a light of any color other than red mounted in the rear." So it might be legal in you state where you live to have different colored lights, but cross over state line those colored lights could make you subject to fine.
cwilhelm
New member
Clearwater makes a hi-vis yellow cover. I’ve seen the amber coming and the white coming, and frankly they are not nearly as visible as the hi-vis yellow. I know someone who had 1 amber and 1 white to improve visibility. All I know is Mr Clearwater himself said they did considerable research into their lens cover, and determined against most backgrounds, it stands out the best. FWIW. YMMV.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
TracerBullet
New member
I have Clearwater Erica’s under the mirrors and run the Hi Vis yellow
The BMW driving lights down low in clear
The BMW driving lights down low in clear
It seems that adding daylight lights are a good thing:
This paper concluded that motorcycle DRLs manage to lessen the risk of collision about 4 to 20%
A distinct dependence of subjective conspicuity on the light configuration tested could be established irrespective of the vehicle. A 150% enhancement of conspicuity could be achieved with the use of DRL compared with dipped headlights. The results of the detection distance tests show a significant difference between the use of no light and dipped headlights, on the one hand, and the use different daytime running light configurations, on the other hand. No difference was established between the individual daytime running lights, but there was an average increase of around 80 m in the perceptibility distance.
But, also we are getting lost in a sea of other vehicle DRL's
“In countries already having introduced mandatory daytime running lights for all vehicles, studies of… additional motorcycle light arrangements, such as triangular lights, to maintain conspicuity, show little or no effect.”
In Australia bright yellow DRLs should be permitted on motorcycles but should continue to be disallowed on other vehicles. These would be far more effective as DRLs than headlights and have the potential to reduce fatal motorcycle crashes by more than 13%.
A yellow headlight has been show to be effective: https://www.svmc.se/smc_filer/SMC%20centralt/Se%20Oss/2015/PintoEtAl2014.pdf
From all of this, I pull out: adding additional lights may help, adding different light colors may help, adding hi-viz clothing/helmet may help, but riding like we are not being seen is still the most important thing we can do as riders.
This paper concluded that motorcycle DRLs manage to lessen the risk of collision about 4 to 20%
A distinct dependence of subjective conspicuity on the light configuration tested could be established irrespective of the vehicle. A 150% enhancement of conspicuity could be achieved with the use of DRL compared with dipped headlights. The results of the detection distance tests show a significant difference between the use of no light and dipped headlights, on the one hand, and the use different daytime running light configurations, on the other hand. No difference was established between the individual daytime running lights, but there was an average increase of around 80 m in the perceptibility distance.
But, also we are getting lost in a sea of other vehicle DRL's
“In countries already having introduced mandatory daytime running lights for all vehicles, studies of… additional motorcycle light arrangements, such as triangular lights, to maintain conspicuity, show little or no effect.”
In Australia bright yellow DRLs should be permitted on motorcycles but should continue to be disallowed on other vehicles. These would be far more effective as DRLs than headlights and have the potential to reduce fatal motorcycle crashes by more than 13%.
A yellow headlight has been show to be effective: https://www.svmc.se/smc_filer/SMC%20centralt/Se%20Oss/2015/PintoEtAl2014.pdf
From all of this, I pull out: adding additional lights may help, adding different light colors may help, adding hi-viz clothing/helmet may help, but riding like we are not being seen is still the most important thing we can do as riders.
r0ckrat
Active member
Yep. I had a brand new hi-vis yellow & black jacket and helmet, and the first ride with the new gear a lady pulled out of a Starbucks driveway while looking right through me (literally, I looked her in the eye, and she just pulled out.)
brownie0486
Well-known member
Had an AZ DPS [ state police ] turn around and pull me over for the D2 running lights blinding him [ during the day ]. He said they were illegal and law states they have to be adjusted to not do so.
I asked him if he knew what the statute actually stated, then pulled out the statute copied to my phone on height and distance adjustment. Explained mine were set per the law, and if he'd like to test them for correctness, we could go to a wall somewhere and at the correct distance check them for lawfulness.
He declined, as I knew statute 28-938. Spot and auxiliary lamps and had captured that statute in a picture which I keep on my phone.
"Not more than two fog lamps that are mounted on the front at a height of not less than twelve inches and not more than thirty inches above the level surface on which the vehicle stands and that are aimed so that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle shall project, at a distance of twenty-five feet ahead, higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp that is aimed."
If they are set properly, by law, they can whine all they want about my lights, I'm legal per statute. Never have been stopped but by the one joker who thought they were too bright and not set up properly.
As for brightness, the D2's are just below the state limit allowed for aux lights. Had that document from Denali on the phone should he have questioned me further as well.
Former leo here, I always research the laws pertaining to what I'm doing if not sure, to remain within the guidelines the state prescribes.
88bmwjeff
SF Bay Area
Please elaborate.
brownie0486
Well-known member
Okay, without having to spend the time there to find out why not yellow/amber,
clue us in please, this should get interesting
thanks
I don’t get his statement either. Yellow is the best color for fog lights and show well in the daylight. 
OM
Daniel Stern was pretty good in Home Alone.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827663/
OM
Daniel Stern was pretty good in Home Alone.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827663/
r0ckrat
Active member
I know he's talking about Daniel Stern Lighting but IIRC, back when the site was up to date, Stern always recommended staying with warmer (ie yellower) lighting than cooler (bluer) lighting for the reduction in glare and enhancement of contrast, and specifically called for yellow fogs... So I'm at a loss too.
