Hi All, I'm sort of new here and new in a way to BMW's. Mine is dark grey and light grey, the dark looks black, it is actually very dark grey with very fine metal flakes. I live thirty miles south of Houston and have found out the hard way, no accident yet, that I needed to add some really bright tape to my bike. Found it at Wallyworld, colors of the rainbow so I bought very bright yellow and got busy adding pieces of tape to the bike in real specific places so IT would be seen much, much easier. I put it on the bags, side and back, and on the side and front on fairing. The tape is the regular duct tape size and looks great, I also put the tape on my black leather classic jacket, down the arms, on the back and front too, also added it to my helmet, I can damn sure be seen now and people mainly stay back where they were getting a bit too close for my liking. I don't know if it's all over but people seem to drive how ever they need to to get where they are going around here and in Houston and I have to really watch cars, trucks closer than I do other wise when on the bike. Before the addition of the bright tape people were pulling in in front of me in a big hurry and changing lanes in front, squeezing in so that I had to back up a little one time. I wished I'd had a semi horn that time to scare the hell out of that person. I really wish the bike had been white, but now I'm told I have a real colorful bike and asked if I put the tape on or is it paint, just wondered if others are having these troubles too.
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Putting bright yellow duct tape on 1200rt.
- Thread starter jyme
- Start date
I doubt that duct tape is going to last a very long time. A better choice would have been reflective tape designed for vehicles. You can buy it in most any color, including yellow and orange. It will show up well in the day time plus it will glow like extra lighting when headlights hit it. You can also buy sew on reflective tape for your jacket.
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
Welcome!
One of our Members...right here on the forum... may have the solution for you.
Click on this link- https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthrea...eflective-Kits-for-Your-Saddlebags-and-Trunks
The link has well documented information and pictures to give you an idea how they will fit on your bike.
Gary
One of our Members...right here on the forum... may have the solution for you.
Click on this link- https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthrea...eflective-Kits-for-Your-Saddlebags-and-Trunks
The link has well documented information and pictures to give you an idea how they will fit on your bike.
Gary
mlytle
Member
duct tape is the worst thing you can use if you care about your bike. the glue used on the tape becomes an unremoveable mess after a week or so in the sun. the tape part will fall off and the adhesive will forever be a mess on the bike. take it all off!
go with motoreflective 3m reflective tape...or reflectors...or lights like the skenedesign P3...or wear hi-vis gear....or all of the above like i do.
go with motoreflective 3m reflective tape...or reflectors...or lights like the skenedesign P3...or wear hi-vis gear....or all of the above like i do.
Thanks for all the great info so far gentlemen, I was a pro musician a long time, drummer in LA, Ca and know more about duct tape than I want to, how long to keep it some where you don't want it before the glue will not release and so on, this is not supposed to be a long time fix at all, but when you have an almost black bike, 2009 and you come too close to getting hit too many times because I'm sure the people just did not see me or I was a blur I knew I had to do something fast and did not really have time to look much. I do not want to sew anything onto my jacket or paint the bike with strips right now even though this might change also. To the gentlemen who stated to take the tape off now, its been on a couple of weeks and I am constantly checking to see if any is difficult to come off and I know how to get the tape off if that does happen. I've been a custom chopper painter in the early 70's who re did a lot of bad paint jobs and pin stripping from tape you could buy and put on your self but later would leave a mark from the paint around being slightly weathered. I am very interested in the comments and hope to find something I can use.
To add to what I just wrote, I do not leave my bike in the sun with out a cover on it unless I will only be in a store a very short time and I make a point of setting a timer on my watch for this. And, yes, I do and did know the masking tape would be the worst thing I could use till I found something else rather quickly and why I put a post here as I knew I would receive help. I have been surprised at how many stores you would think would have 3M reflective tape do not. I have already found plenty to order for the bike and my jacket. If funds were no worry I would have bought a new BMW and all the bright clothes and boots I need but I am as poor as a church mouse and I'm doing the best I can to go as inexpensively as possible and I believe I will be able to with the links left. Thanks for the warm Welcome but may not be here long as I can not afford to be a member any longer but will post as long as I'm allowed.
My K100 is completely black and I have on occasion been cut off, but so seldom that I do not consider it to be a problem. I use black reflective tape (turns white when headlights hit it) on the panniers rear. It is reasonably priced. There are also a few red reflective strips taped along the sides of the bags. At the front there are two bright auxiliary lights, seated below and to the sides of the main headlamp and the three lights form a triangle, making the bike very visible at night or daytime. Although my riding suit is black, I wear a black mesh vest with reflective, neon green stripes (not expensive), plus a white helmet. When approaching an intersection that have vehicles, I do several side to side movements to make the bike more noticeable. Each bike has loud horns, to be used when all else fails.
Perhaps most importantly, I am always aware of traffic conditions on the road well ahead, allowing me to determine if a problem might occur when I arrive at that particular location. That may result in changing lanes, increasing or decreasing speed, all well ahead of the perceived problem.
When my neighbour installed a loud, aftermarket muffler on his quiet Boulevard because he was too frequently being cut off, I could not help wonder if his defensive riding need to be improved.
I believe that my defensive riding is the reason that I have so seldom been cut off and when it has happened by having my clutch and brakes covered, I have been prepared to quickly cut speed and shift gears as necessary, despite having a black bike.
To me it really doesn't matter to me if I have the right of way; I just don't wish to be dead right.
Perhaps most importantly, I am always aware of traffic conditions on the road well ahead, allowing me to determine if a problem might occur when I arrive at that particular location. That may result in changing lanes, increasing or decreasing speed, all well ahead of the perceived problem.
When my neighbour installed a loud, aftermarket muffler on his quiet Boulevard because he was too frequently being cut off, I could not help wonder if his defensive riding need to be improved.
I believe that my defensive riding is the reason that I have so seldom been cut off and when it has happened by having my clutch and brakes covered, I have been prepared to quickly cut speed and shift gears as necessary, despite having a black bike.
To me it really doesn't matter to me if I have the right of way; I just don't wish to be dead right.
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I agree 100%, maybe more.
All the yellow tape in the world won't save you if you can't recognize precarious riding situations.
Jyme, money has nothing to do with it, we are just cautioning you that the duct tape will leave a mess on your bike. Amazon.com has all kinds of reflective tape for just a few dollars. Many rider wear vest in the bright safety colors. That maybe an option for you too.
You don't leave the bike in the sun? Don't you ride in the sun?
Like others have stated it depends on you too. Ride like you are invisible, ride like ever one is trying to run you over and you will survive on the street. Learn to anticipate what other drivers will do and leave room to avoid them. I ride a bright red Harley and a bright red BMW and I have people pulling out on front of me often, but I assume they will so it is not a problem.
You don't leave the bike in the sun? Don't you ride in the sun?
Like others have stated it depends on you too. Ride like you are invisible, ride like ever one is trying to run you over and you will survive on the street. Learn to anticipate what other drivers will do and leave room to avoid them. I ride a bright red Harley and a bright red BMW and I have people pulling out on front of me often, but I assume they will so it is not a problem.
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
Long ago the Hurt report on motorcycle accidents/fatalities concluded that wearing a white helmet was (if I remember correctly) the most significant thing a rider could do to be seen. I believe that these days, LED auxiliary lights are at least as helpful in making a motorcycle visible to other vehicle operators. LED lights need not be real expensive and are hard to miss. Combine the helmet, hi-viz vest, aux lights and reflective tape and you will be very visible.
You indicate that you must be frugal. Don't we all? Putting duct tape on the painted surfaces of your bike is a sure way to cause expensive damage.
You indicate that you must be frugal. Don't we all? Putting duct tape on the painted surfaces of your bike is a sure way to cause expensive damage.
Conspicuity
Your question makes me wonder if you are fairly new to moto riding. I think that most experienced riders will agree that there is value in trying to make yourself more conspicuous to other traffic. In fact, there are research reports written about that topic, and as other responders have noted, there are online resources available.
So, I think your instincts are good. My suspicion is that what you need most is more experience. My recommendation is to take an advanced rider class. We can all learn a lot by interacting with instructors and other riders.
Cap
Your question makes me wonder if you are fairly new to moto riding. I think that most experienced riders will agree that there is value in trying to make yourself more conspicuous to other traffic. In fact, there are research reports written about that topic, and as other responders have noted, there are online resources available.
So, I think your instincts are good. My suspicion is that what you need most is more experience. My recommendation is to take an advanced rider class. We can all learn a lot by interacting with instructors and other riders.
Cap
Others have mentioned that I might be new to motorcycling, nothing could be further from that. I started riding in the early 70's, a lot of different bikes, back then never had a problem of cars not seeing me and honestly don't know why, never thought about it. I moved to the Houston area in 84, bought a 76 Goldwing and rode it all the time to work in Houston. Many thought I was nuts then to ride in such bad rain but I enjoyed it, the bike was canary yellow and cars stayed away, I've never gone down or had a real close call. It could be just the time of year that the people in general drive like idiots. After about six years of riding to Houston I moved to LA, CA for work. There they,, the cars will run you off the road, that was my experience, I still road, had a Harley caffe racer, Goldwing and 75 R90 and worked on all of them if something happened and they all worked fabulous so I am not in any way new to riding. I do not own a camera but the duct tape is off the bike, came off very easily. And yes, in answer to some one's question, I ride in the sun mainly but the tape was not on top of the plastic and the sun is not hot enough this time of year to bake it in at all, it was on for two weeks. I absolutely did notice that cars and trucks stayed back away from my rear at stop lights more than they had before, and I was actually looked at more where the driving was slower. I am very aware of watching other vehicles more and the road conditions. Most of you very likely were able to start riding bikes much sooner than I was since I grow up in foreign countries and you have to be 21 to get a drivers permit. I got my driver permit when I came back to America and attended an American HS for the second time at age 19. Some one also stated that you did not need so much money to buy a bright vest. You are quite wrong, I will likely buy the vest next month, right now the duct tape I placed on my leather jacket is working well and I'm going to purchase some of the products from the Conspicuity site, they have just what I need.
...and the bastids are STILL going to try and run you off the road.
But seriously, akbeemer has a point.
Hmmm, these seem pretty cheap to me: https://www.marks.com/en/workhorse-...=70fabe90ca6fae9cf0cda70202844e76&fo_s=gplaca
I could afford that bright vest, guess I missed that one, thanks and I've ordered some hi viz products from a site suggested here. It is odd to me that I've ridden with guys who have had the same normal riding conditions I was asking about and they just took it in stride but I thought I should be able to become far more visible. I am and will continue to be. But I do feel as though I was treated some what as though I didn't really know how to ride or what I was doing from a very few. I went to a Harley forum and was treated nicer and given about the same info except they didn't think I was a beginning rider. I treat others the way I want to be, kind. So, one last time for this post, thank you all very much.
