Being Seen on Your Harley-Davidson Motorcycle

In a recent post, we talked about all the things to consider and plan when you are doing a long-distance ride.   Planning (I really like checklists) can go a long way to minimizing the unknowns that can quickly turn a great memorable experience into a memorable experience for not so great reasons.

Even on shorter rides and around town there are two unpredictable things that come to mind that can influence your experience.  The first is the weather and the second is “the other guy”.   You know who I am talking about……

As a rider, there are a lot of uncontrollable elements (hell that is sometimes half the fun) but anything that can diminish the impact of the other guy, put your mind at ease, and allow you to focus on the ride is a huge asset.   A great way to do that is to visually make yourself known to other motorists.  We are just talking at night either, visibility is a key during daylight hours as well.   Think

So, what can you do?  Well let’s think about the different ways you can keep yourself in high visibility mode in any riding conditions.  There are really two components to this.

• Hi-Vis Apparel
  • Universally known as personal protective equipment (PPE) hi-vis apparel is an essential part of the uniform in many industries.  Think construction and landscaping workers
• The highly fluorescent fabrics distinguish riders from any background in day light and low-light conditions; for example, during rain or fog. 
• Additionally, these colors are key in creating a visually distinct image when there are a lot of visual distractions.   (my Uncle Dick would always wear a hunter’s orange ball cap whenever we would go to a theme park or something similar so we could easily find him.   We hated it.  But it worked)  

• Often the hi-vis color isn’t the only thing that will create that distinction, sometimes it can simply be a color other than black, like a white mesh jacket, and/or a distinct or visually interesting graphic (of course this is NOT nearly as effective as the hi vis colors.
• Reflective materials
  • Harley-Davidson has worked closely with 3M to create riding apparel using innovative 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material that stands up to the quality and durability demands our HD riders have come to expect.
  • There are options across multiple types of riding gear from rain gear to leather jackets and gloves that offer this reflective material AND specifically for HD 3M developed a titanium-grey reflective material (in addition to the standard silver) which is subdued in daylight allowing the item to stay subtle and stylish but illuminates

• The real advantage to the reflective material is in its ability to use retro-reflectivity that helps the eye perceive objects in low-light conditions when illuminated by a light source. This enhances your visibility to nearby motorists.
  • This retro reflective material features:
    • Premium beads
    • Precision processing
    • The highest quality aluminum
    • Resiliency to the elements
• HD reflective gear uses 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material that can be seen up to 500 feet away and is four times as bright as a stop sign. It also reflects 1,500 times more bright than white at night.
• What makes the material so effective is its candlepower, the measure of light intensity emitted from a light source.   3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material returns a higher percentage of light to the original light source, allowing riders to be seen from greater distances.

To get the most out of your investment in reflective and hi-vis gear it is always important to take proper care of it.  When cleaning or applying any kind of treatment to the garment be sure to avoid exposing the reflective materials.  This will ensure the effectiveness for a long time.

If you would like a live demonstration of how powerful these reflective materials are be sure to stop in and speak to one of our MotorClothes Gear consultants in the General Merchandise department.

There are controllable and uncontrollable elements out on the road, planning ahead and having the right tools at your fingertips can make all the difference in creating a riding experience that is memorable for all the right reasons!

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