[ArtOfTheMotorcycle]

Actually, Vanson's new glow-in-the-dark leather is probably much more useful. Motorcycles already have lights. Lighting up the rider (this stuff is bright!) gives drivers a human shape they can identify and are programmed to avoid harming. It also could protect you if you crash on some unlit road and are lying on the road.



Art Friedman

 

[tbuse]

Considering that most motorists apparently can't see a motorcycle in broad daylight, I'm not encouraged that they would pay more attention if a bike glowed. Well, maybe.

"Dad, what's that glowing in front of us?"



"I don't know son. Let's get closer."



Thump, thump.



"Hmmmm. Must of been a speed bump."

 

[NickdaBrick]

It sure would make you more visible,

but would it really make you safer? I think it would make you look like a space alien, making it much more likely that you would be shot by drunken ********.

 

[jackbird]

Rotating Beacons on Helmets Soon Required

That will be nothing compared to our DNA dogtags with the built in biometrics and GPS transponder. As soon as we crash, they'll know just where to send either the ambulance or the hearse.

All of this for security and happy well being.

 

[Lateshow321]

God wears a Vanson just to be cool

Because we all know that nobody would crash into him, he won't carry too much speed into a corner, and even if he does, he's great on the brakes, Bugs just fly around him, and his tires are protected from everything.

Now for those of you who think my statements are blasphemy...consider this, God is essentially concerned with man's happiness, and when are we happiest?? When we are carving turns on God's Green Earth.

When we get to heaven we won't have to complain that the bike we'd "really like to ride" isn't being built, because we will design it the way we want.

Vanson jackets are the most "Legit" of any leather for motorcycling. One of mine is fully perforated for summer riding...what a breeze!!!!!!!

 

[jstern02]

I heard glow in the dark motorcycles could cause testicular cancer!

 

[6144]

I'll just take along Phil Donohue as my passager. He glows in the dark, doesn't he!?

 

[Patrick-of-the-Hills]

Somehow, I don't think that having the Prince of Darkness involved with glow-in-the-dark bikes maintains that sense of English propriety we all expect from them.



I mean, c'mon, really, is this serious? I'd probably die of an uncontrolled-laughter-induced aneurysm the first time I saw a glowing bike running around after dark. (And that's not safe, is it? Law of unintended consequences hits hard if you're not careful.)

 

[21726]

For God's sake don't get enthusiastic about this glow-in-the-dark stuff, even if it seems like fun. Before you know it the authorities will make it compulsory on every surface of your bike and your body. Besides, even if you can be seen two miles away, what difference does it make? Research shows that car drivers simply don't look!

 

[wwalkersd]

Not only that, but half of the ones who do see you will target fixate on you if you're all lit up. Just look how many emergency vehicles parked on the shoulder with their flashing lights on get hit.

 

[pushkin_9]

Glow Bug

Screw safety....this would look awesome.

I had one of the light up watches and would play with it all the time...such an awesome bluegreen color.

Stick it on an R1 around the headlights, and it would make the R1 look like an evil alien beast, which it already sort of does.

Hmmmm...must find way to get this stuff.

-push

 

[goddamoldladies]

hey this sounds great....a glow in the dark bike...for people who can't see headlights or tail lights....i want to get one that glows white with red glowing wheels..and a set of leathers that glow a skeleton bones outline....that should be pretty impressive passing cars at 140mph on dark roads..i bet the drivers wont miss me...especially when i fire up the afterburners and turn on my lightsabre......jeez who thinks of this ...politicians..



use the force...

 

[neoyetif2]

It will work great, until...

...every bike glows. These ideas are great until everyone does it. Remember when cars started being built with the extra brake light in the back window? I remember the first time I saw a car with that -- I noticed right away. Now, they don't stick out like they did. The same with people driving cars with the lights on all the time (all GM products), if you see a crowded road and everybody has their lights on -- no one car stands out. I guess I am a little concerned about if everything that moves is glowing or shining brightly there will too much vision stimuli and people will begin to rely on everything that moves must glow.

What do you guys think?

Scott

 

[das]

Art, do you have links to more information about these leathers?

All I found at the Vanson website (http://www.vansonleathers.com/) was information about jackets and pants that have Scotchlite reflective piping in the visible seams, which is not nearly the same as glow-in-the-dark leather.

 

[das]

Re: Rotating Beacons on Helmets Soon Required

Leave it to Thomas Jefferson to plagiarize. First John Locke, and now Ben Franklin.

Ben Franklin said "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

 

[ArtOfTheMotorcycle]

I believe the jackets are not quite full production yet. We have some of the leather around here, and it's amazingly bright at night if you leave or wear it out in the sun during the day.



Art

 

[Chubber]

Even with Vanson, the scotchlite is only on the piping. It looks good, but there is no replacement for square inches. I want to know when I can buy a silver helmet covered in Scotchlite. Why aren't the sticker makers cutting more designs that have scotchlite as the white in the designs?



At home I am working on a flag made from red and white strips salvaged from reflective safety vests. Once I figure out how to make stars and get it all sewed up, it will go on the back of the jacket, about 10x12 inches. That should make me stand out pretty well.... Plus I have a 1 inch strip that goes across the back of my helmet and a 1/2 inch strip that goes across the front over the visor. It is visible over 100 yards away with headlights. THe tape only cost $6.00 and I have plenty left.



You dont have to wait for the 'pros' to figure this stuff out. You can do it and it can look cool at the same time.



Chris

 

[borgNSR]

It will never happen.

Its a great idea, but because of the powerful influence of abcnews.com on the world, and in particular, one crack (head) science reporter, Lee Dye, this rather interesting idea has met its untimely death. How, you say, can this be true?

It glows, it comes in sheets, it doesn't need a lot of juice, comes in colors, yes yes, but how much already? Mr. "Dye Hard Science", in search of a nice punchy closing to his piece, misquotes the prototype cost by a factor of 10, thus casting serious doubt on the ability of any factory process to bring the cost into line with anything reasonable. $15,000 in prototype to $70 in production? No way. Thus this idea ends here.

Of course the press release where this all comes from says $1500, chump change for a prototype. This all falls in line with the journalism's number one tenet, "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story." Needless to add that I'm currently holding my breath for a page 1 correction.

 

[Biker4751]

Right you are Art. I fell in love with the Vanson's CSRX jacket with

reflective lables and piping at last Fall's open house. It really does make a difference when riding at night.