Can I use "make out" for when it's not dark?

[alpacinou]

Can I use "make out" for when it's not dark?

Also, what verb can I use for the blank?

Jim was running in the desert. He saw a motorcycle coming his way. The bike was...by two riders. Under the brutal sun, he squinted his eyes, making out a man and a woman with long curly hair. Jim stopped, reaching into his pocket for his mobile phone. He lifted it, seeing a new text message.

If "make out" is not correct, what verb can I use?

 

[tedmc]

Can I use "make out" for when it's not dark?

Also, what verb can I use for the blank?

Jim was running in the desert. He saw a motorcycle coming his way. The bike was...by two riders. Under the brutal sun, he squinted his eyes, making out a man and a woman with long curly hair. Jim stopped, reaching into his pocket for his mobile phone. He lifted it, seeing a new text message.

If "make out" is not correct, what verb can I use?

The bike was ridden by two riders would sound odd.I would rephrase it to: There were two people on the bike.
I think you can use make out when there is difficulty in seeing something.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, you had already said that he had squinted.

Perhaps:

He shaded his eyes against the bright sun. He saw that there were two people on the bike. He was bald, and she had long curly hair.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd use "make out" in a clearer way to show that it was difficult to see and that the person could only discern certain things.

He squinted against the bright sun and could just about make out two people, a bald man and a woman with long curly hair.

 

[alpacinou]

I'd use "make out" in a clearer way to show that it was difficult to see and that the person could only discern certain things.

He squinted against the bright sun and could just about make out two people, a bald man and a woman with long curly hair.

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