[WPG]

Has any one used or installed or thought about Head Light Modulator? does it seem to get you more attention? Reading about them thought it might be worth a shot, but wanting to ask the think tank first. But there is debate on which light beam to use them on, High or Low. Also speak up on what you think about the Tail/Brake Light modulator as well. Prices are from $55 to $150 for the headlight modulator, and under $35 for the tail light.

As always thanks for your thoughts and knowledge

Some URLs on both

Head Light

http://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=2

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-technical-articles/modulator.htm

http://www.bikerhiway.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=103&gclid=CLiNvv6FiYsCFQhDSgoddlQZHA

http://www.ridesafer.com/store/category/5wlr/Modulators.html

Tail Light

http://www.ridesafer.com/store/category/bz4a/Taillight_Modulators.html

http://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=3

 

[Frog]

Can't have those in Quebec..

They are considered as strobes and only emergencies vehicules are allowed to use those

 

[knightslugger]

I've got no opinion other than they look retarded on the road. I'd say defensive driving trumps this.

 

[WPG]

I've got no opinion other than they look retarded on the road. I'd say defensive driving trumps this.

Well i thought i could get out of just about every kind of scenario.Till i was in the local shop yesterday and guy in there had a wreck days before when a lady pulled out in front 10 feet of him he was in 3rd gear on a 1300 but not in it just driving. Totaled his bike but good gear saved him, but he was saying she looked right at him when she did it. She never saw him, she floored it to beat the car 100 feet behind him, a 350 lbs big dude on one of the biggest bikes out there, people look thru bikes. No matter of defensive driving keeps you from that sort of wreck. She MAY have seen him with a headlight Modulator. Just a thought.

 

[Lacessit]

Well.. I'm not keen on the aesthetics of headlight modulators, but they certainly do work. I passed a guy a while back that had one (on coming traffic) and couldn't keep my eyes off him. It fairly shouts "LOOK AT ME". I was really impressed.

Now whether or not it will do that to the soccor mom in her SUV with cell phone, I dunno; but I can't think it would hurt. I've also heard but not seen great things about the tail-light modulator; and have been thinking of picking one up.

 

[Lacessit]

After reviewing those tail-light modulators, I'm not impressed with a lot of them.. too much information for the driver to take in. Those with an alternating flash from side-to-side I think are ridiculous, and will just confuse the driver behind you.

How many bikes now have integrated tail-lights and signals?
The flash should be to grab the driver's attention, followed by a standard brake light that they understand intuitively.

Just my oppinion but I think the most effective ones are the simple 3-5 flashes when brakes are first applied, with a steady on.

 

[knightslugger]

I've got no opinion other than they look retarded on the road. I'd say defensive driving trumps this.

Well i thought i could get out of just about every kind of scenario.Till i was in the local shop yesterday and guy in there had a wreck days before when a lady pulled out in front 10 feet of him he was in 3rd gear on a 1300 but not in it just driving. Totaled his bike but good gear saved him, but he was saying she looked right at him when she did it. She never saw him, she floored it to beat the car 100 feet behind him, a 350 lbs big dude on one of the biggest bikes out there, people look thru bikes. No matter of defensive driving keeps you from that sort of wreck. She MAY have seen him with a headlight Modulator. Just a thought.

Coulda', woulda' might have, maybe, possibly, should have... what's the difference? he had to have had his headlight on, i fail to see how a modulating headlight would have helped. When she looked, it was probably only for a split second, and in that fractional second, i doubt she would have noticed that the headlight she was looking at was modulating at all.

Most people don't even really look at their mirrors like they should. when you pull out, you do three checks. blind spot, rear view for traffic behind you, and side view for traffic approaching you. How many of you actually look in your mirrors when driving? I mean really look. Who here does the three point look before they merge? I try, but because i've been driving so long and have gotten into the bad habit i don't do it every time. at most i probably do it 1 out of every ten times.

 

[Lucky#13]

Not one person on here honestly say that they never noticed a polices headlights modulating when the cops had em' on . And Slugger , by saying they look retarded obviously you have noticed the too . I know I sure as hell notice the on bikes and can see the much futher than a standard headlight in congested traffic .

 

[knightslugger]

After reviewing those tail-light modulators, I'm not impressed with a lot of them.. too much information for the driver to take in. Those with an alternating flash from side-to-side I think are ridiculous, and will just confuse the driver behind you.

How many bikes now have integrated tail-lights and signals?
The flash should be to grab the driver's attention, followed by a standard brake light that they understand intuitively.

Just my opinion but I think the most effective ones are the simple 3-5 flashes when brakes are first applied, with a steady on.

I'm not sure if they make them for the EX500, but the UFO light will do the pulse then steady stop light, which i DO think is a good idea. A faster strobe (which i suppose you could call modulation...) does catch the eye much better.

Not one person on here honestly say that they never noticed a polices headlights modulating when the cops had em' on . And Slugger , by saying they look retarded obviously you have noticed the too . I know I sure as hell notice the on bikes and can see the much futher than a standard headlight in congested traffic .

There's a difference between a modulating police headlight and a modulating motorcycle headlight. A police cruiser will go side to side, a motorcycle with only on light will simply go on and off. I have noticed them, but it's only because i look out for motorcycles now that i know the dangers we face by being a rider myself. to the everyday jane/joe they wouldn't notice when they glance... and that's exactly what they do. if you're coming at them, sure a modulating headlight will get attention. absolutely, no question. however that's not where most accidents happen. Head-on collisions are rare in motorcycling. they happen sure, but most of them are because one of them drifted over a dub yeller around a corner and target fixated either before, during or after and some happen because of an on coming car waiting to turn left at a light gets antsy and fires one into the intersection. most accidents happen where the car pulls out of an intersection into the path of a motorcycle perpendicular to the motorcycle; a T-bone. where the auto driver is glancing left and right frequently, barely looking (i mean really looking) at traffic.

 

[Lucky#13]

True enough that nothing is going to help you from a t-bone . UNLESS ... we all install airbags like the Japs use And honesly modulating headlights look like you have some tyoe of electrical problem .

 

[knightslugger]

True enough that nothing is going to help you from a t-bone . UNLESS ... we all install airbags like the Japs use And honesly modulating headlights look like you have some tyoe of electrical problem .

even then, you still were involved in a T-Bone... and yeah, either electrical issue, or a complete attention grabbing a-hole. you take what you can get.

 

[WPG]

Not one person on here honestly say that they never noticed a polices headlights modulating when the cops had em' on . And Slugger , by saying they look retarded obviously you have noticed the too . I know I sure as hell notice the on bikes and can see the much futher than a standard headlight in congested traffic .

Thats my point, EVERYONE sees a police headlight when they had them on. That in itself i think is what would help with a bike. They would notice the light before they pullout in front of you. Not all Police lights jump from side to side, I think any light thats flashing is gonna catch someones eye more than a fixed light that they have no idea where its coming from. One study said suggested that the DTL lights on cars now are becoming useless, its not the different its the NORM. Also said that a bike running with its beam on HIGH blends them in to the surroundings the beam hides the bike itself. So to me a modulator light would make a huge difference. In the case in point that i used as the example the lady probably seen the bike with the flashing light other than the car 100 ft down the road. If flashing didnt make people take notice, Then why have they become the federal standard on REDLIGHTS in busy intersections.

As far as the Tail lights i agree 100% it should be 3-5 blink then a solid Red. I know that works, thats what i do when rolling up to a light, and i see the persons eye fix on my tail lights blinking for a sec then solid.

Anything that gives us a second glance is worth it, we have to contend with Cell phones, stereos, dvd, tvs, PDA, GPS, mp3 players, windshield displays, Alot has the drivers attention now more than ever.

 

[scoobywrx05]

True enough that nothing is going to help you from a t-bone . UNLESS ... we all install airbags like the Japs use And honesly modulating headlights look like you have some tyoe of electrical problem .

even then, you still were involved in a T-Bone... and yeah, either electrical issue, or a complete attention grabbing a-hole. you take what you can get.

Thats funny,makes me laugh..... I don't think the flashing headlights help at all,case and point, about 2 years ago there was this person that pulled out in front of an ambulance, the ambulance had all of its lights on and flashing but they didn't have the siren on because they where going down the road in an unpopulated area. Now this person claims that they never saw the ambulance coming(even with all its lights on). Well instead of one person going to the ER,5 ended up going. Knightslugger is right when he says people only look for a spit second,because they usually do only look for a split second,hell,when I was a OTR truck driver I had people pull out in front of me all the time,and there are 2 reasons why,one is that "you looked like you where going slower than you where actually going" and #2 is that "I didn't see ya". I have had both of those statments actually said to me. Now how in the hell you don't see a semi truck and a 53 foot trailer is beyond me. It all comes down to this,,there are a lot of stupid drivers on the road now-a-days, and don't think that just because you made eye contact with someone that they see you. I usually watch what the cars doing and not what the driver behind the wheel is doing. I've driven in ever state and parts of Canada to,and every states drivers drive differently. All depending on which state your in,the flashing headlight might help,but I doubt it. Just my 2 cents on the subject

 

[2001ex500]

Another thing along this same vein that I think has some merit are the two extra lights that you put on either side of your front axle. I saw a bike with them recently and (from the front) it really makes the bike mentally take up more space. I really noticed the difference myself as a cage driver. I forget the name but they weren't cheap however. People really look through motorcycles, and the mental size they picture seems to help reduce that. Bottom line is people do stupid things. I've only been riding 5 mons and I've already seen plenty. I was in a line of traffic the other day going through an intersection and my light turns green and a driver turning left from the other side waits until until the 2 cars in front of me go through and then turns in front of me like I wasn't even there. I could see her eyes and she was looking right at me but not seeing. I was going slow enough I avoided her alright. None of these things is a magic shield but if it weeds out 20% more of the brain dead drivers it has done some good (depending on what it costs too).

 

[WPG]

This has gone about as well as a tire post of what to get and what tire is better. Basic question about safety, in my mind anything is better than being dead or laid up n a hsp, I really wouldnt care what some idiot in a car thinks i have a electrical problem or attention grabber a hole, point is HE SAW ME and didnt pull out in front of me. If nothing helps in saftey then why isnt everything on the bike clear and our gear the same color as our skin. No Halo strips, no horn, no need for blinkers no ones looking anyway.

 

[knightslugger]

no ones looking anyway.

and that's a good way to think about it. he didn't see you, he might be ready to dart out, be ready for it.

I'm not saying it wont help. it will, but not to a point that will solve the problem. The solution is better driver education and less driver distraction.

 

[Frog]

Another thing along this same vein that I think has some merit are the two extra lights that you put on either side of your front axle. I saw a bike with them recently and (from the front) it really makes the bike mentally take up more space. I really noticed the difference myself as a cage driver.

Since the alternator does not have much extra power, I wouldn't put anythig that draws much electricity on top of the regular load, but the concept of having a bigger mental size is good. Sure, it won't be 100% foolproof but it should help.

To replace the extra lights I'd advise to use those 2 or 3 wire flashers with LEDs, they don't draw much power (1/10th of those stock flashers if not less) so your bike's alternator won't see a big difference and still, those will be legal everywhere and help those drowsy drivers see you better

 

[scoobywrx05]

no ones looking anyway.

I'm not saying it wont help. it will, but not to a point that will solve the problem. The solution is better driver education and less driver distraction.

I believe this is the correct answer to the question you where asking,and or the statement you where making. A cheaper solution would be to tape the horn button down and ride around like that,it might sound stupid and you might think I'm trying to be a smart @$$,but I'm not. I bet more people would notice you with your horn than flashing lights. The problem at hand(like knightslugger said) is the other drivers,if they where paying attention to what was giong on around them(like they should be doing anyways) when there driving there car down the road, there wouldn't be any problem. It isn't just the cars that have this problem either, its also other motorcycle riders that are not noticing other riders. It all comes down to poor judgement and not paying attention. Again this is only my 2 cents.

 

[Frog]

Using your horn for no critical situation could also end up in a ticket here..

if everyone was doing this, imagine the quatity of noise pollution

 

[knightslugger]

Using your horn for no critical situation could also end up in a ticket here..

if everyone was doing this, imagine the quatity of noise pollution

You'd get gigged with a malfunctioning safety device in the states.