crash prevention...

[st3v3]

Hello all,

I'm a newb to the board, but was certainly saddened to hear about the recent crashes.  I hope for a speedy recovery for Rob, and i'm glad to hear that Steve and his son were unscathed.  It does make me nervous though; i recently got my machine back from the mechanic, and have really enjoyed riding it.  It is raining here this morning, so i drove my truck to work instead of the bike; on the way to work, i noticed a bicyclist riding in the rain.  He had one of  those very bright flashing led lights on his handlebars, and the thought popped into my head that was exactly what i needed for more visibility on my motorcycle.  I'm wondering what the collective wisdom is on this before i go forward with the idea.  Any comments would be welcomed!

Thanks,

--Steve

[drewboid]

I'm all in favor of visibility!
If you are in the US - headlight modulators are legal in all 50 states. Cost around $100 or the non-legal version from JC Whitney at $20.
Some do not like them saying that motorists have mistaken them for a "go" signal and have pulled out in front of them. I find it hard to understand because the headlight will modulate continuously 4 times a second rather than simply flash - on the other hand cagers will run into big yellow school buses and say they didn't see them!
Modulating stop lights are also available and it is possible to refit turn signals to be on all the time. Added driving lights and tail lights help also - it is hard to judge distances when all you see is a single light.   YMMV - please do not flame me about headlight modulators.

ps - I like a set of air horns in place of the little "beep-beep" OEM horn. I have seen drivers sit up and look around for the truck when I HONNNNK!  

[not-so-fast-ed]

I put on the Hyper lite brake lights and feel a bit more conspicuous.  
http://hyperlites.com/

I'm still researching the running lights mod to the turn signals and more front lighting.

Ed

[Justin B.]

Steve, all of the above mentioned are usually OK but I would think the local fuzz might get a bit irritated if you just hung some arbitrary red flashing lights on yer cow!

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I wish the rider that was in front of me had had the Hyperlites that I have on my carcass.
I might have seen them out of the corner of my eye...

[Altritter]

Justin wrote: << all of the above mentioned are usually OK but I would think the local fuzz might get a bit irritated if you just hung some arbitrary red flashing lights on yer cow! >>

That *can* be a problem in my jurisdiction (Virginia), particularly if the Hyper-Lites continue to flash as long as the brakes are applied. Do they in fact do so? Virginia's Motor Vehicle Code restricts "flashing" red lights to emergency vehicles and school buses. Even the momentary flashing LEDs reportedly have drawn citations if noticed by the wrong cop. Whether a red light is a "flashing" red light is subject to an individual cop's discretion, which (IMO) sometimes is subject to abuse.

BTW, does anyone know if the Hypers are continuous flashers or just a momentary "blip" of the LED array?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

The Hyper-Lite brand has a loop wire exposed.

If you cut it (I did) the LEDs will flash eight times and then stay on solid.

Leaving the loop intact will allow the LEDs to flash continuously.


If I am sitting at a long light with no traffic behind me, I will watch to see if any one approaches.
If one should, I just let go of the brake and re-apply to restart the sequence.

[Altritter]

<< If you cut it (I did) the LEDs will flash eight times and then stay on solid. >>

Thanks, Rob.

Hope you're doing OK.

Regards,

John

[not-so-fast-ed]

I've got mine set up the same, Rob.  I also watch behind me at stops and re-apply the flash if I think those coming up behind need an additional prompt.

[Semper Gumby]

+1 on the Hyperlights!.  I also have reflective white tape on my side cases and top cases.  My Givi top case has built in brake lights.  Also I have installed a Kisan Flashing brake light in the BMW Brake Light shell in place of the 1156.  I have also spent additional funds for a Kisan SM-1 running light box.  It is also a turn signal canceller and four way flasher.  I have mine set to flash 40 times and then shut off where upon the turn signals revert to running lights.  The forward turn signals also are part of the running lights.

I also have reflective tape on the back of my white helmet (white and red).  All my clothing except my dry rider rain suit has refective 3M material on it.  It is black but when light hits it it lights up like a mirror.  

Can't have enough light stuff.   8-)

[st3v3]

Thanks to all of you for the insight.  I will look into getting the hyperlights installed in the rear for sure.  Would it be a bad idea to install them on the front of the machine also ?? that way, if you see a car starting to pull out in front of you, when you touch your brake you would have added visibility.  I've already had a lady start to pull out in front of me, and luckily she stopped in the middle of the lane when she saw me, otherwise, i'd have had to go off the road.  The odd thing is, i watched her and she was looking right at me when she began to pull out  :-/

Again, thanks for the wisdom.

--Steve

[Altritter]

From st3v3; << Would it be a bad idea to install them on the front of the machine also ? >>

It's a good idea only if your jurisdiction permits a pulsating light *other than* a headlight. There are alternatives to the Hyperlight for the front. One that comes to mind illuminates your amber front turn signals constantly until you activate your turn signal, then goes to blinking mode for the one signaling the direction you wish to turn. (Forgive me for not knowing the brand name off the top of my addled head.)

From Semper Gumby: << I also have reflective tape on the back of my white helmet (white and red).  All my clothing except my dry rider rain suit has refective 3M material on it.  It is black but when light hits it it lights up like a mirror. >>  

I have a silver helmet and put red reflective triangles and a rectangle  in a pattern on the rear. White reflective rectangle on the sides, and white reflective triangles in a shark-tooth pattern below the face shield in front.

Each of my  touring cases has one 2" wide 3M Diamond white strip running parallel with the general horizontal lines of the bike (extending essentially the width of the case). The 3M diamond tape is great stuff; it's brilliant silver/white reflecting > 45° off the perpendicular viewing axis, for > 90° total reflectivity — from directly behind,  beyond 45° on either side. It comes in red, also. See below.

In addition, I put, on the front and rear of each touring case, panels of the 3m reflective material that Gumby mentioned. I like it, also.

For increased reflectivity, I modified a wide advertising dealer-advertising rear license bracket as follows: On one side, I put 3 horizontal stripes of the 2" diamond tape — red/white/red, so that the stripes surround the license plate. On the back of this bracked, I put a solid panel of the black/mirror 3M material, so that it reflects when the bike is view from the front.

I *still* don't have photos to post, and I won't be able to do it this weekend. First good day I'm not at the office, I plan to do a photo shoot of the bike, irrespective whether I've had time to give it a bath.

I want to start on the lighting modifications, but I'm still researching. I'm quite conservative about hacking an old but working electrical system. Besides, I'm not riding at night until I get my eyes fixed. (That's a work in progress, also.)

Doubtless a lot of vendors sell the reflectives. I found the 3M Diamond tape at ridesafer.com, which has a lot of good stuff. I bought the 3M black/silver material in 8"x10" sheets from Bob's. It comes prepacked; 3 sheets are nearly $20 plus S&H. (Measure twice, cut once!   )

[steve hawkins]

In the UK there are definate laws about what lights you can have on the back of you bike and reflectors.  

I am sure that flashing lights at the back would be not be acceptable to the local constabulary.  

However since they have all be replaced by speed camera's and those that are left are chasing 'real villans', you would probably get away with it till your next MOT.

[trolle]

Well, I like the idea of riding a Christmas tree  

greetings from a sunny, cool north with excellent riding conditions

[aussie]

Yes - I have the 3M diamond tape in black on the back of my panniers and reflective piping on my jacket. In fact one of the reasons I actually got the panniers in the first place (well apart from the storage space) was that I was more than a little concerned about the driving habits of some (most) of our cagers here and I figured that the extra bulk may assist them to see me.  I've also learnt (remembered really) that you ride and drive as if people are going to do the wrong thing.

I can remember a couple of instances when I almost came off - I was in the inside lane and watching this old guy in the opposite lane. I just had this feeling that he was about to change lanes and sure enough I was half way past his car - when he began. I couldn't slow down enough or increase my speed, so I just thumped his passenger sidewindow with my fist and he got the message thankfully. Another time I was riding a Honda XL185 along the road and I knew that all the side streets had Give Way signs on them. I saw a car approach the road and slowed down a little but kept on coming (after all I had the right of way). Unfortuantely she also kept on coming and smashed into the rear side of the bike, demolishing my left indicator and breaking the mudguard. I was pushed onto the other side of the road (fortunately there was no oncoming traffic) but didn't come off. When I stopped and went back and asked her what she was doing - her reply.....well it's a Give Way sign and not a Stop Sign......JHC!!!....I was so lucky that she didn't take my leg or there was other traffic.

I'm pretty sure the hyper lights would not be legal here though an interesting idea. I certainly always have the headlight on.