Additional Brake Lights - Which Ones?

[Drew]

I want to add some modulating brake lights and have a few choices, would like some opinions on which way to go. I may go with both options at some point, but right now, only one. Money is an object, only one choice at the moment.

I have a Givi E52, so I can add the Admore light kit to it, LED and flashing.

I can add an Admore light bar under the tail light, LED and flashing.

I can add hyperlites to the sides of license plate, LED and flashing.

So any opinions on which to add now for an upcoming trip? I already have one opinion, go with the GIVI kit, bigger and higher, so possibly easier to see.

Thanks.

 

[BobMercer]

Drew,

I installed the Admore LED lighting kit to my GIVI E52 along with a Back-Off stoplight interrupter. It's a great package, with running lights, turn signals and flashing stoplights. In addition, I understand that Admore now has a wiring harness for the FJR to make the installation quicker and neater. It was not available when I did the installation. Lights up the a$$ end both day and night.

Bob

 

[Fred W]

None of the above.

Get yourself a red Whelen LIN3 and a 3rd brake light flasher. Best damn thing since sliced bread. Brighter and far more attention grabbing than any commercially available units.

Detailed here: Click me for brake enlightenment

 

[CAJW]

I was going to recommend the GIVI brakelight setup (still think it's good to have a larger "footprint" of lights), but after seeing Fred's note about the Whelen, I watched a video and Dahym! Dems is bright and gets attention. Great... now I have to ad another farkle to my list. Thanks Fred.....

 

[TheZsdad]

None of the above.

Get yourself a red Whelen LIN3 and a 3rd brake light flasher. Best damn thing since sliced bread. Brighter and far more attention grabbing than any commercially available units.

Detailed here: Click me for brake enlightenment

Gunny +1 The Whelen LIN3 is Da Bomb

 

[frito1]

I've been running a Sound Off Signal Ghost for several years on my bagger. I'm in the process of installing one on the FJR. It's a 6 LED emergency vehicle light available in a surface mount or a flat surface bracket. It comes in two configurations, one with 30 some odd programable flash patterns or for legal minded folks a flash to solid version. I toured all the vendors at every fire/ems conference I've attended before I settled on the Ghost. It's compact, light, simple, and extremely bright & visible. It's a 2 wire hook up (hot & ground), the patterns are adjustable in seconds. And.......it can be had complete for less than a C note. Oh yeah, it has a 5 year no question exchange warranty.

 

[TomInPA]

If you ride with the trunk a lot, the Admore kit can provide running lights, brake and turn at a very effective elevation for visibility. I think running lights need to be part of the consideration. Nothing beats the Whelen TIR3 for brakes except perhaps the Clearwater tail-lights which are the bomb for brakes AND running lights. Following Brodie was a real experience.

If you go to Admore's site, they have a clearance sale on the older controller version (they recently came out with gen II). It shouldn't affect the effectiveness of the lights, and it costs about $40 less. That almost leaves enough leftover for a Whelen TIR3 or LIN3. Best of both worlds.

 

[JamesK]

+1 on the Admore GIVI kit, for all the reasons stated above. It's a well designed kit and looks really OEM when installed in the GIVI box. The other consideration before going with something like the TIR3 or LIN3 or any of the other burn people's eyes out solutions. You also pretty much guarantee that anyone you ever ride with will NOT want to ride with you again, I'm just sayin...

 

[Fred W]

The other consideration before going with something like the TIR3 or LIN3 or any of the other burn people's eyes out solutions. You also pretty much guarantee that anyone you ever ride with will NOT want to ride with you again,

Untrue. Have you ever actually ridden behind someone with the Whelen light and flasher set up? They are not so bright that they cause that problem.

When I installed mine on the FJR I included a hidden on/off switch under the seat so I could disable the Whelen in a group ride scenario. But after quizzing riders who were following me not a single one has said it was distracting or annoying to them. I have led a fair number of rides and never actually needed the switch.

I like this set-up so much that I installed another one on my Man-strom and didn't bother with a disable switch.

Most folks set up the 3rd Brake flasher module to strobe the Whelen light 5 times fast when the brakes are applied (to catch your attention) and then go solid. This is the legal way to run it and I believe the most effective It is not nearly as annoying to be behind as many of the other less bright auxiliary brake lights that flash continuously while the brakes are on. If I'm sitting at a light and notice a car approaching from behind I can just let off the brakes and then reapply them and I know it will get the attention of the driver.

Total cost for this setup is $70. $50 for the Whelen and $20 for the flasher module. That's hard to beat from a value standpoint.

 

[Floridave]

I agree. This is a great setup. I have the LIN3 and also Hyperlites by the license plate.

None of the above.

Get yourself a red Whelen LIN3 and a 3rd brake light flasher. Best damn thing since sliced bread. Brighter and far more attention grabbing than any commercially available units.

Detailed here: Click me for brake enlightenment

Gunny +1 The Whelen LIN3 is Da Bomb

 

[Patriot]

Hyperlites...the red ones are always on running lights until hitting the brake and they flash (constantly) but Calif they can only flash a few seconds and go solid by law

the amber ones are additional turn signals and off the rest of the time

 

[JamesK]

The other consideration before going with something like the TIR3 or LIN3 or any of the other burn people's eyes out solutions. You also pretty much guarantee that anyone you ever ride with will NOT want to ride with you again,

Untrue. Have you ever actually ridden behind someone with the Whelen light and flasher set up? They are not so bright that they cause that problem.

When I installed mine on the FJR I included a hidden on/off switch under the seat so I could disable the Whelen in a group ride scenario. But after quizzing riders who were following me not a single one has said it was distracting or annoying to them. I have led a fair number of rides and never actually needed the switch.

I like this set-up so much that I installed another one on my Man-strom and didn't bother with a disable switch.

Most folks set up the 3rd Brake flasher module to strobe the Whelen light 5 times fast when the brakes are applied (to catch your attention) and then go solid. This is the legal way to run it and I believe the most effective It is not nearly as annoying to be behind as many of the other less bright auxiliary brake lights that flash continuously while the brakes are on. If I'm sitting at a light and notice a car approaching from behind I can just let off the brakes and then reapply them and I know it will get the attention of the driver.

Total cost for this setup is $70. $50 for the Whelen and $20 for the flasher module. That's hard to beat from a value standpoint.

Fred we all have our opinions and examples. Btw, I forgot to mention that I am running a Kisan brake light flasher (which pulses a few times before going "solid") and do a lot of night rides as well. And I've had complaints from my fellow riders about the distraction caused even by my less eye-piercing setup in the black of night. Obviously something like a LIN3 would be much less of a concern in bright sunlight than in the dark of night on some twisty backroads.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I'm with JamesK on this one, having ridden behind a Whelen bike just a couple of weeks ago. In the end I just backed way off. Which in retrospect is what you're really trying to get cars to do.

As to the original post, I simply made my own Admore style brake lights for the Givi 52. It's simply 2 sets of bright LEDs on a piece of scrap plastic, which I used the top of a cottage cheese tub for. Total cost was something like $12. These and the original light set are wired to a Kissan unit to pulse before staying on bright.

For running lights I found that a 5(?) inch strip of red LEDs that were on sale at the car parts store fits nicely under each of the red corner pieces on the back of the Givi.

 

[TheZsdad]

I agree. This is a great setup. I have the LIN3 and also Hyperlites by the license plate.

None of the above.

Get yourself a red Whelen LIN3 and a 3rd brake light flasher. Best damn thing since sliced bread. Brighter and far more attention grabbing than any commercially available units.

Detailed here: Click me for brake enlightenment

Gunny +1 The Whelen LIN3 is Da Bomb

It must be a Dave thing I am using the LIN3 with the hypers also. No complaints from riders behind me.

 

[John d]

I have a single Whelen TIR3 with the flasher module and toggle switch under the seat as well. If anybody says it's annoying on a group ride, it's easy to switch off. Nobody has complained yet but maybe they were afraid to say something. They shouldn't be though. Most comments are like...."that's bright, I want one". I would definitely switch it off at night if riding with others.

 

[86fj1200]

I want to add some modulating brake lights and have a few choices, would like some opinions on which way to go. I may go with both options at some point, but right now, only one. Money is an object, only one choice at the moment.

I have a Givi E52, so I can add the Admore light kit to it, LED and flashing.

I can add an Admore light bar under the tail light, LED and flashing.

I can add hyperlites to the sides of license plate, LED and flashing.

So any opinions on which to add now for an upcoming trip? I already have one opinion, go with the GIVI kit, bigger and higher, so possibly easier to see.

Thanks.

+1 The Whelen LIN3...It's great to watch the tailgaters back down when you tap the brake. I wouldn't feel safe without it.

 

[FJR Flyer]

Has anyone tried the LED flexible strips you see at Autozone? They look like they would conform easily to reasonable bends, but I'm assuming they're not weatherproof. For about $12, it might be worth a try to seal them up with something. Look like it would be an easy option for lights on the back of the bags or on a trunk.

 

[Drew]

Thanks for the input on the different options/suggestions. While the Whelan sounds like possibly the brightest of choices, I'm going with the Hyperlites, which seem to be more plug and play, all parts from one place with running, turn and flashing brake lights. If I pull the Givi off the back, I'm still covered with the additional brake lighting.