Engage your brakes

[Fred W]

If you get the plain ones (no logo) they are hard to tell they are even there in daylight. But I like the looks of the ones with red logos on the red bike. YMMV

 

[rbentnail]

If you get the plain ones (no logo) they are hard to tell they are even there in daylight.

+1. I had the plain ones across the back of an OEM trunk, couldn't see them at all in the daytime but a huge difference at night.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I will agree with Fred W (Just this one time!), you will notice the reflectors in daylight for about 2 minutes after you install them. Then, they just disappear. You will know they are there but even motorcycle folks will not realize something is different. During the daylight hours anyway.

I have had a few pleasant moments watching some of my non-riding co-workers staring at the back of my parked bike. The question is inevitably some version of, "Where are those lights that were on the back of this thing the other night?"

Again, I think those reflectors are one of the best bang for the buck safety tools available. My favorite part is that they work with no power from the bike. If that bike is crashed lying in the road some dark rainy night those reflectors still work. Yes, the bags may not be attached after a crash but they still reflect light wherever they lie.

I am seriously considering the Givi brake light kit for Dad's V46. Initially I had no interest because I figured he would rarely ride with the thing on his bike. I do not think he has ridden without since we installed it.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

This is a good thread. Obvious, but bears repeating. Just ordered RTI reflectives (wicked cheap, and they'll give you 10% off with coupon code). You can't fix stupid drivers, but you can bend the odds. I'll admit that I don't always engage the brake when sitting stopped. And I ride in the dark almost daily much of the year....

 

[El Toro Joe]

Yep...me too...Also a big fan of the Whelen LIN3 and 3rd Brake Light Flasher combo.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

This is a good thread, it has made me think about things that I know I should do, things I used to do, and things that I have become too lazy or complacent to do.

Like Mr. Lumberg, I ride in the dark very often. My shift work pattern means that one leg of my commute will always be in the dark. Does not matter if I work days or nights, one ride will be in the pre-dawn darkness. I have become too complacent and this thread was a good wake-up call.

 

[Warpdrv]

I def need to do some flashy brake lighty things on the back on my FJR.....

I just don't want to dump hundreds into whats out there.....

So many new bright LED lights out there now, there has to be something that does an initial flashing then go solid.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Lumberg, if you look at my YouTube video, my bike has the RTI decals on the bags. I got them with the white Yamaha tuning forks. They run from the bottom of the bag, all the way to the top, beyond the USA stickers. Except for being smooth, they're almost unnoticeable during the day. At night, they're awesome!

Warpdrv, there are tons of those lights out there. I like that mine continues to flash. My OEM lights use the TailBlazer flashers, so they go solid after a little bit. The LED stays flashing, which I really like if I get distracted at a light and don't think to hit my brakes again.

Ive been all over the country and never been stopped yet by any law enforcement. Pretty hard to argue that those lights are not making me more safe by getting peoples' attention. Like Fred, I try to leave space and stay in gear, watching mirrors until there's a couple cars behind me.

 

[BigOgre]

I was in this place for the first time last week to pick up a gift for my son and had a chance to look at some of their displays. If anyone is considering the Whelen/3rd Brake Light Flasher set-up, this Feniex Cobra T3 might be an alternative. No affiliation and haven't tried one personally.

 

[TomInPA]

For an economic Whelen TIR3 alternative, take a look at Galls Surface lights. These are identical in every way except price to the Whelen TIR3. The are less expensive through Quartermaster than Galls at $43.47. You can't find a brighter light, and they have 12 different flash patterns.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Here are the Whelen TIR3 lights. Scroll down a bit: https://www.swps.com/whelen-tir3-leds.html

You can also search that site for the LIN3 light, which is less expensive. Not sure about the Gall's light, as I haven't bought anything from them in years. However, I bought a couple things from them in 1997 that I still use today, if that says anything about their quality.

 

[bluesdog]

RTI logo decals on the rear, and swooshy ones on the pannier sides, and made ones for the sides of the upper fairing. Also hyperlites running/turn/brake with the flashing/steady

Another option:

 

[eastern5]

I usually tap my brakes when coming to a slowdown. slowing down to a light for changing traffic speed. I also enlarged my "rear end" profile with reflectors, as much have done here. Something interesting i see from this company... https://gearbrake.com hmmm.

 

[creg-ny-baa]

I usually tap my brakes when coming to a slowdown. slowing down to a light for changing traffic speed. I also enlarged my "rear end" profile with reflectors, as much have done here. Something interesting i see from this company... https://gearbrake.com hmmm.

Nice idea, but the video is SO bad there's no way to see how good the execution is.

 

[escapefjrtist]

<snip> I am seriously considering the Givi brake light kit for Dad's V46. Initially I had no interest because I figured he would rarely ride with the thing on his bike. I do not think he has ridden without since we installed it.

@RfH, another alternative is the complete V46 Admore kit. Not cheap but installs easy, works excellent and with the FJR specific wiring harness, is literally a plug n'play installation. I've been running one in a V46 Tech case, it provides a lot of extra night time visibility. Add in a Whelen [or similar] and you [or Pops] will be noticed.

--G

 

[eastern5]

On the topic of the company "Whelen engineering". A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit their manufacturing facility, very nice operation. It was like out in the middle of no where, between NH and Vermont.

I would eventually like to add a trunk and have something that "automatically flashes" for warning. but for now this is my rear end. I like those reflectors because they work day and night.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I see why you almost got run over. Your license plate, which is supposed to be a brightly reflective surface, is all blacked out like somebody colored it with a marker!

Just kidding. While I agree that the bag reflectors you have are effective, I prefer the less conspicuous 3M stickers. The ones that RealTime Industries sells can have the FJR logo very discreetly silvered in and actually add to the good looks of the bike. Of course, we all like what we like. No right or wrong answer here.

 

[creg-ny-baa]

I had to find the link for these Vizi-Tec Supa-Brake 2. Seems like a cost effective and functionally effective option for protection of your "six." If you do a search, they're discussed elsewhere here on the forum.

 

[Geezer]

I use this one. Twenty bucks. Does the job.