Headlight Modulators

[Bungie]

I pretty much expect this'll turn into a headlight modulator debate, but, well, pfft.. so what

Picked up a Kisan PathBlazers from Premiere over the winter and got them installed on the weekend. Not much room under the hood, but I got it done in about an hour.

So after dinner, the sun is out, temps are about 47F or so.. I'm going for a ride!

I toodled around town taking it easy as the roads are still covered in crap. In 26km (exactly), I was told, in traffic, 4 times that my lights are pulsing. I just gave them an "I know" nod. Now granted, I think I've only seen one other bike with modulators on around here, so people aren't exactly use to seeing that. But more importantly, cagers are seeing me. Not just a psychological 'see me', but a head turning what the fa' seeing me. A head turning as I go past seeing me. A people POINTING at me seeing me.

Though I will admit to being self concious about it, especially when the cop I went past in the other lane picked up his handset and eyeballed me. I was fully expecting to get pulled up the road. I just KNOW how that will play out up here.

I'm thinking their worth the money. Amazing.

Rant on.

 

[wfooshee]

[Devil's Advocate]

But what are all those people not seeing while their eyes are turned towards you?

Stop signs, pedestrians, guy in front's brake lights, traffic light turning yellow, guy next door changing lanes . . . . .

[/Devil's Advocate]

 

[Texan]

I have one on my Honda Shadow (single bucket headlight). I always used it and in the whole time I was riding, kept looking for others with modulators - I only saw one in about a year.

But the FJR has so much more light up front that perhaps I just feel better than with the single Honda light.

Nevertheless, I'm in favor of them.

 

[dbvolfan]

I have one on my FJR but dont use it as much as I used to simply b/c I am on the interstate more often than not.

I've had 1 person get angry and tell me they were annoying and scared the crap outta him b/c he thought I was a cop coming up from behind.

Be really careful using them in stop and go traffic, say at 5pm. I had two people who suddenly pulled out and almost hit me while I was in the faster moving left lane and when asked why, they responded that they thought I was flashing my lights to let them know it was OK to come over.

I do however wish I had one on my single light Shadow which doesnt throw hardly any light at all, even when on high beam. The FJR however seems to do just fine with what it has.

 

[Paul II]

Steve,

To tell you the truth I hadn't seen a headlight modulator in this part of the province until last year! I've seen one this spring on an old 'wing but they just don't seem to be that common up here.

I have to say it was a bit distracting to look at as well. Both encounters were on straight stretches of highway.

Paul

 

[bramfrank]

Have one. Love it.

Anyone who claims that a regularly pulsing high beam means 'please go ahead of me' is an idiot.

The reality is that you look more like a cop than anything else when it is running. They just didn't look and used the headlight as an excuse - without the modulator they (and more people) would have done the same thing.

 

[Hamie]

I have the Kisan PathBlazer also... and use it all the time... for the rear I have a Whelen TIR3 that flashes when I apply the brakes.. I think they both help a lot in being seen...

 

[JerseyEd]

I hate the pulsing light in my mirror. BUT, the kid that hit me head on kept saying over and over he was sorry, that he didn't see me. It was one of the best days of the year, no traffic. It may save your ass.

 

[Bungie]

Have one. Love it.
They just didn't look and used the headlight as an excuse - without the modulator they (and more people) would have done the same thing.

Especially in Montreal. You guys are legendary across Canada for being craptacular drivers. I have a wholly different view of local drivers now after driving through the States. We suck up here too.

The only real problem I can see with the modulators is driving somebody NUTS while waiting for a long light. I shut them off just as a courtesy.

 

[wfooshee]

I hate the pulsing light in my mirror. BUT, the kid that hit me head on kept saying over and over he was sorry, that he didn't see me. It was one of the best days of the year, no traffic. It may save your ass.

The only reason the kid didn't see you is because he wasn't looking. He was in the radio dial or the gas gauge or his girlfriend's nude photo on his phone, something like that. Modulators might have gotten his attention, they night not. But if people aren't looking, they just aren't looking.

There's no such thing in traffic as, "I didn't see him." It ALWAYS means, "I wasn't looking."

Modulators are annoying as hell to somebody who has them in the mirror or in slow oncoming lanes, or waiting for a light. And like I said before, people turn to watch them, so what else is out there that they're missing?

They might be less annoying if they ran a lower rate, like a blip every two or three seconds, rather than twice a second or so.

 

[Bungie]

Modulators are annoying as hell to somebody who has them in the mirror or in slow oncoming lanes, or waiting for a light. And like I said before, people turn to watch them, so what else is out there that they're missing?
They might be less annoying if they ran a lower rate, like a blip every two or three seconds, rather than twice a second or so.

I know their is a requirement for blink frequency. That being said, I think slow blink rate would/could be seen as a 'go ahead' type of acknowledgement. Faster, would probably trigger seizures, or the signal light emergency vehicle switch (I don't know if you guys have those.. we do up here.. you'll never see an emergency vehicle hit a red).

I'd like to know if you've ever actually ridden a bike with modulators (as opposed to seen/ridden with). I was really skeptical and figured if I didn't like them, I'd could resell them here. As of my experiences yesterday, I wonder why I didn't install them sooner.

As for the your other comment, chances are if they were that distracted by the shiny thing, they wouldn't see the other thing they're missing anyway, they'd be just a distracted by their cell phone/stereo/cigarette/cd/gps/hot bod walking down the road.

 

[FJJ'sR]

Signal Dynamics headlight modulator utilizes only the low beam and pulsates low to full power. IMHO it's not that annoying. I don't know if other brands use high beams or not, but I think that would be annoying.

FJJ'sR

 

[Stephen]

IMHO, every motorcycle should have modulators. They have saved my old a$$ many times. There are many reasons why cagers can't see you (phone, porno, dropped cigarette, getting a *******, etc). h34r:

I use mine in and about the country roads and in suburbia. I rarely use them on the open freeway.

By the way, if you have one of those cruisers with only one headlight, it is very hard to see you. The light is "yellowish" and is easy to miss.

 

[mmonroe]

I am all for being more visiable, however, driving around with your headlight flashing its high beam on continuously is just stupid and honestly dangerous - for you and the people around you. About 95% of the people that see it are going to wonder what is wrong with you or your bike.

In general, I dont worry as much about people in front of me - I have some control over the direction I am moving. It's the people behind me that concern me the most. They are harder for me to see and harder for me to get away from - especially in traffic and congestion.

 

[Bungie]

In general, I dont worry as much about people in front of me - I have some control over the direction I am moving.

Reply deleted.. this is stupid beyond words.

Edit: here, read this Hurt Report Summary

 

[Bounce]

[Devil's Advocate]
But what are all those people not seeing while their eyes are turned towards you?

Stop signs, pedestrians, guy in front's brake lights, traffic light turning yellow, guy next door changing lanes . . . . .

[/Devil's Advocate]

one things for sure. they're NOT not seeing ME and i'm the one that has to minimize my risk with all legal options available to me.

 

[Texan]

In general, I dont worry as much about people in front of me - I have some control over the direction I am moving.

Reply deleted.. this is stupid beyond words.

Edit: here, read this Hurt Report Summary

The report summary is fascinating (seriously). Young, ignorant, untrained, uninsured, unhelmeted and inebriated riders were significantly overrepresented vs the riding population.

- only 10% had insurance

- only 40% had a helment

- only 8% had training

- half had less than 3 years riding experience

So, all you have to be is smart, professional, middle aged, trained, helmeted, sober, experienced and insured to beat the odds. Sign me up!

 

[wfooshee]

In general, I dont worry as much about people in front of me - I have some control over the direction I am moving.

Um, it's the people in front of them that kill most riders. Crossing the center line, turning left, pulling out from a stop, blah blah blah. All of them "didn't see" the bike, which again means they didn't look. How many drivers have you seen edge through an intersection without stopping, only to stop when they noticed "Oh! It's busy!"

I'm not trying to talk anybody out of modulators as much as I'm trying to point out that personally, I don't think they do all that much good. Granted, changing light sources have a higher reaction than steady light sources. That's why radio towers blink, flashing yellows flash, and emergency vehicle lights cycle through all sorts of patterns.

My problem with modulators is that the uneducated public doesn't know what to do when he sees them. Perhaps if they were standard and thus understood by all it would be different. But the ignorant reaction of most (OMG, wtf do I do?!!?!?!?111) compels me to leave them alone and continue my "I'm invisible - they don't see me" defensive riding, and making sure I see everything out there, and have a way out of it. Why should I actually contribute to the confusion of the drivers around me?

 

[Stephen]

Um, it's the people in front of them that kill most riders. Crossing the center line, turning left, pulling out from a stop, blah blah blah. All of them "didn't see" the bike, which again means they didn't look. How many drivers have you seen edge through an intersection without stopping, only to stop when they noticed "Oh! It's busy!"
I'm not trying to talk anybody out of modulators as much as I'm trying to point out that personally, I don't think they do all that much good. Granted, changing light sources have a higher reaction than steady light sources. That's why radio towers blink, flashing yellows flash, and emergency vehicle lights cycle through all sorts of patterns.

My problem with modulators is that the uneducated public doesn't know what to do when he sees them. Perhaps if they were standard and thus understood by all it would be different. But the ignorant reaction of most (OMG, wtf do I do?!!?!?!?111) compels me to leave them alone and continue my "I'm invisible - they don't see me" defensive riding, and making sure I see everything out there, and have a way out of it. Why should I actually contribute to the confusion of the drivers around me?

According to your statement, you're incinuating that Florida residents are ignorant (uneducated, confused, etc.). Is this because of the large non-English speaking Latino influx of the population who have little or no driving experience? :huh:

The residents of the states that I've traveled in have had no problem with the modulators on either of my bikes. A huge number of Goldwing owners run them, many sport-tourers run them.... although I suspect that I'm in the minority for having them on a sportbike.