What are your best ways to improve visibility?

[DELETE-PLEASE]

I know I can throw TONS of reflective decals on the rear of the FJR, and maybe a LED license plate or something (very low voltage). I have a 1st Gen and so I wanna save my "spare" watts for warming gear.

What can be done for front end visibility? I'm leary of using a modulator as in my limited experience, a flashing headlight means, "Go ahead and pull in front of me....I'm being nice" and I don't want others to think I'm letting them in all the time. Anyone have success with reflectors or reflective tape on forks, or somewhere on the front fairing/bottom of the windshield?

Alexi

 

[Ignacio]

Hi-viz and colored apparel like:

It doesn't have to be a Stich or Shoei, but examples.

I doubt reflective is going to do you any good on the front. It's really reflective during the day and at night it would be washed out by your very visible headlights.

 

[Patriot]

google "hyperwhites"

I have these up front on my feej...very bright white led units for conspicuity...very very low current leds

 

[r1byker]

I suppose you could ride around with your high beams on all the time; that seems to get peoples' attention when I split lanes. And then there's those high-viz vests that seems almost to be a requirement in England. They're pretty noticeable from every angle. And then there's the red and white conspicuity tape that's required by law on big rig trailers. That stuff is really visible at night; maybe you could put it vertically on the forks.

Just some ideas.

 

[Bungie]

+1 on the HiViz. (See my avatar!)

Just before EOM I ordered some rain gloves from NewEnough, the shipping cost more than the gloves did, so I bought a Fieldsheer HiViz vest. Figuring I'd throw it on over my rainsuit. Well I never did.

Flash forward to EOM.

I'm thinking I'm about to ride a couple thousand miles. I put it on.

Now, understand that you 'mericans generally drive pretty courteously (enforcement will do that) compared to the dickwads up here. I didn't expect to notice any difference. Well guess what. I now ride with it ALL THE TIME. The local douchebag pirates make fun of it, but by and large, nobody really. But I DO see people noticing it in traffic. In fact, I've actually noticed people giving me more space behind me and it seems like fewer people driving in my blindspot (Pet peeve of mine.. up here, people will accelerate up behind you, then cruise DIRECTLY in your blindspot = WTF!)

When traffic conditions warrant it, I'll use my modulator.

Hey lets face it, if somebodies DBW (Dead Behind the Wheel), their not going to see you period. Ask any cop, fireman or ambulance driver. But for the other 98% of traffic, the combo of HiViz and the modulator gets peoples attention and both are relatively inexpensive.

 

[TruWrecks]

Get a Kisan PathBlazer head-light modulator. It doesn't deliver the message as you said "go ahead an pull out in front of me". The message is more like "I might be an emergency vehicle. Get the f*** out of my way!"

I have them on both of my bikes. I haven't had a close call with pull-outs, or left turners since I started using them. I also run LED brake lights with a Back-Off modulator on the flash 4-on-flash 4 continuous pattern.

 

[Grumpy]

You need to do things that will increase how conspicuous you are........yellow is in the middle of the eye's response curve and therefore seen more easily. Flashing headlights on high beams make you different than everyone else and therefore more conspicuous. Likewise so do strobe lights.

 

[7xray]

I've been running with high beams on all the time lately (last 2-3 months). I think it makes a difference and I haven't had anybody complain to me by flashing their lights at me. During the day, of course, don't ride much at night.

Fred

 

[Fred W]

I do like to wear yellow gear. Not HiViz, just regular yellow, and that helps.

Also, not mentioned is the HID headlights. I had them in my bike (until I kissed the bambi) and they seem to help A LOT in daylight hours in getting cagers attention. Bonus is they do not take up more watts, and may even be a little less than the stock bulbs.

But nothing you do will be fail safe. You need to ride like you are invisible, or worse that you are the enemy and they are out to get you. 'Cause they are!!

 

[RaYzerman19]

I have an Olympia Hi-viz jacket and it definitely turns heads. But I also put a pair of cheap "fog lamps" on the forks. These have 20 watt MR-11 halogen bulbs with yellow lenses. Many comments on how far away they can be seen. They aren't any good as fog lights past about 50 feet, since the light is dissipated by then. But, visible from great distance.

 

[TruWrecks]

Also, not mentioned is the HID headlights. I had them in my bike (until I kissed the bambi) and they seem to help A LOT in daylight hours in getting cagers attention. Bonus is they do not take up more watts, and may even be a little less than the stock bulbs.

HID are nice for night and more visible for cagers, but no where near as noticeable as a modulated light in the middle of the day. If I could get a modulated HID I'd buy one in a second.

 

[madmike2]

I run some hecka huge driving lights (Soltek Fuegos). Even when they're not "ON" the profile of my bike looks enough like a CHP motorcycle that people seem to notice.

 

[Braenen]

I recommend strapping one of these to your helmet:

https://www.outdoorpros.com/Prod/Peterson-M.../54115/Cat/1370

 

[Khunajawdge]

On my last bike I put stripes of this stuff all over my Connie, kind of like a Zebra! I even covered the bottom of the fairing Belly pan JIC of the unlikely, but possible(?) scenario of sliding through an intersection where only my pan would be visible to oncoming traffic. I haven't gotten around to it on the Galaxy Blue Yamaha yet, but I'm getting some tape ordered to be prepared for some striping before this winter.

I use Scotchlite reflective tape, see; https://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=gen...amp;style=DE181

 

[FJRBluesman]

You could be like bust and ride nekid.... :dribble:

Seriously, I wear a bright yellow (not hi-Viz like Ig posted) Tourmaster Transition Series 2 jacket, I like to think it helps.

 

[dustyrains]

I like the way cagers move over sometimes when I come up behind them with modulating headlights. Had a car pull completely off the road for me once on my Harley.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

here ya go:

attention grabber hi viz lights

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I run some hecka huge driving lights (Soltek Fuegos). Even when they're not "ON" the profile of my bike looks enough like a CHP motorcycle that people seem to notice.

GORGEOUS picture Mike. But people don't think your bike is a cop; a bug maybe?

Then again, you're riding yours and I'm not riding mine. Err... :huh:

 

[GunMD]