is this possible? Wife want me to do this.
- Thread starter Semper Fi
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dj bill
Well-known member
I have headlight modulators,they work great,annoying,maybe but I dgaf compared to someone pulling out in front of me.it only takes once (which it did,ouch,totaled bike) and you would shoot flares off the side if you had to.should be mandatory on all new bikes imo.
ahchiu
FJR Commander
I have them and I have had drivers tell me it's annoying, and I tell them I rather annoy you for a few minutes than being me being annoyed by getting hit by a cager not seeing me, I often have cagers pull over thinking I'm a LEO .
RadioHowie
I Miss Beemerdons!
Geek, if you really believe that, then you're missing some GREAT cuisine if you head east.
Semper Fi
Well-known member
Thanks for all the comments on the blue color, I love it also!
I would also have to agree that, going from a V-Star 1100 to an FJR 1300 is like going from a tractor to a sports car!
I did a lot of searching on the FJR before I even decided to buy one. I found one on E-Bay for about $1000 more, same year, with a couple more mods to it. I passed on it because I found this one on Craigs list.
I am not sure what to do, go with the modulator or the LEDs down the front. I don't want to annoy any one but, the person that caused my accident didn't get more than a ticket. I spent 2 months in the hospital with more broken bones than I care to tell about. I even had a brain injury. That set me back A LOT! I couldn't even work for 13 months. I would have to agree with my wife on wanting to do something that "they" would notice. When I had the accident, it was a very nice sunny morning, not even a cloud in the sky. She pulled right in front of me, following the car in front of her without even looking. I hit her at 45 mph, OUCH!! The good thing is, I don't even remember it at all. So knowing what I have just said, what would all of you suggest I do to be noticed? I do know that the headlight on this FJR is amazing!
I would also have to agree that, going from a V-Star 1100 to an FJR 1300 is like going from a tractor to a sports car!
I did a lot of searching on the FJR before I even decided to buy one. I found one on E-Bay for about $1000 more, same year, with a couple more mods to it. I passed on it because I found this one on Craigs list.
I am not sure what to do, go with the modulator or the LEDs down the front. I don't want to annoy any one but, the person that caused my accident didn't get more than a ticket. I spent 2 months in the hospital with more broken bones than I care to tell about. I even had a brain injury. That set me back A LOT! I couldn't even work for 13 months. I would have to agree with my wife on wanting to do something that "they" would notice. When I had the accident, it was a very nice sunny morning, not even a cloud in the sky. She pulled right in front of me, following the car in front of her without even looking. I hit her at 45 mph, OUCH!! The good thing is, I don't even remember it at all. So knowing what I have just said, what would all of you suggest I do to be noticed? I do know that the headlight on this FJR is amazing!
Semper Fi
Well-known member
ionbeam
2 FUN
Do both? Nothing you do will make you 100% visible 100% of the time, you still need to be vigilant and maintain situational awareness. I was walking down the hallway at work on my way out to my bike wearing Hi Viz and a fellow coworker walking the other way would have walked right into me if I hadn't made a noise to get his attention. Just 2 people in a narrow hall and he didn't see me, how bad is that? If your wife wants you to get a modulator and that's what she is focused on the do that. During the daylight hours the modulator is attention getting. At night, low LED lights near the wheel axle are very visible.
In addition to front lights, look into Real Time Industries bag reflector kit, these things are awesome for dim to dark light situations and they are darn inexpensive. You can get into Hi Viz fairly inexpensively by going to a store that sells work and safety clothing and pick up a coat 'shell' that you can slip on over what ever you are wearing. Hi Viz does help you stand out. Right now I have a Hi Viz mesh coat and a shell that I wear over my winter touring coat. Notice how much easier it is to see the bikes with riders in Hi Viz (also, look in the rear view mirror) -->
In addition to front lights, look into Real Time Industries bag reflector kit, these things are awesome for dim to dark light situations and they are darn inexpensive. You can get into Hi Viz fairly inexpensively by going to a store that sells work and safety clothing and pick up a coat 'shell' that you can slip on over what ever you are wearing. Hi Viz does help you stand out. Right now I have a Hi Viz mesh coat and a shell that I wear over my winter touring coat. Notice how much easier it is to see the bikes with riders in Hi Viz (also, look in the rear view mirror) -->
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Geezer
Parsimonious Curmudgeon
That goofy looking guy in the red helmet above is me. I believe that it is good to wear a lot of different colors in order to attract attention, even if it makes me look like Bozo. This year I switched to a Hi-Viz helmet because the one I found really stands out in the daylight.
Nothing you can add to your gear or bike will be fool proof and the best protection is a very defensive and vigilant rider, but everything else does help.
Nothing you can add to your gear or bike will be fool proof and the best protection is a very defensive and vigilant rider, but everything else does help.
supertankerm60a3
Well-known member
Army regs make me wear bright jacket with reflective stripes, so I do that. (though my yellow leather jacket is now so worn that it hardly classifies as hi-viz anymore) The other thing you can do, right away, wihout spending a penny or any time is to jus leave the high beam on during daylight hours. Others on this forum tend to mention how annoying high beams are to other drivers even in daylignt, yet then advocate the super-blaz-o-matic type disaster illumination systems. I just leave it on high during daylight, and turn them down if I am riding behind somone for extended periods of time.
Semper Fi
Well-known member
All of you have given me great ideas, and I thank you for it. My wife has read them all also, she still has not made up her mind. I will do what ever she thinks of, she could make me stay away from bikes but hasn't. I thank all of you for your comments and, I wish all of you the funnest and safest ride possible.
TomInPA
Well-known member
You can run a headlight modulator, but IMO the use of auxilliary lighting like the Clearwater Kristas give drivers a better visual queue as to speed and closing distance, as well as being conspicuous. Brody on the forum was taken out simialry, and when he replaced his bike installed the Krista lights up high and Glenda on the forks and rear-facing.
Do whatever you can to be more conspicuous and visible, but ride like you're invisible. PS great choice in color on that 2003!
Do whatever you can to be more conspicuous and visible, but ride like you're invisible. PS great choice in color on that 2003!
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CAJW
Well-known member
I do the same. Occasionally I get "blinked down" during the day by cagers indicating that they're annoyed by my High Beam lights. I just wave thanking them for noticing me.
BTW, I run Glenda LED fork lights on High as well during the day and experienced a "save" about 2 miles away from Clearwater, having just left there for the install. Yep, they're worth every penny as recognition lights.
d in the d
Member
Headlight modulators have their champions and their haters.
I am neither, but the one thing that comes to mind is target fixation.
You know how you are in a curve and you see some gravel or rocks and it takes your attention from your exit line for a moment? If you are anything like me that kind of target fixation always lures me to ride right through the gravel - the exact thing that I wanted to avoid.
A modulator does make you more conspicuous but I am weary about if the driver that see's it, they won't fixate on my headlight and drift into my lane or take the concentration away from the task at hand of piloting their cage and not being a nuisance.
Something to think about when you make that decision.
I am neither, but the one thing that comes to mind is target fixation.
You know how you are in a curve and you see some gravel or rocks and it takes your attention from your exit line for a moment? If you are anything like me that kind of target fixation always lures me to ride right through the gravel - the exact thing that I wanted to avoid.
A modulator does make you more conspicuous but I am weary about if the driver that see's it, they won't fixate on my headlight and drift into my lane or take the concentration away from the task at hand of piloting their cage and not being a nuisance.
Something to think about when you make that decision.
SoCalFJR1300
Well-known member
Nice lookin cruiser Semper.
SoCalFJR1300
Well-known member
blueman
blueman
I like the color but then again.
I don't think that target fixation will happen unless there is some other primordial emotional response associated with the visual target. You target fixate on the outside of the corer, or the car's bumper, because you are afraid to go there. Car drivers are not going to fixate on a modulating headlight because it doesn't create any emotion in them. They aren't afraid of it, and it sure isn't sexy.
That said, I am somewhat skeptical of their effectiveness at actually improving conspicuity. Like was said, there are promoters and detractors. Pick your poison. I suppose that in a crowded urban roadway, like during commuter hours, having anything that makes you look different than the rest of the sheeple makes you more conspicuous.
I prefer to just avoid this situations entirely and improve my odds that way.
That said, I am somewhat skeptical of their effectiveness at actually improving conspicuity. Like was said, there are promoters and detractors. Pick your poison. I suppose that in a crowded urban roadway, like during commuter hours, having anything that makes you look different than the rest of the sheeple makes you more conspicuous.
I prefer to just avoid this situations entirely and improve my odds that way.
Goodman4
Pressing on
I've been contemplating the Clearwaters for a couple years, but can't make up my mind to do it. I seldom ride at night and if I do, I put on my $15 hi-vis overlay that my wife says makes me look "special".
I wish I had better lights every time I approach a person getting ready to turn in on the right and it just feels like they might be looking through me. But then I do the handlebar wobble trick I learned on this forum and I think they get most of the same impact as a headlight modulator.
Semper Fi, I'll bet you have a blast coming from the V-Star. It looks a lot like my VTX1300 I just sold. I still love that bike and sold it to a friend so I end up parking by it most days and every time I say, dang that's a good looking bike. Lots of good memories on it, but I almost never rode it and the wife would absolutely not ride it any more once we got the FJR. Don't wait too long on the lights or you'll never do it. Or worse you'll have another incident and then your wife will kill you.
I wish I had better lights every time I approach a person getting ready to turn in on the right and it just feels like they might be looking through me. But then I do the handlebar wobble trick I learned on this forum and I think they get most of the same impact as a headlight modulator.
Semper Fi, I'll bet you have a blast coming from the V-Star. It looks a lot like my VTX1300 I just sold. I still love that bike and sold it to a friend so I end up parking by it most days and every time I say, dang that's a good looking bike. Lots of good memories on it, but I almost never rode it and the wife would absolutely not ride it any more once we got the FJR. Don't wait too long on the lights or you'll never do it. Or worse you'll have another incident and then your wife will kill you.
FJRMGM
FJRMGM
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