Headlight modulator

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Eric L

Not that kind of a doctor
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Looking to add a headlight modulator - I'm looking for plug and play. Any advice?

 
I hate 'em...lead many rides and I have to ask for followers to turn it off

Very distracting and gives me vertigo :blink:

I guess my Clearwater Lights are my frontal visability tool...even cheap wal mart halogens can work well for frontal visibility

the back of the bike is lit up like a Christmas tree with multiple hyperlites

sorry, just my 1.5 cents :unsure:

ride safe,

Mike in Nawlins'

 
I've heard that the Kisan, dual unit, modulator is the recommended one for the FJR. I was thinking about getting that for mine, but now I'm leaning more towards the "triangle of light" up front thing. Since I have no budget, I was looking at Martin Fabrication as their prices are pretty reasonable for fender mount (which also have an LED bulb option) conspicuity lights. At least one FJR rider has a set, but haven't heard back on how they are.

 
I've heard that the Kisan, dual unit, modulator is the recommended one for the FJR.
I've got the Kisan and it works well except for one rather annoying fault - at least on my bike. It sometimes loses it's sensitivity setting causing the high beams to pulse in full dark. Very VERY annoying and, in fact, dangerous when you really want your high beams on. The fix for it is to stop the bike and shut it off. Turn the key to ON and restart, the immediately flick the high beams on and off 3 times in less than a second (while you pat your head and your belly in a clockwise motion). You must do this during light conditions when you want the pulsing to trigger, I guess it samples the current conditions and uses that as the trigger. Which pretty much rules out doing it on the side of the road during full dark!

I don't leave mine on all the time, I only thumb them on in certain situations: 2 lane, straight stretch, oncoming traffic, especially if the lead vehicle is a transport. Which really pisses off transport drivers. I've had them flip their lights and go past me on the horn. The other time is while traffic is 'medium' during lunch hour when people here drive like absolute lugens. Their off in rush hour, traffic isn't moving enough to warrant their use.

Since I mounted the Hella HID's, I find I don't use the high beams at all except for when I want the modulator going, because the Hella's completely overpower the high beam.

 
I've got the Kisan and it works well except for one rather annoying fault - at least on my bike. It sometimes loses it's sensitivity setting causing the high beams to pulse in full dark. Very VERY annoying and, in fact, dangerous when you really want your high beams on.
I have the same problem. The first time it happened was when I was riding in the early dark hours when the temperatures were below freezing and my bike had been outside all night so I blamed it on the temperature. It has happened a couple times since then at normal riding temperatures, so I don't know if the cold set it off or what. I have not tried to reset the sensitivity, so I'll do that and see if it helps.

I have my Hella's wired so that they will only light when both the high beams are on and the Hella switch is on, so I lose both my high beams and Hellas when the modulator misbehaves. I'm thinking about rewiring the Hellas to not need the high beams on as one of my winter projects.

 
Personally, I think all motorcycles should have them. They have saved me from a boo-boo many, many times.

Kisan unit is fairly easy to install. If the sensor starts to go buggy, replace it with a small toggle switch.

I have noticed that deer grazing along side the road tend to look, tense, then stop & stare. It's happened numerous times. Weird! Oh, and a couple of bears, too.

But you have to have a bit of common sense on when to use them. I run country roads & they're always on. In slow traffic, I shut them off.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have my Hella's wired so that they will only light when both the high beams are on and the Hella switch is on, so I lose both my high beams and Hellas when the modulator misbehaves. I'm thinking about rewiring the Hellas to not need the high beams on as one of my winter projects.
Thats why mine are on a seperate circuit from the high beams. I take the 'power on' signal at the relay from one of my front signal lights and have a switch installed in the 'flash to pass' cutout.

 
I got mine from here . . . https://www.comagination.com/modBike.htm

TRULY plug and play. Unplug lights, plug lights into modulator, plug modulator into power, and it worked. Electrical tape to keep the light sensor attached to my brake cable, and it's been working GREAT for 8 months. Ticked a few people off, had some pull over thinking I'm a cop, but all goes to show that I'm BEING NOTICED!!!!

Go for it. VERY easy, works well.

Alexi

 
I have the Kisans. Plug and play, just put the modulators between the bike wiring and the bulb. I tie-wrapped the daylight sensor to the left side cable bundle that runs up into the handlebar, so far no issues, with the exception that at night when I switch from High to Low beams, there is a half-second of "no-beams" that was a mite disconcerting at first. I'm over it though. I can't tell you the number of people that have taken the time to somehow alert me that my lights are "flickering", including toll booth operators and passing motorists. All of them prove to me that I AM being seen, which is the whole point. I try to turn them off when close behind other vehicles, but typically they are on all day long.

 
I got mine from here . . . https://www.comagination.com/modBike.htm

TRULY plug and play. Unplug lights, plug lights into modulator, plug modulator into power, and it worked. Electrical tape to keep the light sensor attached to my brake cable, and it's been working GREAT for 8 months. Ticked a few people off, had some pull over thinking I'm a cop, but all goes to show that I'm BEING NOTICED!!!!

Go for it. VERY easy, works well.

Alexi
+1

I have used a Comagination VisiPath headlight modulator on 3 different bikes. Easy to install and reliable (and less $$ than Kisan as I recall). I also use their brake light flasher (VisiStop). They get attention. To switch it off (such as when you are riding with other riders ahead of you), just flip the headlight switch to low beam and the modulation is turned off.

 
Had Kisan but remove them, people in front on me where feed up of seing them, so I was doing removing them so offten that I decided not to use them anymore.

 
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