Modern Vespa

Hi all.

It's sure that a blinking light is far more visible for the human eye than a fix, steady light. Even at the safety riding course (recently passed) they insist a lot on make the brake light "blink" manually when braking.

When researching a bit about blinking lights sold, the search engines usually send me to the Kisan tailblazer web, https://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=3

So I decided to search in this forum about this braking lights, but for me is strange to find so little posts about these specific lights: only 3 posts with the "tailblazer" keyword, and the most recent is from 2 years ago...

It seems that you usually prefer steady LED lights, or use an external modulator, but I dont get the point on this...

I really think this ones are perfect for my 500, easy to install, and also legal in California (blink only 4 seconds, then remain steady), but want to ask you... why aren't they more popular in this community?

Is there something I'm missing?

They are quite expensive, so any advice is more than welcome.

Adding a 3rd brake light on an MP3 is really easy. As you pointed out, price is a factor, which is probably why so many choose the blinking LEDs. I got my sets for $10. While they may not be strictly legal, the police officers I've talked to won't stop you or ticket you for adding items that will improve your safety, and these certainly fit that bill.

In my personal experience, I find a continuous blinking light to catch the eye more than one that just blinks a few times and then stays solid.

Mark

This interests me more:

https://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=4 What do people think?

Well, they do have one with a 12-pin connector, designed for a BMW. But I don't know if it's the same plug or layout as on the MP3. You'd need to find that out first...

Mark

I contacted Kisantech a while back about this same product and at the time the answer I received was that the flasher module in the MP3 contains more circuitry than just the flashers and hazard lights so their self-canceling signal minder wouldn't work (if you check their application guide, "N/A" is listed for the MP3 and the signal minders).

We do use their drop-in TailBlazer units though I think many of the splice-in models (from them and other manufacturers) probably give you similar functionality at a lower price. We went with the drop-in models well before I started getting DIY/mod-happy; if I had to do it over again, I would go with a deeper/brighter red LED array for the brake lights and a splice-in brake modulator instead, but these units are no maintenance and easy to find replacement bulbs if one burns out (though they haven't yet).

I purchased some "ElectroPods" red flashing LEDs and mounted them in the rear panel of my 250 Mp3 by cutting the plastic out and "molding" them in with JB weld. Seems to get the attention of whoever is behind me.

These LEDs are easily wired into the rear brake light when you have the rear panel off and they flash as long as you are on the brakes. It takes just removing 2 screws to take the rear panel off AND you can then access the cable release mechanism to open the trunk IF you accidentally lock your keys under the seat... trust me.

Easy add on. This with the LED brake lights, added side lights and magic blinkers adds a lot of visibility, and the flashing brake light is legal. Scroll down the page to see it:

Knight Rider Non-Sequential Dual Intensity 12 LED Light Bar with Flashing Brake Alert

I'm going a slightly different route. Still working on the time to get my Topbox fully mounted, but it has had four nice, long, super-bright 12-LED red strips added to it (two closer to the center area, curving up and back along the top from either side of the logo, and two on the bottom edge of the case top, curving around the sides from either side of the handle).

They will all be wired into my brake circuit with flasher modules inline, and connected with molex connections under the box's mount plate for easy removal when I want the topbox off the bike.

I also added two shorter, 6-LED high intensity yellow strips to augment my turn signals.

The Admore light bar is another good alternative. The brake light modulates and also has turn signals - see my avatar

Flashing brake light is legal, but it can't just continually flash while the brake is on. This unit flashes for 5 or 6 sec the goes solid. That is legal.

I have the same pod set up as chorie. They keep flashing and the regular brake lights are on solid. May not be technically legal, but they work well and I get a lot of comments on how well they show up. I have been using them over 4 years on 2 MP3s. No LEO in the 18 states I have visited has ever made a comment on them though I have had plenty of friendly interaction with LEOs in many of the states while out riding.

After I got rear-ended and it broke the reflector over the license plate, I replaced it with a non-flashing brake light. It seems kind of wierd to mount it below like that, but it is quite visible beyond around 10-15' away. I figure, if you are that close and I have to stop, I am pretty much frelled.

Correctomundo. Was obvious in my head at the moment but I just didn't have the steam to bang the extra keys and 'splain it at the time... thanks for the follow up.

I've had these on a Burgman AN400K7 and they were excellent.

You can modify them to either flash 5 times and stay on or, as is legal here in Australia, come on steady.

Very bright and very robust as they're mounted in resin. Very easy installation and come with Posi-taps included.

Not the cheapest, but work very, very well.

http://www.hyperlites.com/index.html

Every bike I ride gets one of these:
Back Off Brake Light Modulator XP

Well, I've been using the Kisan TailBlazer bulbs successfully on my Suzuki street bike since 2004. So now that I just bought a used 2009 MP3 400, I'm going to try to install the TailBlazer on my 400 as well.

It's on order and I'll report back on whether I can get it to work successfully on the 400 or not. I know they're pretty expensive but I found a pair on eBay for $50 so I couldn't pass it up.

Well, I got the Kisan Tailblazer lights in and tried to install them. They seem to work OK (blinking for 4 seconds as expected) until I tried to start the scooter, then nothing happened. Scooter won't start.

I checked and found fuse #8 (10A) blown. The manual says this fuse is for "Live stop, start-up and start-up enabling light." So that makes sense why the lights seem to work OK while the engine is off. But any attempt to start the scooter (and most likely activating the brake lights at the same time) blows the fuse out.

First time I thought it was a fluke. Replaced the 10A fuse and tried again. Brake lights working fine again before a start up. Then a start up attempt renders to scooter unable to start again, another 10A fuse blown.

I had a 15A fuse left and decided to try 15A just for the heck of it to see. Well, 15A fuse blown again.

So apparently 10A (or even 15A) is not able to handle both starting and Tailblazer brake lights at the same time.

I'm so disappointed. Will have to call Kisan on Monday to see what's going on. On their website, it says they support Piaggio MP3 500. Mine is a 400 but I looked at both manual regarding the brake light rating and connection and both are set up identically (10W bulbs fused together with starter via 10A fuse). So I bought the kit claimed to work with the 500 hoping it would work just as well for the 400. I still believe it should work the same for the 400 electrically.

But in term of fitment, the model 20W-S bulb is a bit longer than the 400 stock bulb, with a metal lip preventing perfect fit into the tail/brake light assembly. But nothing a little bit of duct tape to hold the lamp in place won't solve.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/42651/i/custom-dynamics-knight-riderz-light-bars

$29 and easy to install BTW get the non-sequential set.

Thanks. The whole idea was supposed to be plug and play, just change out the bulb and off you go. So it's a bummer.

Since I already bought these bulbs, I guess I can just put a relay on them which should solve the problem. Not plug and play anymore, but it's already stopped being plug-and-play a long time ago after the fuses were blown.

BackOff Modulator is a good add, can be hidden easily under the ABS.

I added a relay to separate my stop lights from my starter's fuse and it works fine now. The only power drawn from the starter's fuse now is the current needed to energize the relay, which is negligible.