Modern Vespa

... and honestly, I kind of like it! It flashes a few times when I apply the brakes to make me a little more safe!

I didn't need to install any weird controllers, just two screws to get to the tail light. Literally as easy as changing a light bulb.



Much like my LED headlight upgrade (A 300% brighter headlight for $20), I'm hoping this is the right mix of being noticeable enough to get the point across, without being obnoxious.

Toronto is Canada's most densely populated city, which is a nice way of saying we have the most distracted drivers in the country. I want them to know when I'm slowing down.



I think it's a fuller light, but it seems to have less peak brightness in one spot, because the LEDs are pointed in all directions.

These are the bulbs I got: https://amzn.to/3JWLCmM - $14 for two seems like a good deal. My daily driver cage doesn't need 'em, it's a big ol' F150, no one's missing that. Instead I put one my BMW G650GS and one in my Vespa S.

In the video I show how to install them, and have some comparisons of the stock bulb versus this one.

I've got a full write up you can also check out if you don't want to listen to my voice: Flashing LED Brake Light For Motorcycles

Thanks for taking the time and doing the video, and a good job as well.

Thanks for the kind words! I will probably buy one more set of two. One as a gift for someone who just got her first motorcycle, and one as a spare. But I will have to wait until I do another order from the US because I couldn't find these in Canada *sigh*

PS: Just noticed you're from VA. Hope you appreciated my local-to-you license plate haha.
It's from Eric (Kraken's Garage & Adventures). He's from Spotsylvania VA and does some Vespa content on YouTube as well.

I have a flashing light just like that on my Beo and it works great. But on the Vespa I found a gizmo that wires into the light and has a programmable flash sequence.

The standalone flashing bulb is better/simpler. However, the bulb I use on the Vespa also has a circuit board on it that pairs with a stick-on LED array on the rear of my helmet. The light runs on three or four watch-style batteries. When I turn that device on it lights up whenever the brake light is energized. Now THAT is a neat safety feature, and until it breaks I'm sticking with it.

I see that it's a discontinued product from a company called Atlantis. At $15 on eBay close out, the price is definitely right.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atlantis-Motorcycle-helmet-brake-Tail-light-Wireless-Free-Shipping-/175139861196

(The Buddy stock tail light is LED, even in my 2009 model, and I think I added the flashing module to that too.)

Glad that this worked out for you and thanks for the great video to spread the word.

Now I have to order one (or two) for my Liberty. All the ones I have installed went away when I sold the bikes (3) to buy the Liberty.

I have so many other projects going on that I haven't gotten to it.

As far as longevity...I had on one bike for over 2 years.

Are you guys brothers? You could be.

Goob, I wonder how hard it is to change the rear Liberty tail light bulb. I know on my old SYM CityCom it was a pain. But I might look into one of these bulbs as well.

And yup adri, I noticed the tag! Welcome to VA!

Nice idea, and I would love to get one, to catch the cager's eye as I brake, however, I'm not sure these are legal or not here in the UK..

Graham

Flashing rear lights are legal in the US as long as they turn solid after no more than (I think) three seconds.

That is part of the reason I put it off. I think you have to remove the tail cover to get to the screws that hold the assembly. I put a "landing pad" (a 1/2" black plastic cutting board material) for my tail pack there, so it will be a hassle to remove.

I may wait until the stock one goes out!

Well, in college I did have a beard with no mustache like in his photo! I lived in Ohio, so lots of people thought I was Amish.

A burned out Buddy tail light is what really soured me on replacing $2 light bulbs with $150 LED assemblies. It was on back order for months, and we ended up converting it to take a standard bulb so the customer could ride the bike instead of parking it for months.
There are a lot of things you can find a workaround for, a burned out tail light or headlight assembly is one of those things that will keep you off the bike.

Thanks for suggesting it! Glad to hear this thing has been lasting you a while! Yes. Twins actually. Someone else copy/pasted me something about their being a 5-second rule. Either way these flash for probably less than 2 seconds so I think it should be okay.

Realistically we all go a little over the speed limit every day, and many of us have aftermarket pipes "for off-road use only" that we use on road... I've been running aftermarket pipes for 15 years and never had an issue with them from the cops. If the unoffensive brake light is what gets me a ticket I'll probably just have a good laugh about it.