Modern Vespa

I was in Pep Boys today looking for a weathertight 12v outlet to add to my scoot. I passed by the car bling and my son and I were wondering how pimped out some people must make their rides and ... nevermind. Anyway one thing that did pique my interest was a small strobe that is intended to put inside the headlights of an automobile for visibility purposes. I gather they're low intensity like the ones you see in some stoplights. Hmmmm - I wonder if these are a superior option to a headlamp modulator on my MP3. Opinions? They're relatively cheap at $15 or so... I find I do notice the red lights that have these strobes in them so I figure they are effective - just how well do you think they would work on a bike? Are there legal issues?
Thanks!
Jon

Brother, I do not know about Tenn Highway laws, ask the troopers, but it could be distracting and worse to oncoming traffic.
Cheaper, easier, and very effective: 3M Reflective tape.

Maybe I should clarify - these are *made* to go next to the headlights on an auto for visibility purposes. Not like Sat Nite Fever or anything. You ever see those red lights that have the small strobe inside to add that extra bit of visibility? They're almost subliminal but they do register.
regards,
Jon

BubbaJon:

Can you provide the internet address for the company that makes these so we can see what they look like. I have never seen anything like this.

You said strobe (flashes), I say L.E.D., Light Emitting Diodes

I would be interested in adding L.E.D.




So... no... Saturday Night Fever?

http://www.customdynamics.com/custom_dynamics_new_product_listing.htm

This site has a ton of this stuff and it's used for shows and events. Check it out and see what you can muster up.

Man that's some serious bike bling. I wasn't interested in pimping my ride - merely make it more visible for vehicles in *front* of me. We have quite a few folks around here that start moving over if what they see in the rear view doesn't stand out. I have always noticed that bikes that have a modulated headlight always get my attention better. I'm convinced that they work. However I don't think they're legal everywhere and they're also pricey for what they are. Thus I thougt an inexpensive low intensity blinky inside the light housing might be effective.
Thanks,
Jon

The headlight modulators are legal in all 50 states. The feature that adds to the cost and must be there to comply with the federal statute is a daylight sensor switch that turns the modulator off at night time, in tunnels, parking garages, etc.

http://www.kisantech.com/regulations.php

I have to chip in to say we LOVE our Kisan modulators
on our 500s high beams. Cost is nothing compared to
a crash. Good luck however on the low cost alternative
and keep us posted on how it works out if you try it!
If I can save $$$ and get a similar effect I am all in
next time. If it goes on the low beams I might be interested anyway.

It may have been posted before, but I am glad BubbaJon got everyone talkin.

Rob, I went to http://www.kisantech.com/regulations.php

Which modulator did you get for your 500?

Why put them on the high-beams? They will dazzle traffic in daylight and are pointless at night-time when you'd use low-beam only with oncoming traffic.

I hugely disapprove of bikes using high-beam during the day, very anti-social and merely earns bikers more disapproval. Poor show.

This is an interesting point. My MSF instructor told the class to always drive with high beam on in the daytime, to be seen. Here in AZ, we have over 300 days a year of sunshine - very bright sunshine. It causes quite a few accidents each year. Our streets go either north/south or east/west, no curves or turns. When you're driving with the sun in your face or to the side of your face, a high beam would be more visible than low beam. In the summer we also have that "mirage" heat effect from the roadways. Using high beam, IMHO, makes riders more visible here. I'd be interested to know how many riders actually use high vs low beam during the day here in the US. Maybe its a function of the State/Country you live in?

Maybe it's a function of understanding what human brains 'see' and what they don't. Your MSF instructor would be fired here for promulgating dangerous out-of-date nonsense.

Daytime running lights might not only be a waste of energy but also unsafe
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/09/17/daytime-running-lights-might-not-only-be-a-waste-of-energy-but-a/

There are very few habits, conditions, comparisons, situations, customs, practices, rules, regulations, protocol, behavior,
or opinions from the UK that have anything to do with the U.S.

DTR? Let the viewer choose:

What's the choice, DTR or no DTR?

And if motorcycles have it then cars have it, and we'll get that photo scenario of the invisible motorcycle
(which still doesn't suggest someone would drive head-on into the motorcycle does it?).

I always see emergency and law enforcement because of their light flicker.
I also always see cars with lights on, so who's right.

My concluding worthless opinion, is that high beams in your eyes that are distracting you from oncoming traffic is worse.
But unless they are HID, are they still that bright in the daytime?

Still undecided.

Next...

This speaks to what I said about the summer "mirage" circumstances in our desert region. Brain trying to decipher exactly what it's seeing under such conditions. Until you live in such an environment and drive in it daily, your commonly accepted practice there doesn't necessarily equate to what we have here. In upstate NY where I come from, daily conditions there are such that I'd never consider using daytime high beams. In AZ, after living here for 15 years, I think its a different story. I'd rather be sure I'm seen above and beyond the sunlight and glare.

If my MSF instructor lived where you do, I'm sure he'd follow commonly accepted standards. I beg to differ on your statement of high beam daytime use being "dangerous out-of-date nonsense" where I live. That's your personal opinion and your entitled to it. Here, I'm seeing most motorcyclists use high beams. And we have a huge population of motorcyclists due to great weather most of the year. The point is I SEE them. It draws my attention. And before I started riding, it never bothered me they drove on high beam.

From what I've read online in MC forums that address the use of high beams during daytime, the vote is split. Some swear by it, others don't like it. Personal choice.

OK, I totally accept the 'different conditions' bit. No problem.

The argument here is whether cages should have mandatory DTR or be banned from DTR. At the moment it seems the 'mandatory' idiots have been vanquished.

All bikes here tend to have dipped-beam on during daylight, this does help with visibility, and with our poor road surfaces often has the same effect as modulated lights (which I would like, but they are probably sensibly illegal here).

Allow cages to have DTR and you get the invisibility problem above.

To my mind we have too many lights all over the place anyway. If something needs illuminating, fine, but why do we have to see the light source at the same time? Street lighting is a prime example. There are some street lights where you can't see the light itself unless you are right underneath it, although the road surface is very well lit by it. Others light up the sky... Guess which one I appreciate and which one I could happily rant for hours about (I won't).

Oh my, I should have not stirred up this old argument again, should I?
Anyway, Heres the deal with me and the modulator.
The modulators on the 500s highbeams are really not obnoxious,
but they are very attention getting. No one would be blinded by them, I can assure you. We have over 300 days of sunshine here, usually quite bright, and in those sunny circumstances, they are not too bright at all.
The modulators by law cut themselves off in the dark, by means of
a sensor. The lights revert to simple hi beams then.

Nonetheless, in the interests of civility, I always run with the low-beams, EXCEPT when there is a possibility of a
car turning in front of me. So at many intersections, I do turn them on.
And then I keep an eagle eye on the potential turner anyway.
Then I immediately turn them back off again. So far, in doing this, I have
yet to have a close call at an intersection. But I never bank on the modulators to totally protect me. That would be foolish, but I am certain that they do help.

I will never make any apologies for trying to get the simple attention of people who might absent mindedly or distractedly kill or maim me or my wife. Sorry!

I am afraid my prior post has inadvertently hijacked this posts original question.
Sorry!! I didn't mean to have that happen!

Rob, I'm sure most would agree, it was a modulator post and you contributed modulator experience.
I found the entire forum to be healthy adult discussion. How interesting would life be if we post, and everyone agrees?

True, and had it been a thread simply pro or con modulator
it would be ok, but it was really about alternatives to them, and I
pointed out how well the actual modulators work and we were off.....
(have I mentioned my favorite motoroil, which I happen to think is the best,
while we are at it??). Maybe next time things get slow!
A recent online flap on our local maxi-scoot group saw me bailing out
after it all got too crazy. So here I try to be on best behaviour. Its a great
forum, where I like so many people. Even if JimC doesn't care for my
beloved modulator! I can certainly live with that.
To blink or not to blink, that is the question.......

Rob, it sounds to me like you use yours very responsibly, and I have absolutely no qualms about that.

Imagine if this were a cooking site with recipe and instruction forums?
Same thing. You, Jim, and I (and thousands others) would each have different recipes and ways of doing things (Lord only knows what they eat over there).
But still, we love to ask, and share, and try new things at ModernChefs.
And, each of us would be missed in our way, so, don't hold back!

As Julia Child would say...