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Headlight modulators

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Texas T

Texas T

LD Rider
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Brian
So, who's got one? What brand? Best place to buy one online? I'm looking at both the Kriss and Kisan brands but am open to other suggestions.
 
Don't care for them myself. I think it leads to target fixation by cagers, especially drunk cagers.
 
I use the Kisan PathBlazers. Love 'em. In truth, I don't use 'em that much, don't have a good reason why. But when it looks like a sticky situation is developing, I flick on the flickering high beams, and that seems to get me noticed. I've had folks get out of their Truckurbans at stop lights and tell me my lights are flashing. I thank them (for seeing me).

Thumbs up from me. I also have the TailBlazers for the brake lights, which drive followers crazy on group rides... :oops:
 
I've got one. It was installed in the bike when I bought it.

I think some cagers think I am a cop with the flashing lights and they move out of my way on the highway.

I've only had it for a couple days so I cant say good or bad things except for people getting out of my way.
 
On the way to work yesterday, southbound in the #1 lane at a tad over the limit when I see flashing lights in the mirror... waaaaay back there. So I move to the #2 lane expecting one of Texas' finest to come blowing by me in a few seconds.

Doesn't happen. Instead, a few minutes later a Gold Wing passes me (no wave, no head nod. not even a look in my direction) (harumph!).

But the point is that I saw this guy a LONG ways back and got out of his way thinking that it was a cop.

I could have used that type of visibility about 20 min later when a Suburban tried to put me into the concrete barrier in the I-10 / 610 mess. The idiot just slid right over, no signal, no response to my horn or my desperate braking effort. I just missed his left rear bumper but I found out the Connie's brakes will do the job when called upon.

There's a modulator on ebay I think I'll bid on.
 
I also have one that was installed on the bike when I bought it.

I also have noticed that some move out of the way when they see me coming.

The only thing else I can say is - I did not have one on the Valkyrie and got hit by a truck. Have not been hit by a truck yet on the Thunderbird.

Of course I had the Valk for about 27 months and 30,000 miles. TBird 5 months and 3,000 miles.

I do think it improves visibility and am considering one for the Tiger.
 
Just a follow-up to the installation. I installed the Kisan unit a little over a week ago and while I've had a few people move out of the lane that I'm in, most folks seem to understand that it is just a regular motorcycle and not a motor cop behind them on the freeway.

I have had less lane intrusions since I put it on but I can't attribute it directly to the modulator; could be just coincidence.

The installation is very straightforward; unplug the wiring boot to the headlight, plug the Kriss unit onto the headlight plug, reconnect the boot to the Kisan unit, place and wire tie the daylight sensor. The problem is that getting the Kisan unit onto the headlight plug without taking the fairing off is a MAJOR pain on the Connie.

This sounds like a 5-10 min job, right? It probably took me close to an hour.
1. You can't see where it's going so you have to do everything by feel.
2. Had to open up the connections on the Kriss unit to allow it to easily slip over the blades on the back of the headlight.
Whadda pain!
 
Food for thought;

Cagers could be moving out of the way because they are annoyed by it :shock: . A couple of cruisers at work have them and I can tell you that personally I am extremely annoyed when they ride behind me into work :miffed: so I slow down to let them pass me. Of course it could just be that I am jealous they get to ride their bikes to work :angryfir: :angryfir: (long story, house rules prohibit 100-mile daily commute on bike :shame: ).

With as many gun-carrying, stressed-out, and plain crazy cagers, personally I rather not take any chances ticking someone off enough with the modulator to have them reciprocate with some type of aggression, that I in turn may escalate further……. you get the picture.

Just my two centavos
:chug:
 
...are evil.


Unless you're a Gold Wing rider whose number of pins exceeds your cc's of displacement. Then you're already so ridiculous looking that the modulator is almost overlooked...
 
Adan said:
Food for thought;

Cagers could be moving out of the way because they are annoyed by it :shock: . A couple of cruisers at work have them and I can tell you that personally I am extremely annoyed when they ride behind me into work :miffed: so I slow down to let them pass me. Of course it could just be that I am jealous they get to ride their bikes to work :angryfir: :angryfir: (long story, house rules prohibit 100-mile daily commute on bike :shame: ).

With as many gun-carrying, stressed-out, and plain crazy cagers, personally I rather not take any chances ticking someone off enough with the modulator to have them reciprocate with some type of aggression, that I in turn may escalate further……. you get the picture.

Just my two centavos
:chug:
Click to expand...

The modulator only works on low beam. I tend to flip my lights to high beam in stop and go traffic and only use it when the traffic is moving at a pretty good clip and there is a lot of cross traffic.

-
 
Adan said:
Cagers could be moving out of the way because they are annoyed by it :shock: .
Click to expand...
Actually, when I am coming up behind someone they normally stay where they are. It's only when I enter the freeway from an on-ramp or cross over several lanes that they tend to change lanes.

My assumption is that "their" assumption is that an emergency vehicle just appeared behind them and they are moving to allow my passage.

So far no one has raised heck with me, no one coming the other way has flashed their lights at me, no one has flipped me off, etc.

As far as annoying them is concerned, if they are annoyed they are also aware that I'm there. That's all I'm looking for.
 
bushwhacker said:
The modulator only works on low beam. I tend to flip my lights to high beam in stop and go traffic and only use it when the traffic is moving at a pretty good clip and there is a lot of cross traffic.
Click to expand...
Bill, my modulator only works on high beam and I'm pretty sure most others are the same way.
 
Texas T said:
bushwhacker said:
The modulator only works on low beam. I tend to flip my lights to high beam in stop and go traffic and only use it when the traffic is moving at a pretty good clip and there is a lot of cross traffic.
Click to expand...
Bill, my modulator only works on high beam and I'm pretty sure most others are the same way.
Click to expand...

I did not hook it up and I do not know if you can do it incorrectly or not, it may be a plug and play module, but mine definately works on low-beam only.

-
 
i have the kisan setup on my sprint, and like it.

i have never experienced any agression that i could attribute to the modulating headlights, but i have been asked about them several times by drivers who generally think it's a pretty good idea. this tells me they are being noticed.

properly installed with the photocell, they modulate the headlight only when 1) it is daylight and 2) the highbeams are on.

i've never noticed anyone getting out of my way because of the flashing lights. i have seen many people give me a second look in their mirror though.

i have been pulled over by the argyle police once because of them. the officer asked my why my headlights were flashing, i told him about the modulator and that it was a piece of safety equipment. he said "well we call that police equipment." i told him there was a federal law allowing them in all states. he radio'd in and they confirmed that they were in fact legal and i was on my way.

i was asked about them by another cop as he turned in front of me while i was at a stop sign, and he nodded his head and said he thought it was a good idea.

in my opinion, anything that makes people acknowledge your existence out on the road is a good thing. whether or not i get dinged style points for using a headligh modulator is a matter of opinion, and frankly i don't care.

as always, ymmv.

rob sukach
dallas
 
Howdy Rob! Good to see you come out of the shadows ;-)

Adios,
 
rsukach said:
i have the kisan setup on my sprint, and like it.

i have never experienced any agression that i could attribute to the modulating headlights, but i have been asked about them several times by drivers who generally think it's a pretty good idea. this tells me they are being noticed.

properly installed with the photocell, they modulate the headlight only when 1) it is daylight and 2) the highbeams are on.

i've never noticed anyone getting out of my way because of the flashing lights. i have seen many people give me a second look in their mirror though.

i have been pulled over by the argyle police once because of them. the officer asked my why my headlights were flashing, i told him about the modulator and that it was a piece of safety equipment. he said "well we call that police equipment." i told him there was a federal law allowing them in all states. he radio'd in and they confirmed that they were in fact legal and i was on my way.

i was asked about them by another cop as he turned in front of me while i was at a stop sign, and he nodded his head and said he thought it was a good idea.

in my opinion, anything that makes people acknowledge your existence out on the road is a good thing. whether or not i get dinged style points for using a headligh modulator is a matter of opinion, and frankly i don't care.

as always, ymmv.

rob sukach
dallas
Click to expand...

Argyle is good about pulling anyone over for anything, and the small town lawdawgs are not usually up on the latest and greatest in my experience.
 
bushwhacker said:
I did not hook it up and I do not know if you can do it incorrectly or not, it may be a plug and play module, but mine definately works on low-beam only.

-
Click to expand...

I have a Kriss front and back. My front can be hooked up to the low or high beam. I use the high. My back also has many options to include wig-wag of the trunk lights only.

I've had my rear for over two years with no problems. I just had the front installed so I can not report on them yet.

BTW, these are on a White Wing so alot of people think i'm a cop anyways. :rofl: :rofl:
 
kurt said:
Don't care for them myself. I think it leads to target fixation by cagers, especially drunk cagers.
Click to expand...


+1 I agree with this. Can you imagine if everyone used them. I'd have to quit driving or go crazy. They are very distracting.
 
I'm with Adan on this one...while I notice the modulators, I find them EXTREMELY distracting/annoying.

FWIW, I had brake caliper mounted MotoLights, with yellow 55w halogen bulbs, on my two previous bikes. Folks that ride with me say the pattern/color make them VERY conspicuous and doesn't seem to annoy anyone.

YMMV
 
Looks like this may become another oil thread. :yawn: I have mix feelings about the modulators. I love my rear modulator but have not decided on the front.

I used the front modulator for the first time on my way to the EOY Pie Run. What I noticed was that in small towns folks same to move out of the way. Thinking I’m a cop??????? In cities like Midland/Odessa and College Station, no reactions other then maybe a second look in the mirror. Well in Odessa, I did have one person more to the curb about 150 yards ahead of me. I did not think anything about it until he pulled up next to me at a red light and asked why I was running my emergency lights? :rolleyes: I told him that I did not have emergency lights and explained to him why my high beams were flashing.:pound:

I will have to do some more testing before I decided. I may end up using them only on the highways or backroads or city streets or anyplace/time I think someone may pull out in front of me.:shrug:
 
I have the Kisan but only use it when I think I need more visibility. It has saved my hide many times and hope it's on when the moment comes.
I leave it off most of the time because of these threads, hate to be obnoxious to other drivers and have never used it to part traffic, that only works on the old folks and they do not need any more to deal with while motoring.
 
Hotboot said:
I have the Kisan but only use it when I think I need more visibility. It has saved my hide many times and hope it's on when the moment comes.
I leave it off most of the time because of these threads, hate to be obnoxious to other drivers and have never used it to part traffic, that only works on the old folks and they do not need any more to deal with while motoring.
Click to expand...

Good idea.. I think it is a faux pas to have the modulators active when riding behind a group of bikers ie. group ride and sitting behind cars at a traffic light.

RB
 
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