Modulating headlights

[Solodadof2]

I have been on the fence about modulating headlights for some time now. Obviously from a motorcycle safety perspective this seems like a good option. But after coming across a couple GL1800 trikes today that have them, I am leaning to support the side that would see them be made illegal. It was somewhat confusing as they were headed towards as to whether they were an emergency vehicle or not till they we close enough to identify as trikes. I also noticed that people in cars were pulling over until they realized that it was motorcycles and not emergency vehicles. I have heard several talk about how cute it is to have cars pull over,but this could turn out to be very hazardous to everyone. So I guess what you will here me say is I am no longer on the fence. Put Sylvannia Silverstars on, use passing lamps, bright vest, ride with Caution, and number of different things. As for me if I were asked to vote the fate of the modulating headlight I would have to say NO!

 

Disclaimer:

 

This is an opinion and an opinion only, no animals were hurt while this opinion was formed, If you have an educated response I would love to hear it.

 

P.S. the folks riding with the modulating headlights were wearing shorts and the passenger was wearing sandels.

Edited August 22, 2010 by Solodadof2
Additional commentary.

[etcswjoe]

My bike had them when I bought it, low beam only. I am still on the fence whether I like it or not. I was in a group ride yesterday and the person in front of me said he could not see my headlight only the driving lights so I am not sure if it is actually doing any good.

[painterman67]

yeah Joe. If you look in the pics that sleeperhawks mechanic posted of al of us on that ride oyu can see what I was talking about. YOur passing lamp outpower the headlight with the modulator. Only other thing I could think of about that and I didnt think of it until just now is that my wifes shadow the headlight was aimed too low and in a pack I lost her when she was behind me. Acyually had several peaple say the same thing. We put in a silver star bulb and reaimed it. It was way too low. Now she can be seen. Maybey you could check the aim point of your headlight.

 

 

 

 

And I have a friend on a wing that thinks it cute that peaple pull over for his modulating headlights. At least until he got behind an pfficer who pulled him over and gave him a ticket. He took it to court and got out of it but it still cost him a days pay.

 

 

David

[bryan52577]

I have been on the fence about modulating headlights for some time now. Obviously from a motorcycle safety perspective this seems like a good option. But after coming across a couple GL1800 trikes today that have them, I am leaning to support the side that would see them be made illegal. It was somewhat confusing as they were headed towards as to whether they were an emergency vehicle or not till they we close enough to identify as trikes. I also noticed that people in cars were pulling over until they realized that it was motorcycles and not emergency vehicles. I have heard several talk about how cute it is to have cars pull over,but this could turn out to be very hazardous to everyone. So I guess what you will here me say is I am no longer on the fence. Put Sylvannia Silverstars on, use passing lamps, bright vest, ride with Caution, and number of different things. As for me if I were asked to vote the fate of the modulating headlight I would have to say NO!

 

Disclaimer:

 

This is an opinion and an opinion only, no animals were hurt while this opinion was formed, If you have an educated response I would love to hear it.

 

P.S. the folks riding with the modulating headlights were wearing shorts and the passenger was wearing sandels.

 

 

:sign yeah that:

Have seen the same thing happen more than once, and once saw the auto turn and chase the bike. Not what I want to see or happen. Understand safety needs but,,,,,,,,,,,, some safety can be more dangerous with the wrong person having a bad day anyway.

See no reason to start a fight,,,,, and see no reason to pi$$ someone off just in the name safety. My luck, if I make them mad it just may be the wrong person at the wrong time and,,,, well I don't want to think about a cage and a bike in a fight pretty sure I would loose.

 

Bryan

[Tom]

Im not a fan of them but thats just me...I prefer to make eye contact,wave whatever to see I have their attention THEN proceed with caution. talked to alot of people that do not ride and some even think the flashing is to tell them its OK to pull out..go figure! Anyway always expect the unexpected.People have no common sense anymore.

[Uturn]

I put them on a bike before the Venture. Got to where I only used them when approaching an intersection. A little added help. I know when you are in a group, the pulse can be a distraction in your mirrow.

Remember in Ohio, believe it was Monty following me with the headlight modulator going. I am on the fence as well as to whether I want to put it on the Venture.

 

MIKE aka Uturn

[etcswjoe]

Once I figure out how to turn it off, I will aim my head light and see how it looks. The pics defiantly paint a good picture. One thing I have noticed my netural light flashes at the same rate as the modulator so does the modulator put more draw on the system?

[painterman67]

I've never heard of one making the neutral light flash. You may have a bad ground or it may be wired incoresctly.

 

 

David

[V7Goose]

I agree that the modulators are dangerous. But they are not anywhere near as dangerous as those riders who enjoy deliberately annoying and irritating drivers of other vehicles. Those people put everyone on the road in danger by their actions, and they harm all motorcycle riders by doing those things while on a bike. Riders who laugh at how they confuse cage drivers and get them to pull over fit into this category, just like the ones who pull wheelies on public roads and deliberately block traffic just to make people mad.

 

There are no words suitable to describe those type of people, at least not on a family rated site.

 

We do not like how many cage drivers treat us, but we are often our own worst enemies.

Goose

Edited August 22, 2010 by V7Goose

[dingy]

You could refer to this thread from a month ago that covers many members feelings on this matter.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=51055

 

Gary

[straycatt]

 

P.S. the folks riding with the modulating headlights were wearing shorts and the passenger was wearing sandels.

 

 

While I agree with you on the modulating head lights, what in the world does how the riders were dressed have to do with the topic?

 

I've done roughly 4000 miles this summer on my scoot with no modulator while wearing shorts. I can't think of a related link in that fact either.

[CMIKE]

I am gonna be good and not stir this up any more than it already is...I see both sides.

 

Be seen or possibly distract.

 

I wear a bright yellow/green vest and that works pretty good. It don't look as COOL as some of them black leather vest...but I rather be alive than COOL. I have had folks pull over in front of me, and I think it was cause of that Vest. They needed to get out of my way anyway.

 

Let me just ask one thing...do they cause your head light bulb to fail prematurely since it is turning on and off (heaing up and cooling off)

 

I thought about installing one but my concern would it dramatically decrease the life of my Silverstar ultra.

[Monty]

My bike had them when I bought it, low beam only. I am still on the fence whether I like it or not. I was in a group ride yesterday and the person in front of me said he could not see my headlight only the driving lights so I am not sure if it is actually doing any good.

 

Then yours is wired up wrong...and illegal.

 

The law clearly states that it must be wired ONLY to the high beam.

[dingy]

I am gonna be good and not stir this up any more than it already is...I see both sides.

 

Be seen or possibly distract.

 

I wear a bright yellow/green vest and that works pretty good. It don't look as COOL as some of them black leather vest...but I rather be alive than COOL. I have had folks pull over in front of me, and I think it was cause of that Vest. They needed to get out of my way anyway.

 

Let me just ask one thing...do they cause your head light bulb to fail prematurely since it is turning on and off (heaing up and cooling off)

 

I thought about installing one but my concern would it dramatically decrease the life of my Silverstar ultra.

 

 

If a Modulator is used and is in working order, I do not believe it would diminish bulb life by a measurable amount.

 

I think some people are confusing modulators, which are legal, with strobe lights, which are illegal.

 

Below is a portion of the DOT regulations concerning modulators.

 

S7.9.4.1 A headlamp on a motorcycle may be wired to modulate either the upper beam or the lower beam from its maximum intensity to a lesser intensity, provided that:

(a) The rate of modulation shall be 240 40 cycles per minute.

(b) The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of each cycle.

© The lowest intensity at any test point shall be not less than 17 percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.

Summary:

 

200 minimum cycles per minute, 50% minimum at full voltage & no more than 17% dip in intensity.

 

Gary

[Jerry W]

For my thoughts, just go back and read goose's post. I agree.

[Solodadof2]

Im not a fan of them but thats just me...I prefer to make eye contact,wave whatever to see I have their attention THEN proceed with caution. talked to alot of people that do not ride and some even think the flashing is to tell them its OK to pull out..go figure! Anyway always expect the unexpected.People have no common sense anymore.

 

Any truck drivers out there? this is exactly what you do when you are telling an 18 wheeler is it okay to pull over into the lane you flash your Brights at them so they know it is clear to come over. Now that would be an example of a bad day!

[Solodadof2]

While I agree with you on the modulating head lights, what in the world does how the riders were dressed have to do with the topic?

 

I've done roughly 4000 miles this summer on my scoot with no modulator while wearing shorts. I can't think of a related link in that fact either.

 

It is this simple do not tell me that you have a modulating headlight in the name of Safety when you are not wearing safe apparel in the event of an accident! Now that I have explained it, doesn't it have some hypocracy to it?

[OB-1]

Any truck drivers out there? this is exactly what you do when you are telling an 18 wheeler is it okay to pull over into the lane you flash your Brights at them so they know it is clear to come over. Now that would be an example of a bad day!

 

Actually, flashing headlights on and off, (daylight), or off and on, (night), is or at least used to be,(back at the dawn of time), the signal to pull back into the right lane after passing another truck or knowledgable 4-wheeler. Today, may people just flash their high beams, which really sucks when you're looking into your mirror to see if it's safe to pull back into the right lane. Please note that the signal is a single flash, not the four flashes per second of a lawful headlight modulator. Even a blind or sleeping truck driver:yikes: should be able to tell the difference between a headlight modulator and someone signalling that it's safe to change lanes.

[Bummer]

I run a modulator for safety. I have another modulator on my passing lamps set up to modulate when the horn is activated. When I activate my horn(s) the passing lamps come on if they're off and they modulate, while the main headlight stops modulating. I don't care one iota what anybody else thinks about that. I've been run over by an uninvited visitor from the south who couldn't see me with the passing lamps on at twenty feet. I got a crushed left leg leading to ten surgeries and a year of therapy. He got ninety days and wasn't deported. I decide on my safety gear.

 

I do not run my modulator when I'm in, or at the back of a pack of bikes. I do run my modulator when I'm leading a group. I try to balance safety and annoyance.

 

I have an air horn and a set of extra loud electrics. I have a 128 LED ultra bright tail light. I have very bright LED directional signals - they flash in an illegal manner, but people notice them. My wing light has a Back Off wired to flash all the time the brakes are activated. Again, I decide on my safety gear. Even the government's opinion is dismissed.

 

I wear kevlar lined jeans, a kevlar shirt, a carbon fiber full face helmet, safety boots, and gloves. ATGATT.

[royalstarjac]

I like em, I use em. I don't need to justify it to anyone.

[etcswjoe]

Then yours is wired up wrong...and illegal.

 

The law clearly states that it must be wired ONLY to the high beam.

 

Monty,

 

Can you send me the reference the only thing I could find Federal says either that is the 2008 revision of the nhtsa regulation? I want to make sure I am legal if I decide to keep the modulator.

 

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=e5e8a36fd7670980debf0442590d4de0;rgn=div2;view=text;node=20071204%3A1.38;idno=49;cc=ecfr;start=1;size=25

[FutureVentures]

Bummer,

You said:

"I wear kevlar lined jeans, a kevlar shirt, a carbon fiber full face helmet, safety boots, and gloves. ATGATT."

 

What's a kevlar "shirt"? Who sells em?

 

I wear sliders kevlar jeans and love em. However yesterday it was just too dang hot to wear the jacket.

 

Thanks.

 

Edit:

duh, googled it, found the answer, very intriguing.

Edited August 23, 2010 by FutureVentures
found the answer

[BigBoyinMS]

I like em, I use em. I don't need to justify it to anyone.

 

Well said. It (the modulator) works for me when I need it.

Edited August 23, 2010 by BigBoyinMS
clarification

[Bummer]

Bummer,

You said:

"I wear kevlar lined jeans, a kevlar shirt, a carbon fiber full face helmet, safety boots, and gloves. ATGATT."

 

What's a kevlar "shirt"? Who sells em?

 

I wear sliders kevlar jeans and love em. However yesterday it was just too dang hot to wear the jacket.

 

Thanks.

 

Edit:

duh, googled it, found the answer, very intriguing.

 

Can't hurt to post the details:

 

I prefer the fit of Diamond Gusset's Defender kevlar lined jeans, though I have a pair of Sliders, and a pair of Draggin' Jeans. The Sliders are more baggy cut, the Draggin' jeans are jean cut. The Defenders fit well with the added comfort that maturity can require.

 

The shirt is the Draggin' shirt, in natural. It's ugly with a capital F, but it's kevlar and it's mesh so it's actually pretty cool (temperature wise). On top of that you can soak it down with water and have some serious evaporative cooling when the temps are high.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Another thought.

 

I recently installed the Sylvania Silverstar Ultra and am pleased so far. I have it aimed perfectly and have noticed that when I ride during the daytime, with it on high beam, I can see its reflections in the rear doors of SUVs and the tailgates of pickups, so I KNOW its being seen be observant drivers. ( there may be 2 or three of those per square mile these days!)

 

Anyway, I removed my modulator, and run the headlight mostly on high beam now during daylite hours. I have nothing against the modulators, but I feel than when used on the Goldwing or any bike with 2 separate headlights, it IS confusing to the cagers, as I was confused by one in heavy traffic one day. His trike really DID look like an emergency vehicle trying to filter thru the traffic, and caused several cages around me to swerve and pull across in front of me trying to get out of his way.

 

The guy had NO helmet on and seemed oblivious to the confusion.

 

As I have stated before, I believe headlight modulators should ONLY be used when legal AND prudent.

Edited August 23, 2010 by tx2sturgis