FIT ADDITIONAL HEADLIGHTS AND BE SEEN?

[Dave Ross]

#9076

Good point about the indicators. Speaking of which, there is a relay that keeps both indicators lit up, until you actually use them. The one goes out while the other one blinks. I have always found riders that have those more visible than others.Per default I assume that I am invisible and ride accordingly. It works well in traffic, but a few years ago a cop blew my cover and I got a ticket. I had no idea they could radar out the back.

[Jim Young]

#9077

I fitted a 'Visy' relay to my indicators on the 1150GS and was very pleased with the result.However the first time I went out with them I hadn't gone more than a Kilometer from home when a car pulled out in front of me resulting in the bike leaving quite a long skidmark in the road and myself elsewhere.  😮Since then it has doubled my resolve to treat ALL other road users as nutters and so far it has worked quite well.

[Anonymous]

#9078

[Thanks for that comment Alex;  Where can I get these relays?  This idea appears to be both sensible and cost-effective.  The LTA Regs (10.3) define 'A Daytime Running Lamp' as a lamp "designed.....to make it (the vehicle) more easily seen in the daytime"..and states such a lamp(s) "must not operate when a front headlamp is in use".    My intention to install  additional forward facing attention-grabbing lights is therefore likely to be judged illegal!  Those riders who have had no problems with such installations must have been fortunate to have had WOF inspectors who were unfamiliar with the Regulations' fine print.  Hopefully Direction Indicating lamps would not be regarded as "daytime Running Lamps". 😕

[Anonymous]

#9079

“Youngjim”- Many thanks for your comment;  What is a 'Visy' relay, what does it do,  & where can I get one?  Are they fittable by a laymen?

[Jim Young]

#9080

They are available at most bike shops for around $60 to $70 and if my memory serves me well are easy to fit to bikes that are pre canbus wiring and come with full installation instructions on the pack, just a tap into the indicator wiring.One unit will only operate the front indicators so if you want the front and back indicators to light up as I have seen on some bikes you will need two units, but to my mind this is a bit of overkill as you really need to be seen more from the front. I would have put one on the 1200 but didn't want to chance it with the canbus system.

[Anonymous]

#9081

:roll:hello one and all, as a bloke who checks bikes for wofs, my biggest concerns are can you see and be seen , can you stop, and will adhesion to the road surface be a problem, this pretty much covers over 90% of the reasons why people have accidents, what you can't cover are the non-attentive drivers or the people who just don't care. As for the technical issues re extra lighting, you've got to make sure your charging system can cope with the extra amps drawn into the lighting circuit, and you don't want to fry the wiring so that needs heavy duty cabling, then you have to make sure what you are fitting is compliant with the regulations as previously discussed. All this still won't guarantee some monkey won't pull out in front of you or T Bone you, or whatever, you just need to be more vigilant than the bloke in front, and adopt the mantra that the only good vehicle is the one you just passed, cheers bucky.

[David]

#9082

I intensly dislike headlight modulators and hope they stay illegal. Had some cruiser dude following me along Ponsonby Rd, I picked him up about a km away in my rear view mirror and it was a total distraction, kept looking for the emergency vehicle and not paying enough attention to the road ahead, hell, I could have run one of you over! All I wanted to do was knock him off his bike by the time he lane split up behind me!I have 2 additional high beam headlights wired through the dip switch, I never turn them on for WOF and I'm never questioned. Daylight running lamps that are on while the headlight is dipped are illegal, the headlight must be off. If Slak had a switch to turn them off while at the testing station he would probably have not had a problem. Saying that, his lights work as intrended and my attention is always drawn to the bright triangle he presents to the front. I do have a 'vizi-light' system that turns on the indicators while riding and I also turn this off when in the testing station, no point agitating the man from Mumbai.I'm too old to cover the hand brake. By the time I've worked out the best course of action my hand is there ready to do whatever and have avoided the kneejerk reaction that may have had me sliding unnecessarily down the macadam. Interestingly they also taught us on the 'Ride-right, ride safe' course not to cover the brake lever.I'm so old I now wear a hi-viz vest all the time and when I reach 70 I'll probably wear one on top of the other. I also wear a white helmet and often get mistaken for the constabulary. I dont mind, the 2 groups missing in the MC 'oh my gosh I didnt see you' statistics are police motor cyclists and gang members, I dont ride nicked american ironmongery nor do I have the proper bad arse attitude so I settled for being mistaken for the 'blue' gang. So folks, however you do it - enjoy the ride, it's worth it 🙂

[Dave Ross]

#9083

Interesting comment on not covering the handbrake. I have a habit of doing that. However, from what I read, the concern is of overreacting and squeezing the lever too hard initially, which would cause the wheel to lock up. I guess this could be fixed by practicing emergency braking. The time it takes to reach the lever is lost time, in my opinion. People with ABS would not have to worry about this anyway. Since my tyres are pretty much stuffed at the moment, I haven't been shy with emergency braking practice. The front knobbly is easily locked up, and I 've had to let go and reapply the brakes once in a while. With a steady squeeze you can keep the front just turning, with out locking it up. In an emergency this may not work as advertised. What has worked for me is to keep my distance, keep an eye out for trouble and the other one for a way out. I am sure I would have rear-ended vehicles in the past, had I relied on braking alone, without taking evasive action.

[Anonymous]

#9084

I always ride with 1 finger resting over the hand brake, last week I nearly said hello to the guy in front of me through his back window at 80 klm, completely my fault I was looking at another bike in the opposite lane on the motorway coming towards me, only for a second. When I looked back everyone was stopping in front of me I had no time to think ( as in my brain didn't think of anything else) all I did was apply the front brake with 1 finger no foot brake no change down I just sat there waiting to say hello, but I stopped about 100ml from the car in front thank god for ABS and both brakes working off the front hand brake. Yes I know I should be paying more attention but I slipped up. I just had the bike serviced and new brake pads fitted the timing was good. 

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