Being seen - how important is it to you?

**Spiderman** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 01:42 PM

In addition to having a Back-Off Brake-Light Modulator, I just ordered these red LED strobes (check out the video!). I'm planning on installing them on the top of my license plate.

Speaking of brake lights, how soon do your come on? A while back, I noticed, while driving at night, and gently slowing (almost coasting) for a stop light, that my brake light wasn't coming on! The rear brake wasn't as bad as the front, and the rear brake is adjustable, but I finally adjusted it (it only took me 40,000 miles!

). I solved the problem with the front brake by using a dremel to grind down the spring-loaded pin a bit so it engages the brake light as soon as the brakes engage.

Though I've never been rear-ended, and I'm not sure statistically how often it actually happens to motorcycles, I'm taking measures to reduce the odds of it happening to me!

I'll see if I can post video of it once they're installed.

**64BonnieLass** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 01:47 PM

Cool Bob. Let us know how it works for you.

My Lil Sunshine can be seen from space on a cloudy night. So yea, being seen is pretty important to me.

Good luck honey.

**Spiderman** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 01:57 PM

With my bike being mostly red & white, it's normally not that big of a deal, but commuting in the dark early morning, with cagers putting-on-makeup/shaving/reading-the-newspaper/etc., I figured it can't hurt.

I'm thinking about getting some amber ones to use as turn signals as well (due to size & brightness), and, I'm thinking about linking them to my horn, so if I honk at some idiot trying to cut me off, there will be a visual message too.

**Devaclis** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 02:00 PM

Bob, go to www.tripageled.com and check out the sweet LED stuff they have

**MetaLord 9** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 02:07 PM

ask Rapparee about being rearended & how often it happens

**Gramps** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 02:49 PM

Bob-

why don't you just buy a Harley. They got big signals on them

**MetaLord 9** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 02:50 PM

^^ Well "being heard is as good as being seen"

**Captain Obvious** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 02:52 PM

In FL you are not allowed to have lights on your bike if they are blue or red if said light is visible from the front of you vehicle. Those forward projecting light colors are reserved for emergency vehicles. Colorado doesn't care?

**MetaLord 9** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 02:53 PM

^^emergencies are less important in Colorado, that's all

**Jim_Vess** · Tue Oct 28th, 2008, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

In FL you are not allowed to have lights on your bike if they are blue or red if said light is visible from the front of you vehicle. Those forward projecting light colors are reserved for emergency vehicles. Colorado doesn't care?

Colorado does care. It is also not allowed here.

**Spiderman** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

In FL you are not allowed to have lights on your bike if they are blue or red if said light is visible from the front of you vehicle. Those forward projecting light colors are reserved for emergency vehicles. Colorado doesn't care?

I said I was mounting them (the red ones) to my license plate... not sure 'bout you, but the license plate on my bike faces rear.

**Airreed** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 02:57 AM

I hear you on being seen! I recently replaced from POS hotbodies LED lights with some larger and more visable lights.
Also, I've put reflective tape on the back of my swing arm that's very reflective when headlights hit it.

I ride up to Blackhawk in the summer month to play poker and i'm always thinking that some drunk or half awake driver is going to run into me, so I wear my Icon Military Spec vest ($50.00) and if I have a backpack on I attach my PT reflective belt to it.

**bikernoj** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 07:27 AM

Maybe it's because I've been an avid bicyclist for 17+ years now, but it feels like I've been hard-wired to avoid all traffic in as many ways as possible. Being on a sub-20lb machine in the middle of traffic teaches a person much about how traffic behaves and how invisible you really are.

Not to say that I'm super-human or anything, but six years ago in my MSF course when the instructor showed us some videos and asked us to pick out potential hazards I popped up with 3-4 more in each section that he had never even considered. All were legitimate dangers to riding on the road, bicycle or not, but I got a strange look from him, kind of a "How the hell do you think of these things?" stare.

I could have my bike lit up like a Christmas tree with a 140dB megaphone blaring Metallica in all directions and a police escort and some jerk-offf in a Hummer would STILL change lanes into me! Cagers are idiots. The most important piece of protection lies between your ears and should always be the first line of defense.

**Tipys** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 07:44 AM

Me I try to be seen to a point. I had a few things beat into my head growing up ride like no one can see you cause most of them dont and ride like everybody else on the road is out to kill you. As for getting rear ended I almost did by some guy in a truck. He came behind me then swered tires scering and then was saying that his truck cant stop as fast as my bike which is true but I didnt even brake fast that day and where he ended up next to me it wouldnt have ended well. He probly was either way to close to me to begin with or he just wasnt looking at what was in front of him.

**MetaLord 9** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 08:57 AM

Being seen is important to me and doing things so that I'm not in people's blind spots is pretty key as well, but it's only a portion of the equation. Always be ready to use that escape route you're planning and if you're not planning one then you shouldn't be on the streets. I consider myself pretty damn visible when I'm riding directly in front of somebody on a Thursday morning riding away from the sun, but I still almost got run over by a damn school bus that would've rear ended me.

Be'n visible is a good start, but it sure as hell ain't the whole shebang.

**= Buckeye Jess =** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 01:07 PM

Amen to the posts thus far! I got a$$ ended by a drunk driver at a red fooking light when my bike was only 5 days old. I saw it coming and managed to get mostly out of the way..thus only the broken leg to complain about. But come next season, I plan to put the brake light modulator in as well as any other number of visibility things I can. I realize that it won't save you all of the time, but all the help - the better!

**asp_125** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 01:43 PM

I have a brake strobe on the SV and nothing yet on the Gixxer, I do notice cagers stopping further back with the brake strobe. Commutes in the dark of winter has made me more aware of being seen.

**MetaLord 9** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 02:20 PM

^^I'd be more worried about getting lost in the sun glare going east in the mornings & west in the evenings than being seen in the dark

**Devaclis** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 02:22 PM

I worry more about getting lost, in your eyes............

**MetaLord 9** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Devaclis

in your eyes

the light, the heat?

**Spiderman** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by MetaLord 9

^^I'd be more worried about getting lost in the sun glare going east in the mornings & west in the evenings than being seen in the dark

As soon as I'm heading west just after sunrise (or east just before sunset), the high beams come on (if they weren't already)... I know it's not much, but every little bit helps... thinking about getting a headlight modulator too.

**FZRguy** · Wed Oct 29th, 2008, 06:37 PM

I think the brake light modulator is a good idea but the headlight mod just annoys other road users. We debated this at length in another thread a while back.