question about headlight modulators

[michigan_adam]

hi im new to this and new to this forum so i have a question. i have a 2009 street glide which i love i was just wondering if anyone out there has installed a headlight modulator on one? or any other new touring bike? the reason i ask is i dont want any electrical problems or radio interference with it if anyone has any experience with this please reply btw its a biker buddy p1 model

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

I'll be putting mine on the next time I get a day where the weather isn't nice enough to ride, but not so cold that I don't want to hang out in the garage, and I don't have any other family obligations that day.

Geesh.....this might never get done!

 

[dangerdan]

headlight modulator ???

I had to look that one up.

Sorry guys , last thing I need is a flashing light in my rear view mirrors while driving my car or my bike.

Officer ,a dog ran in front me and thats why I had to stop so quickly.

:x

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

headlight modulator ???

I had to look that one up.

Sorry guys , last thing I need is a flashing light in my rear view mirrors while driving my car or my bike.

Officer ,a dog ran in front me and thats why I had to stop so quickly.

:x

First, if your headlight is adjusted properly, it should not be shining into the previous vehicle's rearview mirror. Not sure if this is exactly what you meant but I thought I'd throw it out there.

Second, it isn't designed to get the guy in front of you going the same direction to notice you. It's designed to increase your visibility to opposing traffic, specifically someone thinking about making a turn in front of you or pulling out from a side street or parking lot in front of you.

 

[dangerdan]

From what I have read on the net, the headlight modulators switches the headlight between bright & dim repeatedly during daytime only.

See the example of lights flashing at this site www.headlightmodulator.com

So whats really happening here ??
Is the low beam being interrupted or does this modulator switch between high and low beam.
What happens if this device fails! Is there a bypass switch that will allow the lights to work again or do I strap a flashlight to my helmet.

Either way I see this as an huge annoyance especialy if someone is stuck in front of a bike with this device. As for lights being properly adjusted, most guys adjust their lights for maximum distance. Thats my story and I am sticking to it.

Anyway thats all I have to say on this subject.

 

[Mattman4403]

I had one on a bike years ago, did not cause any problems but that was simplier days. I don't know that they do that much good. The new ones have a night failover that deactivates them and according to the propaganda on them in the event of failure, they just act like they do not exist.
I do know the brake light modulators muck up the cruise control on an Ultra.

 

[threesteps]

Annoying, yes. Effective....I think so. I think I notice a bike quicker with that darn headlight flashing. Don't think I'll put one on my bike.:bigsmiley29:

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

I guess I'm going to be the main guy playing devil's advocate and sticking up for these things.

For each of you complaining about how annoying they are, you pretty much proved how effective they are. Any time I come upon a bike with these installed, they IMMEDIATELY catch my eye, which is exactly what they are supposed to do. If I annoy you but you see me and don't endanger me, I think that's a pretty good tradeoff. By the way, if anyone complains about how annoying these are but has loud pipes on their bikes for "safety" reasons - well, the term "two faced" comes to mind.

The website I bought mine off of recommends having this feature active on high beam only. If you're riding in a group of bikes or caught in a line of slow moving traffic, you can switch to low beam and disable the modulating. Yes, there is a photocell that lets you use low/high beam in a normal fashion after sunset.

Someone said they'd never install this because it could fail and leave you driving blind at night. Light bulbs never fail? Fuses never fail? You ride within your limitations (slow down at night), pull over, and deal with whatever broke, just like any other malfunction.

Let me add that everything I've said so far is based on website info, instructions, and my own brain cells. I have not installed this yet. When I do, if anything causes me to change my tune. I will come back and rebut myself.

Sorry for the long post but I couldn't believe how many guys jumped all over this in a negative way when I feel like it's a valid safety enhancing device.

 

[threesteps]

I guess I'm going to be the main guy playing devil's advocate and sticking up for these things.

For each of you complaining about how annoying they are, you pretty much proved how effective they are. Any time I come upon a bike with these installed, they IMMEDIATELY catch my eye, which is exactly what they are supposed to do. If I annoy you but you see me and don't endanger me, I think that's a pretty good tradeoff. By the way, if anyone complains about how annoying these are but has loud pipes on their bikes for "safety" reasons - well, the term "two faced" comes to mind.

The website I bought mine off of recommends having this feature active on high beam only. If you're riding in a group of bikes or caught in a line of slow moving traffic, you can switch to low beam and disable the modulating. Yes, there is a photocell that lets you use low/high beam in a normal fashion after sunset.

Someone said they'd never install this because it could fail and leave you driving blind at night. Light bulbs never fail? Fuses never fail? You ride within your limitations (slow down at night), pull over, and deal with whatever broke, just like any other malfunction.

Let me add that everything I've said so far is based on website info, instructions, and my own brain cells. I have not installed this yet. When I do, if anything causes me to change my tune. I will come back and rebut myself.

Sorry for the long post but I couldn't believe how many guys jumped all over this in a negative way when I feel like it's a valid safety enhancing device.

Go for it. None of us put the money down for your bike. 'course we will all think, "who's the annoying guy with that flashing headlight" when we meet you on the road.

 

[glider]

Just my .02 here...

I tend to agree with Lew on this one. To oncoming vehicles they are effective but I find myself also looking away because they are annoying. Here's where the kink comes in...

If any drivers look away because of them being annoying, doesn't that negate the positive aspects of the unit then if other drivers are looking away to prevent glare?

Another point brought up by Dr do is this...

Someone said they'd never install this because it could fail and leave you driving blind at night. Light bulbs never fail? Fuses never fail?

What's being over looked using that theory is every time you add something into a circuit like this unit, every part you add increases the failure rate for that circuit by 100%. Something to think about.
Remember too that any of these controllers added into a lighting circuit operate very hot and the heat alone shortens the life span of that unit for instance the brake module units that make the turn signals operate as brake lights or when running LED lights. Put your hand on one of these units after it has been on a while.:s

Something else that is only my theory here is the life of the bulb itself. When any bulb is switched on the initial load going through that bulb is the worst part of the life cycle of that bulb. Increasing this on/off cycle will load the bulb filament to the max. JMO.