question about headlight modulators

[Dr. Dolittle]

1. Look away because of the glare - there's no more glare than running high beams continuously in the daytime, which all of us probably do.

2. Heat in the module - valid point, I'm not an electrical engineer so this hadn't occurred to me.

3. Life of the bulb - I brought this up at my MSF course and both instructors swore it didn't shorten bulb life.

Keep the flames coming - I've got my asbestos suit on!!

 

[threesteps]

1. Look away because of the glare - there's no more glare than running high beams continuously in the daytime, which all of us probably do.

2. Heat in the module - valid point, I'm not an electrical engineer so this hadn't occurred to me.

3. Life of the bulb - I brought this up at my MSF course and both instructors swore it didn't shorten bulb life.

Keep the flames coming - I've got my asbestos suit on!!

Some valid suggestions/points. . However I am doubtful about your #3. Continuously cycling any light off and on , or bright to dim ,should have a negative affect on the life of the bulb. Just don't think the MSF instructors are correct on that one.

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

I like the way you think...
there's no way I'd put a flashing light on the front of my bike...in these days of road rage My luck I tic off some wacko who'd run me down just for spite...
I don't want anything wired to my headlight curcuit, I know it shuts itself off a dusk Yeah right...worse case senario must be considered...dark curvey road, hit the dimmer switch all lights go out...POW...look out for that tree...no thanks, the trick to being safe on the road is to be alert, watch out for the unexpected, assume the elderly woman WILL left turn in front of you or pull out in front of you...When the Gods of totalitarianism mandate it, then it'll all ready be on it...until then...NO

Look, I never said you should install one of these and then proceed to change the way you ride. Anyone that puts on a piece of safety equipment and then rides more aggressively or less attentively because of that equipment is a bit of a moron IMHO. I will continue to ride as defensively as ever, just a little more comfortable knowing there is an added layer of safety helping me out.

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

Some valid suggestions/points. . However I am doubtful about your #3. Continuously cycling any light off and on , or bright to dim ,should have a negative affect on the life of the bulb. Just don't think the MSF instructors are correct on that one.

And that's why I asked it in class! Doesn't make sense to me either but then nothing electrical does. Surely, someone, somewhere has done a study on this. Hey, Congress funds more ridiculous studies than this by a long shot - maybe I'll write my representatives!

Doc D let em flame...I'll bring pork chops...

Mmmm.....the other white meat!

 

[glider]

1. Look away because of the glare - there's no more glare than running high beams continuously in the daytime, which all of us probably do.

2. Heat in the module - valid point, I'm not an electrical engineer so this hadn't occurred to me.

3. Life of the bulb - I brought this up at my MSF course and both instructors swore it didn't shorten bulb life.

Keep the flames coming - I've got my asbestos suit on!!

Maybe I should have said distraction instead of glare to more accurately describe what I was trying to say.

3. Life of the bulb - I brought this up at my MSF course and both instructors swore it didn't shorten bulb life.

I sure hope they had an electrical degree :s

I wouldn't go to the dentist and ask about the best cut of meat.
Likewise I think I would take the advice of someone that has a background in the mechanical aspect over a MSF instructor. JMO and nothing more.:s

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

1. Look away because of the glare - there's no more glare than running high beams continuously in the daytime, which all of us probably do.

2. Heat in the module - valid point, I'm not an electrical engineer so this hadn't occurred to me.

3. Life of the bulb - I brought this up at my MSF course and both instructors swore it didn't shorten bulb life.

Keep the flames coming - I've got my asbestos suit on!!

Dr Doolittle...I am sort of leaning your way for two reasons:

1) Metric riders have been using them since the early 80's, the modulator is just that, if flickers at a high rate of speed and suprisingly increases the life of your bulb due to the "duty cycle" allows slightly less power stress on the bulb and current draw due to the use of solid state SCR/TRIAC switching device (similar to dimmer switch you use in your household). Practically every Gold Wing tourer you see has one, almost makes you think they are an OEM offering.

2) They are very reliable and the price has come down considerably with so many tested miles of use. I think that the HURT Foundation did testing and found statistically fewer accidents using them, (but metric riders have a tendancy to put all sorts of extra lighting/reflectors on their rides anyway) though it was some time ago I read that (I think in late 80's).

 

[wildey]

Im just getting to this post since I was thinking about installing one of them since we had so many deaths this year from left turns. NOT to mention that today I almost witnessed a left turn crash. The biker in front of me just missed the car, but it was diving, twisting and shaking from him braking. So he was very lucky.

But I too have seen these on the road and they do get your attention. Being a biker myself if someone was to be behind me with one of these and it was annoying I would just move my mirror totally understanding why he has it on his bike.

I would NOT be upset or hinting at stopping quickly to the officer about the dog thing. Sarcastic or not that pretty sad to hear coming from a fellow biker.

Last but not least I have read where others turn their heads away due to the flashing or glare. Thats fine, but my point here is even though you looked away are you going to cross the road without looking??? No your not, you will look again to see if they passed yet, thats what you will do

As for getting one, im not sure yet, just might be some stage fright right now with all the deaths happening and other accidents. But I do see more advantages and disadvantages

 

[xwhyz1959]

I have them on both my bikes. They actually modulate the current to the head lamp betwee 17% and 100% current so the lamp filiment is never " shocked " by the modulation. They also use a MOSFET diode which can only fail in the "on" state, which means that even if it were to fail your headlight stays on.

 

[StGlide1958]

I have installed one on a customers bike. The one I installed did not flash between high and low beam. Simply flashes the low beam, and isn't really a flash...it modualtes the light. Not hard to install. Most if not all have a sensor that cuts the feature out at reduced lighting(after dark), making the high beam usable. I have yet to install one on my SG, but isn't a bad idea. Follow directions carefully, and you won't have a problem.

 

[Drumrguy]

I would never install one on my bike, heard of people that had them and at intersections people thought they were flickering their light for them to go and they ended up getting hit. Not worth the risk for me.