[UbarW]

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I want to put a modulator on, but its low on the priority list. As an alternative, I have made it habit to "self modulate".

The Wee has a button that flashes the light like a passing lamp. When I approach an intersection or I am situation that am concerned about a traffic hazard, I will pulse that button about 2x a second as I go through.

Many times I have seen people take that second and all important look at my direction...

 

[jwhitmore44]

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Could be you get more attention out of flashing your lights as on coming drivers may think you are warning them about a cop up ahead Sure couldn't hurt to make a habit of it.

 

[britman]

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I love my modulator the best thing ive brought for my bike ive had people get out of the way like im a cop and people at stop lights get out of there car and ask me to turn it off which i reply with good its doing its job .

 

[jnel57]

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A rider in boston used a modulator and when a car pulled out from a side street and caused the accident. the driver told the rider it was his(rider) fault because he (rider) flashed his light signaling him(driver) to go

 

[SidecarMike]

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jnel57 wrote:

A rider in boston used a modulator and when a car pulled out from a side street and caused the accident. the driver told the rider it was his(rider) fault because he (rider) flashed his light signaling him(driver) to go

I've often wondered about that. Up here it is common to flash your lights to tell another motorist you are yielding to him. Not for the duration of a modulator of course, but I wondered if it causes problems.

 

[AZgl1800]

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A continuously modulated light "Is Mistaken" as a "go ahead" signal.

That is a preposterous statement for anyone to make. They are just trying to weasel out of being "wrong way charlie" at the judge's office.

 

[SidecarMike]

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AZgl1500 wrote:

A continuously modulated light "Is Mistaken" as a "go ahead" signal.

That is a preposterous statement for anyone to make. They are just trying to weasel out of being "wrong way charlie" at the judge's office.

I'm not so sure. I would agree if they were coming at you or you were behind them. In Eau Claire there are a lot of cross streets with neither a stop nor yield sign. I can envision someone approaching one of these, a momontary glance right to you flashing the light then glance left and pulling out.

 

[pcfix_3]

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I could see that. I see cars do it all the time here, but I also see bikes with modulators on as well. The key here is driver education. Most car drivers don't get taught about motorcycles let alone motorcycles having flashing lights to say "hey, I'm here" Therefore they don't think too much about it and get mad when they cause an accident. then again, the drivers could argue that the rider should be paying more attention. Nobody wants to take ownership of the fault anymore.

 

[brianinmaine]

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Just ride like they ARE trying to kill you. No matter whose fault it is, it still would hurt if you got your leg ripped off or worse! I'm still undecided about the modulator, though.

 

[unionjk]

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It is illegal to FLASH your headlight unless you are signalling another driver. The Modulator does not flash the headlight but modulates it from 100% to 35% at a steady rate as required by the vehicle code.

 

[SidecarMike]

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A friend is a police officer. He says one of the drawbacks to the number of cars with daytime running lights is that once again no one notices the motorcycle.



I really notice the difference when riding on two wheels instead of the sidecar.

My wife doesn't think the sidecar makes me easier to see, just more of a curiosity. She calls it the "What the Hell is That Thing" syndrome.

 

[jwhitmore44]

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SidecarMike wrote:

jnel57 wrote:

A rider in boston used a modulator and when a car pulled out from a side street and caused the accident. the driver told the rider it was his(rider) fault because he (rider) flashed his light signaling him(driver) to go

I've often wondered about that. Up here it is common to flash your lights to tell another motorist you are yielding to him. Not for the duration of a modulator of course, but I wondered if it causes problems.

I wonder how that works with emergency vehicles since most of them have their headlights flashing? There are three reasons I can think of that some one is flashing their head lights at me. They may be warning me of something up ahead of me, like something in the road, a LEO taking pictures, or even wildlife in the ditches. If they are behind me they are telling me they are planning to pass me. The last being I still have my brights on and I need to dim them If you come out west and some one flashes you, don't pull out in front of them unless you want creamed

 

[exavid]

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As already mentioned a modulator doesn't flash the light just reduces and restores its intensity at a very fast rate. The 'flicker' rate is much faster than a driver would be able to achieve signaling. If someone thought you were signaling them to go ahead they'd have to be a complete idiot and most likely would have pulled out in front of you anyway. I've had a modulator for nearly six years on the bikes I ride and have never had anyone think I was signaling them to go ahead. That's over 100,000 miles with no problem that way. It has caused a few people to stop suddenly when pulling out from a driveway or side road in front of me. There have been many who pull over thinking I'm driving an emergency vehicle. If at all possible I'll tell those folks about modulators. It's my firm belief that a modulator is an excellent piece of safety equipment to prevent the most common fatal accident type for a bike rider, the head on when someone turns left in front of you.

When the feds mandated that all bikes have their headlights on when ever on the road the bikes did show up well in traffic. But the advent of daylight running lights on cars pretty well killed that advantage. The modulator goes a long way to replace that conspicuity. I got 'em on my GW and on my SW scooter. It's about as important to me as my helmet.

 

[goldwingnut]

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I've had one on for 6 years now and never had someone mistake it for flash to pass or flash to pullout in front of me. I have had people notice it all the time though and give me my fair right of way. A HD rider pulled up to me at a gas station once and said"You know your light is flashing?" . I told him thanks, it's supposed to do that. I bet you noticed it a lot further away than loud pipes didn't you. He said F$%^ #$% and took off.:ROFL: I won't have a bike without one.

 

[Wolfman]

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This is my 2nd Goldwing, and I have had a headlight modulator on both of them.

I've never had anyone think that I was signaling them. The modulation is significantly faster than someone can signal. Additionally, I've never seen anyone signaling flash their lights more than 3 or 4 times. A modulator would cycle 15 or 20 times in the same amount of time.

 

[JerryH]

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I have both headlight and brakelight modulators on my Vulcan 750, and noticed they really do get attention. I have always been in the habit of flashing my brakelight several times when stopping or slowing down. I would have these on all my bikes if I could afford it.

Modulators do not turn the light completely off and on, they just make it bright and dim. They are very common around here on Goldwings. I've never seen them on a sportbike that I can remember.