Headlight Modulator vs. Driving Lights

r11rs94 said:

I agree, I don't know about other states, but they are illegal here in RI.

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Modulators are legal in all 50 states under federal rules.

FMVSS 108 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) (49 CFR Part 571.108 S7.9.4) allows motorcycle headlight modulation systems in all 50 states provided they comply with the standards set forth in this section.

Title 49 USC 30103(b1) (US Codes) prohibits any state from forbidding a system that conforms to FMVSS 108.

tommcgee said:

Modulators are legal in all 50 states under federal rules. Details here: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi

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Your http would not open. I was told this by a police officer. He could of been mistaken.

Fyi

Under USDOT 49 CFR Part 571.108, headlight modulators on motorcycles are legal in ALL fifty states.

Used it today and I was obviously noticed. I consider it essential MC gear, but alas....to each their own.

Just ride safe.

Modulated headlamps

I have a Kisan headlight modulator on both my 1100GS and my 1150RT I do not see aproblem with them as drivers are attracted to motion and this gets their attention They may not like the lights but they DO SEE YOU !!! I use use the BMW LED Brake light with 4 flashes and then brake light I am in California land of numerous cell phones, SUVs, GPS, and numerous other distractions at least the modulating headlights get attention. Commuting in the SF Bay Area is challenging and no one so far has **** me off or pulled out in front of me with the headlights in modulating mode Dr Dave

I am curious about the possible use of the small LEDS? that you see on road construction trucks around the headlights. I personally have two sets of red LEDS on the back -one set is braking and the other is tail lights, which I bought from website, a company in St Louis that has many to pick from and realistic prices compared to bike offerings-just google led.

I find them an offensive distraction and put them in the same category as loud pipes. And remember that passive is just that: passive. Its less effective than active because you're still depending on others for your safety.

r11rs94 said:

Your http would not open. I was told this by a police officer. He could of been mistaken.

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Not could have been mistaken; he WAS mistaken. Fed law trumps state law in this matter, period.

my KLR has a modulator tied to the high beam (shuts off in low light conditions). It helps me be seen (passive defense system), but i still actively work at making myself more visible via bright clothing, lane positioning, movement within my lane, situational awareness, etc. i believe it helps, but is not something to depend upon.
my R11S has HIDs low & hi, along with fork mounted PIAA 1100Xs. and yeah, other vehicles see me REAL well! have not had a car pull out on me since i installed them 5 years ago But i still drive as if i'm invisible.
if i were to have to choose between a modulator and driving lights, i'd go with the driving lights (and yes, i've run both Motolights and the PIAAs, and PIAAs are better. Hella FF50s are probably even better, but haven't used them myself, so won't confirm one way or another). advantage of driving lights is not only do i have increased visibility due to trianagulation of the light sources, but I can also see better with them. a modulator does nothing to increase my vision.

Cognitive Power Conservation and Depth Perception

Yellowjacket said:

Maybe this will help. In the Dec issue of BMW ON, there was an article on page 24 called "Being Seen, Passively." I thought it explained why automobiles have a hard time seeing us. In case you don't have that issue, I'll sum up the article. It's not that they don't see us. It's just they're use to seeing a larger vehicle coming at them. With many of the cars on the road today having daylight headlights, this just adds to the confusion. Headlights on a car off in the distance look like a single light until they get closer. If an auto driver casually clears themselves in both directions and sees a single light, their mind automatically thinks "car in the distance" and pulls out thinking they have time to cross. The trick is to make yourself look different. I agree with many of you, I DON'T like modulators. Change up your light pattern with driving lights. Install them with as much separation as you can get from your headlight. Also, another rider taught me this trick. If you see someone at an intersection, go into a slow weave in your lane. Your headlight is now moving side to side which catches the automobile's attention. We've got a lot more to lose in an accident, so we have to do a lot more to prevent one.

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There are studies which examine the inner workings of the human brain and how we react cognitively to various stimuli when assigned a specific task.

One such study conducted by Yale Professors Marvin Chun and Brian Scholl asked human subjects to monitor a series of black and white shapes on a screen. After some time, a red cross appeared on the screen and moved slowly across it for 5 seconds before it disappeared. When asked afterward if they noticed it, about 30% could not remember seeing the red cross at all.

Another issue is one of depth perception. A single bright (or modulating) light can not tell the motorist where you are in relation to them, and how fast you are moving. In fact, glare from bright lights may actually exacerbate the issue. Our depth and size perception is typically rather poor. Our brains typically process smaller objects as being further away; larger objects closer. By installing two driving lights (not too bright), we can give other drivers the information they need to see us and recognize that we are closely approaching them. If the lights are too bright, then they won’t look at the motorcycle long enough to judge it’s speed and distance.

Hard question, and opinions vary from rider to rider. We need to put frustration aside and understand that someone would certainly not want to pull out in front of an oncoming vehicle. Next, we need to study why they did it. It is clear that they “saw” the motorcycle. The question is: why did they fail to register the motorcycle as an oncoming vehicle?

-Alex


Note: I ride with dimmed PIAA 1100x lights installed as high as I can and spaced as far apart as possible. I have also installed high-intensity amber running lights in my turn-signals, and use red runnin-lights for conspicuity in the rear. I often ride with a white helmet, and have high-vis panels and 3M reflective tape on my jacket. Even with all that, I am sure that sometimes I can be hard to see...

Another trick that worked for me

While in Paris in '86, I went to an auto supply store and purchased a yellow headlamp bulb, quartz halogen type with the same wattage rating as the standard halogen bulb in my '86 Suzuki G700S. Soon as I got back from my vacation, I installed the bulb in the bike and then later transferred the bulb to my Moto Guzzi. The bright yellow lamp must have caught the attention of many on-coming drivers because thankfully I never had any close calls from left turning drivers at intersections.
The Goose is gone and so is my yellow bulb. Maybe I should have bought a dozen of them back then!
REM

Modulation vs Flashing

There is a big difference between "modulation" and "flashing". I sat in the rain for a half hour as city policeman was checking the federal law about my modulating head light. He was trying to say my light was flashing. It is not. He finally let me go without a ticket. Flashing is on and off. Modulating is going from bright to dim. I have the modulator on all my street bikes and along with the federal law number too. Maybe we should agree that to be seen is what we want but each can do it in our own way!

My Two Cents

Well for my two cents worth, I take every precaution I can (realistically) do to make my motorcycle safer to ride. And that includes brake and headlight modulators as well as running lights. So long as the law allows me to do so I will continue to use a headlight modulator whenever possible and recommend it to others as well.

If you are concerned at all about irritating other drivers ont he road, you should give up your motorcycle today as many, if not most, cagers resent having motorcycles on the road to begin with. They do not like the idea we can ride the HOV lanes. They do not like the fact that we can lane split while they are stuck in traffic. They do not like any of the advantages we (as motorcyclist) get.

And lest I forget, they (myself included) do not like the hot dogging idiots poping wheelis, stoppies, etc. on public streets.

But the good news about all this is that it is still your choice to use one or not.

grossjohann said:

I ride with dimmed PIAA 1100x lights installed as high as I can and spaced as far apart as possible.

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Alex (and others)- you might want to consider the benefit of mounting driving/fog/conspicuity (whatever you prefer to call them) lights farther from the headlight, i.e.; as low as possible), to create greater degree of triangulation (and therefore greater separation) to your light display. At distance, lights located a foot or so from the primary headlight becomes seen as a single light source, and therefore of limited benefit, compared to those same driving lights mounted several feet away.

Well I thought I'd get one or two replies, you folks have outdone yourselves.
I really appreciate all the input; but, still don't have an answer - for me!

I bought a brand new R1150RT and had the dealer install the Kisan headlight modulator. Inside of two weeks the headlight quit, totally! The dealer replaced the entire headlight assembly (I rode with the foglights on for a while). As soon as I got the bike back I installed a pair of Hella FF50s on a martin fabrications bar which attached under the oil cooler and put the lights out to each side under the headlight. Those FF50s are great! After about two more months, the headlight died again and the dealer replaced the entire headlight again, removed the modulator, blaming it on the failures. That was three years ago and the headlight has been fine since removing the modulator. I liked the modulator so much that I installed it on the FF50s and that was about two and a half years ago and let me tell you when those babies strobe everyone sees me coming, even oncoming vehicles pull of to the shoulder of the road. I have sold the 1150 with all the goodies, bought an R1200RT and have my modulator and FF50s coming. The dealer advises against using the modulator on the factory high beam saying it can confuse the can-bus, in my opinion the driving lights are more effective anyway.

chilibowlfan said:

I really appreciate all the input; but, still don't have an answer - for me!

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Well there ya go. As you can see headlight modulators are a very personal choice and people have very strong opinions about them. So it is up to you to make up your own mind to use one or not.

You already know where I stand on this idea.

chilibowlfan said:

I really appreciate all the input; but, still don't have an answer - for me!

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Get both?

chilibowlfan said:

Well I thought I'd get one or two replies, you folks have outdone yourselves.
I really appreciate all the input; but, still don't have an answer - for me!

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Without any real data, it's hard to answer the question for you because it is a matter of individual belief. I don't think anyone can tell you what to do. Others can only tell you what they believe, and what they have done.

Either way, adding a modulator or additional lighting should help you to stand out in most situations... That's what's important.

bikerfish1100 said:

Alex (and others)- you might want to consider the benefit of mounting driving/fog/conspicuity (whatever you prefer to call them) lights farther from the headlight, i.e.; as low as possible), to create greater degree of triangulation (and therefore greater separation) to your light display. At distance, lights located a foot or so from the primary headlight becomes seen as a single light source, and therefore of limited benefit, compared to those same driving lights mounted several feet away.

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Thanks, Bikerfish1100. Maybe a project for next winter when I replace the halogen bulbs with LEDs.