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[blade]

Nice pointers, robdog...i consider myself a novice rider but one thing i think we forget is how quickly we can stop versus cars and trucks.  I learned that lesson when riding in my SUV, not particularly close mind you, behind a motorcycle and the rider stopped suddenly at a yellow light and it took a heavy right foot to keep from hitting him....that was sobering and has forced me to be aware of how close the cars behind me are and how quickly i am stopping.

good tips...keep 'em coming.

blade

[VT-XS]

According to the NHTSB, 78% of all motorcycle accidents are the result of a automobile failing to yield the right of way (ie - left hand turns across traffic)

That's why I installed a headlight modulator and swear by it.  I have seen the difference in driver response at intersections, it's obvious that I'm more visible.

Another risky place to be is at the 4-5 o'clock or 7-8 o'clock position of a vehicle that is travelling the same direction as you on a multi-lane road.  I was in the left lane about 3 bike lengths back from a van in the right lane.  As the van passed a road that intersected from the right, a driver on that road pulled out to cross both lanes.  I watched his head as the van went by and he followed the van with his head, NEVER looked back again and proceeded.  He never knew I was there because I was hidden by the van (I should have been riding more defensively).  When he pulled out he stopped in my lane to wait on traffic to pass in the oncomming lanes.  I wrecked out uninjured fortunately, the bike faired worse.

Ride defensively and don't put yourself where you can't be seen.  Slow down, speed up. change lanes, change lane positions, use other vehicles as 'shields', don't hurry through yellow lights, but don't stop quick for a yellow light and get Cranberries-ended.  Get a headlight modulator.

BE SEEN.

Great post. I have an 03 1800R with a light bar. What modulator did you by? Will it work for me?

[RobDogg]

Blade - I've been on the receiving end of the sudden stop, in October or November traffic came to a quick stop on the way to work.  I was HEAVY on the binders to get the vtx stopped when I heard that grimacing sound of squeeling tires and CRUNCH into my rear tire and fender.  I rode on to work afterwards and then trailered it home from there due to bad damage to the tire.  Bike is still apart from that wreck since I can't leave well enough alone.  I have to have a new paint job and new this and new that everytime I get into one of these wrecks 

VT-XS - I have had the Kuryakyn and the Kriss modules.  I have the Kriss on the VTX now, it's more flexible and I like it better and it's cheaper, but given a choice I'd probably go with the Kury if I had to buy another. It's easier to install and pretty basic.  Both of those are legal, there are a couple of others out there that offer extra 'options' but the 'options' are illegal and won't past muster if you get pulled over.  Either will work for you, only the headlight will modulate, not the light bar.

Some people hate modulators, but I swear by them.  I installed mine after the guy pulled out in front of me and it has made a difference.

[pepsX]

Robdogg
do you have a switch to be able to turn it off at night when you want to? or does it pulse all the time?

[Davesax36]

they usually have a light sensor so it's not blinking at night. if you just keep a piece of electrical tape or, in your case Dan, fabricate and chome a remotely opening box of some sort, you could make it think it was dark and it would stay on.

[RobDogg]

Robdogg
do you have a switch to be able to turn it off at night when you want to? or does it pulse all the time?

There is a light sensor that turns it off at night. You would have to shine a light to make it work during the night, but that's illegal.
It only modulates on high beam. If you want to turn it off during the day, just flip to low beam.
I have the Kriss on my VTX right now - http://www.kriss.com/h4mod.htm - short plug, heavy duty options.

[pepsX]

Robdogg
do you have a switch to be able to turn it off at night when you want to? or does it pulse all the time?

There is a light sensor that turns it off at night. You would have to shine a light to make it work during the night, but that's illegal.
It only modulates on high beam. If you want to turn it off during the day, just flip to low beam.
I have the Kriss on my VTX right now - http://www.kriss.com/h4mod.htm - short plug, heavy duty options.

thanks

[VT-XS]

Clothing and visibility


Bright is good.

If someone rides in black t-shirts with black leather vests, black scull caps, black this, black that...they do get to stand in front of the mirror and admire what a burly, bad Cranberries, biker dude they look like (I ain't got that look no matter what I wear) and their ensemble may match out nicely with their bike and cut quite a figure at the ice house,  but their prospects for survival are diminished compared to what they would be if they had a bright red shirt on.

The younger crotch rocket guys that are moving on to cruisers are changing the fashions away from the baby boomer hell's angels wannabe look anyway to the sport look that they are more accustom to.

So not only is someone more current in bright colors but their visibility and prospects for survival will increase.  Small things add up.

[Todd]

Headlight modulators are leagal (approved by DOT) in all 50 states for motorcycles, but only if used on your headlight's highbeam(s) (not lowbeam), not lightbars, and must be equiped with a sensor that passively stops operation after dark.  So if its dark (or covered by chrome electrical tape ) it could be turned off in the daytime (or you could just switch to lowbeam).  In any evet, pulsing brake lights are illegal, but we haven't been pulled over for one in 30,000 miles (yet).  I think cops are a little more tolerant of motorcycles (that obey the traffic laws) and let little things like pulsating brake lights slide due to the increased safety factor.  But then again, some are just perpetually "in a bad mood".

Todd

[EDIT:  I had to work in between writing this and submitting it, so it looks like most of what I said was already stated by others - Oh well, I concur. ]   

[RobDogg]

Clothing and visibility

Bright is good.

YEP!  I have a white full face helmet.  The leader of a group I used to ride with said, "Every time I look in my mirror that white helmet sticks out like a sore thumb."  He said it was the first thing that caught his eye when he checked the group.

Visibility is the key.  Now I have a white VTX so hopefully that helps too!!