Why flushmount turn signals?

[mikesova]

I see all kinds of people replacing their turn signals with flushmount ones, but I'm curious as to why they do it? I would think that the ones that stick out would be more visible. Is it a style thing? Personally I prefer the stock ones.

[thurt88]

I had the same question. I think its just a cosmetic thing. I prefer stock as well.

[kkim]

yep, aesthetics.

run what makes you happy, though I do believe there is a minimum measurement they are suppose to be by Federal law, though no one actually checks that.

To be completely legal, they should have DOT embossed on the lens somewhere. Most aftermarket turn signals are not DOT approved.

[want1sobad]

another reason is that on the new-gen 250r, the signals are bolted to the side fairings and in a drop have a tendancy to be the initial point of impact, thus cracking the fairing (this is what happened when i dropped mine). i did the stock flushmount conversion - wish i would have earlier.

+1 on looking better as well (imo)

[kkim]

Originally Posted by want1sobad

another reason is that on the new-gen 250r, the signals are bolted to the side fairings and in a drop have a tendancy to be the initial point of impact, thus cracking the fairing (this is what happened when i dropped mine). i did the stock flushmount conversion - wish i would have earlier.

lol... but w/ flushmounts, don't you think the fairing will suffer even more damage w/o the turn signal stalks to keep the fairing farther from the ground?

easy way to fix this... don't drop the bike.

[want1sobad]

well, the second time i dropped it (mind you both occurennces happened in the first month of ownership, having no previous experience on a bike), i could clearly see "rash" where the signal lense scrapped along the ground, but the fairing did not crack as there was no rigid mounting point to punch through.

i know i know, solution - don't drop the bike

[Snake]

Install frame sliders and your fairing will be safer whether you have stock signals or flush mount.

[bob706]

On some sport bikes the signals are just too bulky. I saw a FZ6-R up close the other day and while the bike looks great the front signals were gigantic. They make the stock 08 signals look like flushmounts.

[mikesova]

Originally Posted by kkim

lol... but w/ flushmounts, don't you think the fairing will suffer even more damage w/o the turn signal stalks to keep the fairing farther from the ground?

That's what I was thinking...

[kkim]

Originally Posted by want1sobad

i know i know, solution - don't drop the bike

ah... you're learning.

[BlueRaven]

note to self "don't drop the bike"

[Raybot]

well I've come out of my apt twice to find my bike lying on its side in the parking lot... first time didnt damage the turn signal or fairing but broke the mirror and bent the handlebar... the second time I found it lying on its left side... bent handlebar, dented gas tank, broken turn signal, and fairing busted up... so I needed new turn signals anyway and I like the way it looks...

[lockie]

While watching a friend take his motorcycle test a couple of weeks ago, two bikes were rejected by a tester because they had flush mounts and he couldn't see the lights flashing at a distance of 50 feet away. He said they weren't legal and told them to come back next week with a different bike.

[ryu hayabusa]

Originally Posted by Raybot

well I've come out of my apt twice to find my bike lying on its side in the parking lot... first time didnt damage the turn signal or fairing but broke the mirror and bent the handlebar... the second time I found it lying on its left side... bent handlebar, dented gas tank, broken turn signal, and fairing busted up... so I needed new turn signals anyway and I like the way it looks...

time to invest in a shotgun.

[SaintJPN]

The world over follows trends. Whatever is the latest cool mod...people will rush out to get it. It's more marketing than anything. I think it will look better to mod the original into LED's. A lot of guys out here have the flush mounts but if you're driving towards the motorcycle with flush mounts you can't see the signal in the daylight and barely can see it in the dark no matter how bright they are because of the direction of the light source.
I'm really big on doing whatever it takes for others to see me cause I hate getting hit by cars. I've got enough green LED's on my bike to make the Close Encounters Mothership jealous. My exhaust is just loud enough to make small children and the elderly automatically drop a load in their diapers but not too loud to enrage the general public. It all adds up to how do you want to look in your coffin, young with roadrash and missing limbs or elderly and whole?

[Ninja Nut]

Because they look COOL...DUH!!!!!!

[ms. bee]

Originally Posted by Snake

Install frame sliders and your fairing will be safer whether you have stock signals or flush mount.

Is there a kit for installing frame sliders on the pre-gen 250's? Or would one have to do a lot of custom cutting and drilling?

-Ms. Bee

[Ninja Nut]

Originally Posted by ms. bee

Is there a kit for installing frame sliders on the pre-gen 250's? Or would one have to do a lot of custom cutting and drilling?

-Ms. Bee

Too much work on the per gen....To me frame sliders are stupid for one if you dump the bike the frame sliders are not going to save the handle bars or other parts much. I had them on my Gixer R.I.P. and they did not do anything when I low sided on a sharp corner with gravel.....With that said, the frame sliders were the only part though left on the Gixer....

[Linuss]

Originally Posted by kkim

I do believe there is a minimum measurement they are suppose to be by Federal law, though no one actually checks that.

Look at the Ninja 650R. It has flush-mount signals stock, not bug-eyes.

I'm sure it's legal.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Linuss

Look at the Ninja 650R. It has flush-mount signals stock, not bug-eyes.

I'm sure it's legal.

do you happen to know what that distance between the signals is on the 650R? Could be that the bike is wider at the front than the 250R and the flush mount on that bike adheres to that minimum distance??

[Cuongism]

From the FMVSS section 108 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards):


At or near the front, at the same
height, symmetrically about the
vertical centerline, and having a
minimum horizontal separation
distance (centerline of lamps) of
16 inches.
Minimum edge to edge
separation distance between a
turn signal lamp and headlamp is 4 inches.

Turn signals also have to be at least 15 inches off the floor. This is the Federal law for turn signals for motorcycles, but not every state actually requires turn signals (ie Hawaii). So manufacturers will produce bikes that adhere to this standard, but the enforcement of it is up to each state.

[kkim]

that's correct. also, in Hawaii, if your bike has turn signals, even though they are not a requirement, they must function. I don't know for sure, but in Hawaii, if the bike has turn signals, I'm pretty sure they have to adhere to that Federal standard.

Also, if you don't have turn signals, you are required to use hand signals as a substitute.

[Timon]

Flush mounts + GSXR mirrors = problem solved.

Functions great, looks better, and adheres to the law.

[Yasko]

Originally Posted by Timon

Flush mounts + GSXR mirrors = problem solved.

Functions great, looks better, and adheres to the law.

photos please...

[ms. bee]

Originally Posted by Yasko

photos please...

+1

[kkim]

learn the search... become the search, grasshoppas.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67675

[Yasko]

Dang that's very good... Good job Kelly...

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by kkim

do you happen to know what that distance between the signals is on the 650R? Could be that the bike is wider at the front than the 250R and the flush mount on that bike adheres to that minimum distance??

Not only is the bike wider, but the flushmounts there are integrated on the front AND sides of the fairings so that they can still be seen by the oncoming lane and those to either side of you.