March 6th, 2014, 11:51 PM | #1 |
Fresh Deli Meat
Name: Kevin
Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Join Date: Feb 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2009 250R Ninja -Neener- Posts: 678
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Why not? It's safer isn't it?
Not sure if this one will start a fire but I'll add gasoline if it does
I'm interested in knowing why noone finds LED Auxilary lights a bonus. Here in PA, they are legal and the law even states that they protect the driver. """"§ 4310. Motorcycle lighting. Auxiliary lighting may be added to a motorcycle to protect the driver, including blue dot illumination, standard bulb running lights and lightemitting diode (LED) pods and strips. (June 29, 2006, P.L.205, No.50, eff. 60 days)"""" I know they are for tools and squids and we ride invisible anyway, but seriously, pick a color you dont see on the streets and get peoples attention. No? Help me out here. There is so much hate on them. Is it just a bad rep by association of who likes them? I would assume that anything to increase visibility increases safety. Additionally, I read somewhere on here that night time riding is more dangerous because we have one headlight, which makes it harder to judge our speed. Light the whole bike up like the 4th of july for less than 100 bucks and let people know where you are. I'm not talking about the kits that you can turn on 1000 feet from the bike or that have "5 strobe and 27 breathing functions while flashing 8 different colors". I don't mean the 4000 LED 200watt spotlight and lighthouse sets either lol. Just a few low power lights to increase visibility. Plus they are simple customizations that stand out in a crowd and look cool Just a personal opinion. Looking for others.
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March 7th, 2014, 07:09 AM | #2 |
dirty boy
Name: Joe
Location: Johnstown, PA
Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): I don't even know anymore?? Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Apr '14
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my opinion on lights and what not.
Keep it simple and normal. Anything else is just confusing and distracting to other drivers and defeats the purpose. I was following a car the other day that had weird rear taillights and blinkers and I couldn't tell if they were braking or indicating or WTF!? It just pissed me off more than I already was and this was during the day.
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March 7th, 2014, 07:32 AM | #3 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: .
Location: .
Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14
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New Ford Taurus. I can't tell HOW those taillights pass DOT inspection. Those things are SO HARD to tell if they're braking or just running lights.
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March 7th, 2014, 07:37 AM | #4 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
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Don't make it to obnoxious, an you have my blessing. Personally I like them, except the UFO bike, it's a bit disturbing!
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March 7th, 2014, 08:50 AM | #5 |
Certified looney toon
Name: Teri
Location: 39°52'40.7"N 118°23'53.8"W (Northern NV)
Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 102k+ miles -- 2014 CB500X, 42k+ miles Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 16
MOTM Jul '13, Jul '14
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There's a mixed reaction
One one hand a cager will see something unusual and look at it to figure out what it is. One the other hand, the cager is focused on trying to figure out what it is rather than reacting. I'm not a fan of the led glow kits people put on any vehicle, looks silly. BUT i am sporting Tron style wheels from UV LEDs and glow in the dark paint. Eh. I would rather spend my extra power to ensure i can see as well as being seen. I'd like to add driving lights or something like off road style flood lights to cover the dark desert highways.
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March 7th, 2014, 08:57 AM | #6 |
Private Joker
Name: Ben
Location: Towson, MD
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): '99/'01 Ninja 250 "sketchy", '13 Ninja 300 "yoshi", '03 GSXR 600 "merlin" Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Mar '14
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It doesn't look silly to me as it looks like a waste of money, especially the way car guys do it. slammed cars shooting neon light out of the .2inch ground clearance that they have. With bikes it's even worse, just a blur of light. I'm all for aftermarket headlights/tail lights but aux lights just look wrong to me. Granted everyone likes a different cup of tea and it even has the benefit of added safety via visibility for those people who install them so it should definitely be legal.
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March 7th, 2014, 09:11 AM | #7 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Jim
Location: NJ
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 300, KTM EXC610SMR Posts: 913
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You are talking to a guy who pulls off the reflectors as soon as the bike gets home from the dealers!
Every bit helps, I still ride like I'm invisible. Assume nobody can ever see you, cause no matter what you do, they won't! |
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
March 7th, 2014, 09:11 AM | #8 |
#squid
Name: nickypoo
Location: Five Guys
Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): Track dedicated 2008 ZX6R Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Jul '16
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If you like it, go for it. I love bikes with underglow and lighting!
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March 7th, 2014, 10:58 AM | #9 | ||
EX500 full of EX250 parts
Name: Bill
Location: Grand Rapids-ish, MI
Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): '18 Ninja 400 • '09 Ninja 500R (selling) • '98 VFR800 (project) • '85 Vulcan VN700 (sold) Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 1
MOTM - Aug '15
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Quote:
Quote:
One more suggestion is to add lights around the edge of your bike, as opposed to near the centerline. Making it look bigger gives cagers a larger target to see, and makes it easier to judge the speed. You can also try creating a triangle of lights as used on locomotives to help. A number of EX500 guys have taken to mounting Denali-knockoffs on the fender bolts down on the forks. That creates a triangle and gives you some driving lights that turn along with your wheel (something a fairing-mounted light doesn't do). |
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1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
March 7th, 2014, 11:04 AM | #10 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Rebecca
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja 300 w/ ABS, 2014 NC700X, 2008 Ninja 250 (sold), 2002 Ninja 250 (sold) Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Jan '18, Sep '13
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I'm thinking about how much a drunk driver might fixate on flashy lights like that.
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March 7th, 2014, 11:46 AM | #11 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Jeff
Location: Santa Maria, CA
Join Date: Oct 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 White Ninja 300, 2010 Red Ninja 250r (Sold) Posts: 335
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Here's a little study. I just read the abstract. Should be an interesting read when I have some time to read all 60ish pages.
Motorcycle Conspicuity and the Effect of Auxiliary Forward Lighting, NHTSA, Nov 2011, PDF, 1.71MB From the abstract it seems like having low mounted auxiliary lamps, or a high beam modulator, reduced the probability of somebody making a left turn in front of the rider at the last second. Having both low and high mounted auxiliary lamps running at the same time increased the amount of time the left turner would stare at the motorcycle. I saw an adventure bike yesterday with 7 forward facing headlight strength lights. One was the main headlight, and it had 6 aux lamps (3 on either side of the front wheel, all mounted below headlight level). It was passing me in the fast lane as I was in the slow lane on a 3 lane each way freeway. It definitely got my attention, to the point I caught myself staring in my side view mirror at it and not paying attention to what was going on ahead of me. As the bike with 7 headlights was passing an ambulance that was in the middle lane I saw the ambulance drift towards the motorcycle, then brake and swerve back to the middle of its lane. Don't know if that was target fixation on the part of the ambulance driver or he was thinking about making a lane change and aborted it because he saw the motorcycle due to the 7 headlights. |
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
March 7th, 2014, 01:06 PM | #12 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: .
Location: .
Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14
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March 7th, 2014, 01:15 PM | #13 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
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^
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March 7th, 2014, 01:24 PM | #14 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Jeff
Location: Santa Maria, CA
Join Date: Oct 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 White Ninja 300, 2010 Red Ninja 250r (Sold) Posts: 335
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To get the paper plate off the back of my 300 I had to unbolt the bracket with the 2 side facing red reflectors on the rear of the fender. I was amazed how heavy that bracket was. I put it back on anyway since I don't want to do anything to decrease my conspicuity. I think more weight behind the rear axle will make it easier to do some wheelies also
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March 8th, 2014, 01:01 PM | #15 | |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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Quote:
I put a high beam daytime headlight modulator on my BMW a few years ago and use it occasionally (generally not in heavy urban traffic or on the freeway). I have never (ever) had anyone turn left in front of me while using it. Once, a firetruck coming the other way pulled over when he saw me: I guess the driver couldn't tell it the difference between the 4 hz motorcycle modulation as compared to the 6 hz emergency vehicle modulation. If you don't mind being occasionally obnoxious, the headlight modulator provides outstanding conspiquity for little money and does not tax your charging system. |
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1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
March 8th, 2014, 07:59 PM | #16 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Ryan
Location: OC, CA
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R (Sold), 2007 SV650S Posts: 161
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March 8th, 2014, 08:07 PM | #17 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: .
Location: .
Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14
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March 9th, 2014, 05:13 PM | #18 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Jeff
Location: Santa Maria, CA
Join Date: Oct 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 White Ninja 300, 2010 Red Ninja 250r (Sold) Posts: 335
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Speaking of left turn visibility, before I rode a motorcycle, I rode a bicycle (on the road...I basically considered myself a slow moving motorcycle, as the vehicle code intends). Usually I would cruise around 15-18mph, but with a tailwind I could cruise at 20-25. On one of those days with a nice 30mph or so tailwind I found myself doing about 25 (I was happy to have a tailwind so I was really getting on it in the big gears to see how fast I could go on flat ground), on this street:
EB CA166 JWO Western.jpg I was traveling in the direction of the picture, in between the tire tracks in the right lane, and I saw a full size pickup in the center turn lane waiting to turn left across my path. Just as I thought the truck was waiting for me it quickly started turning into my path. I initiated an emergency stop, hard on the front brake and too hard on the rear because I locked it up. Just then the driver realized he was violating my right of way and slammed on the brakes, parking his pickup truck fully in the left lane and partially in the right lane. I stopped a couple feet short of what would have been a collision with him. I could see in my rear view mirror that traffic was approaching from behind me, so I waved him out of the way to clear the lanes then continued on my way after he pulled into the driveway. I think the driver of the truck thought "it's just a bicycle so it can't be going that fast" and decided to go, then realized I was actually going faster than he thought when it was too late. After that fun time I started wearing a safety vest and added some flashing lights to the front of my bike, seen here:
Link to original page on YouTube. |
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March 9th, 2014, 05:24 PM | #19 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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Headwind really sucks on a bicycle!
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March 9th, 2014, 05:30 PM | #20 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Jeff
Location: Santa Maria, CA
Join Date: Oct 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 White Ninja 300, 2010 Red Ninja 250r (Sold) Posts: 335
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So true. I used to ride west to work on a 2 lane 55mph road with no shoulder. Doing 8mph in the middle of the lane in the little front chain ring into a 30mph gusting to 40mph WNW wind into the setting sun staring at my rear view mirror ready to bail into the ditch if somebody didn't see me was not very fun lol. That's one of those moments where I would think "I wish I had a motorcycle instead of a bicycle" heh.
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March 9th, 2014, 06:25 PM | #21 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Bob
Location: CA
Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
I highly recommend.
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Honda Interceptor VFR800 DLX (2014, 8th gen) Honda CBR500r (2014) - FOR SALE Kawi Ninja 250r (2008) - Restored and passed-down within family, only to be abandoned |
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April 14th, 2014, 05:19 PM | #22 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Bobby
Location: Parker
Join Date: Apr 2014 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250r. Suzuki Ts 185 Posts: 27
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Just hooked my LED lights up the other day. I love them. Deff a head turner at night.
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April 14th, 2014, 05:32 PM | #23 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Bobby
Location: Parker
Join Date: Apr 2014 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250r. Suzuki Ts 185 Posts: 27
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Here it is. Hard to get good pic
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April 14th, 2014, 05:37 PM | #24 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Bob
Location: CA
Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
EDIT: NM, you posted before I refreshed.
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Honda Interceptor VFR800 DLX (2014, 8th gen) Honda CBR500r (2014) - FOR SALE Kawi Ninja 250r (2008) - Restored and passed-down within family, only to be abandoned |
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April 14th, 2014, 05:49 PM | #25 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Bob
Location: CA
Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.
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I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure ground-effect lighting is illegal here in CA.
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Honda Interceptor VFR800 DLX (2014, 8th gen) Honda CBR500r (2014) - FOR SALE Kawi Ninja 250r (2008) - Restored and passed-down within family, only to be abandoned |
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April 14th, 2014, 06:17 PM | #26 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Bobby
Location: Parker
Join Date: Apr 2014 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250r. Suzuki Ts 185 Posts: 27
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They are called RADLITES. Found them on amazon for like 17$ or so.. I like them.
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April 14th, 2014, 06:40 PM | #27 |
motorcycle rider
Name: Bruce
Location: Victoria, BC
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '14 Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom (silver) Posts: A lot.
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I've been thinking of getting one of those neon-yellow hi-viz jackets. I think they do help you get seen - but damn, they are SO ugly.
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'14 Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom (silver) |
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April 14th, 2014, 06:48 PM | #28 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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You live on Vancouver Island! It rains! You'll fit right in with a hi-vis optical yellow cordura jacket. And you'll be visible.
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April 14th, 2014, 06:55 PM | #29 |
motorcycle rider
Name: Bruce
Location: Victoria, BC
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '14 Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom (silver) Posts: A lot.
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I have one of these: http://www.canadasmotorcycle.ca/tekn...er-jacket.html
That's about as hi-viz as I want to get.
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'14 Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom (silver) |
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April 15th, 2014, 04:27 AM | #30 | |
EX500 full of EX250 parts
Name: Bill
Location: Grand Rapids-ish, MI
Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): '18 Ninja 400 • '09 Ninja 500R (selling) • '98 VFR800 (project) • '85 Vulcan VN700 (sold) Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 1
MOTM - Aug '15
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Quote:
I can't guarantee it was the helmet, but shortly after I got it, I had several instances where cars pulled up on sidestreets/driveways, looking like they were going to pull out in front of me. They didn't, and in one case the guy even reversed a bit. Maybe they were just not expecting there to be any traffic and would've seen me when they looked regardless, maybe the helmet actually caught their eye and saved me. I'm not sure if it's exactly the Purkinje effect, but in lower-light conditions (like dusk) it almost seems to glow. I really like that it seems to stand out most when conditions are less than ideal. |
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April 15th, 2014, 12:18 PM | #31 |
Sexy Beast
Name: Mat
Location: Tampa
Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R, 2006 ZX-14, 2012 Ducati Monster Posts: A lot.
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I had white ones on my 250, all they did was illuminate the road in my lane since the tail light was so small.
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April 15th, 2014, 12:44 PM | #32 |
Certified Troublemaker
Name: Teri
Location: Hamilton, NJ
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja 250r "Pikachu", 2017 Ninja 650 "Epona" Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Aug '13, Aug '14, Feb '17
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Mine look similar to this. I wouldnt have gone and put them on myself BUT i love them. I don't realy ride with them on, you realy can't see them in daylight but i would try it at night.
Just don't know what the law in NJ is. I'll have to look it up later. Edit/ Here's a pic of mine.
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