Modulating headlights? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Modulating headlights?

bigpoppa

bigpoppa

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So i was driving up Mississauga rd the other night after picking up the wife from work and i noticed this guy driving behind me with REALLY bright lights, i watched his headlights in the rear view, they were changing intensity, but would also change color slightly, going from white to yellowish and back to white again, i dont know what kind of set up he was running but that got me thinking for when i get the bike and start riding


Has anyone ridden with modulating headlights? Did you find them effective?Are Drivers and cars more aware/cautious around you ? Are you really more visible?

(Iv seen some youtube videos they sort of blink supposedly help with visibility)

Iv read some reviews of experienced riders, as well as professional couriers who swear by them and their effectiveness

And i must admit that guy in my rear view was annoying, but whats annoyance to a stranger when weighed against your life?
 
I thought modulating headlights were illegal here, unless you are an emergency vehicle. Modulating tail lights however were ok in certain circumstances (I have one on my bike).

Also any chance the light was just changing by imperfections in the road? Lots of cars with HIDs look like their headlights are getting dimmer/brighter or changing colour slightly as the car rises and falls a little on its suspension.
 
I feel like being extra cautious mixed with some SMIDSY maneuvering is all that is needed.. I feel like I may have seen a bike or two with those modulators, but it could have been a bad HID install that just vibrates or jiggles slightly..

[video=youtube;RX-5oolJpuU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX-5oolJpuU[/video]
 
Modulating headlights are legal, I've had my on the ST for 8 - 10 years. I use them selectively at intersections or on undivided highways. Just one of the tools I use to be visible and stay alive.

Don't have them on 100% of the time as this can really PO some motorists. I used them this way for the first couple of months and had 2 or 3 very negative responses. Worse as on Airport Road where SUV coming in opposite direction very deliberately pulled into my lane and flashed his lights several times, and then stayed in my lane coming straight at me and moved back into his lane only when I turned the modulation off. Message received, thank you!
 
ReSTored said:
Modulating headlights are legal, I've had my on the ST for 8 - 10 years. I use them selectively at intersections or on undivided highways. Just one of the tools I use to be visible and stay alive.

Don't have them on 100% of the time as this can really PO some motorists. I used them this way for the first couple of months and had 2 or 3 very negative responses. Worse as on Airport Road where SUV coming in opposite direction very deliberately pulled into my lane and flashed his lights several times, and then stayed in my lane coming straight at me and moved back into his lane only when I turned the modulation off. Message received, thank you!
Click to expand...

yikes, was this at night or day?
 
ReSTored said:
Modulating headlights are legal, I've had my on the ST for 8 - 10 years. I use them selectively at intersections or on undivided highways. Just one of the tools I use to be visible and stay alive.

Don't have them on 100% of the time as this can really PO some motorists. I used them this way for the first couple of months and had 2 or 3 very negative responses. Worse as on Airport Road where SUV coming in opposite direction very deliberately pulled into my lane and flashed his lights several times, and then stayed in my lane coming straight at me and moved back into his lane only when I turned the modulation off. Message received, thank you!
Click to expand...

Still not really a fan....if flashing high beams was universally understood as "Hey look at me!" then I'd say they are a good idea...but so many people read the flash as "go ahead". To me, the anti-SMIDSY maneuver is still the best bet for being seen at an intersection or if you think someone might pull out in front of you.
 
I SMIDSY, but I put a DIY modulator on my wifes bike...cost me 99 cents for a variable speed flasher on eBay and about 5 minutes to install it with a toggle switch.

They are legal here. The HTA states that "alternating" flashing lights (IE, left right, left right, like a police car, fire truck, or ambulance) are NOT legal except for emergency vehicles, but a single headlight on a MC modulating is just fine. Even on a car it would be legal, actually as there's no left-right alternation happening.

The opinions on modulators is all over the map, same as oil and loud pipes save lives, so draw your own conclusion. In MY opinion they're a good thing as they put people's eyeballs on a bike that might otherwise get lost in the visual clutter, and anytime someone else's eyes are on the bike you're already ahead of the game.
 
Not a chance i would ever ride with Modulating lights front or rear.

I'll take my roadcraft and awareness of a false impression that those modulators give any day of the week.
 
kiwi said:
yikes, was this at night or day?
Click to expand...

During the day, modulators have a light sensitive switch that turns them off in low light. Yes, very aggressive message, you're pi**** me off, turn off your f***** modulator or else.

Modulator perspectives are like oil threads, everyone has a different opinion and you either like them or you hate them. I don't care what you say, I've used one for quite a while and seen very positive reactions from most drivers. They really make you stand out, in particular if you turn them on about 100 - 150m from an intersection.

If a driver can't tell the difference between a light flashing at 4 - 8 cycles/second vs. a relatively slow "go ahead" high beam flash then they are already brain dead and likely to kill you. I've never once, in 80,000km of riding, had anyone interpret the modulator as a "go ahead" signal.
 
I am gonna go out on a limb here and take a wild guess that it is just some factory OEM HIDs in a projector housing that you saw.

The way you described how it was changing intensity and color tone does not seem like one of those cheap aftermarket set up as those will stay a constant color and it will just be glare everywhere.

A factory setup does change color a little bit depending on the angle the beam is shining towards you. When there's uneven surface on the road that will cause the beam to move, thus it will seem like the lights were changing color and intensity
 
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