Coloured lights on front of bike | GTAMotorcycle.com

Coloured lights on front of bike

nobbie48

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Looking making the bike more visible and was wondering what colour lights could be shown (If any) at the front of a bike. Emergency vehicle ones are pretty much a no no. Modulating headlight is one option but I have some other concerns with them.

Anything legal? Flashing?
 
Steady white is OK but not more than 4 white light sources above a certain brightness (headlights, fog lights) are allowed to be on at the same time.
Steady amber is not a problem.
Red is not allowed to be facing forward.
Anything else that isn't flashing is ill-defined.

I'd stick with steady white or steady amber.

There are some LED units out there which operate LEDs in pulse-width-modulation mode very close to the threshold of perception of the flashing. If you look straight at it, it isn't perceived to be flashing, but if the light source is moving across your field of vision or is in your peripheral vision, your eye detects "something isn't right". I saw an oncoming motorcycle with two of these lights installed today.
 
Check out Photon Blasters by Skene Designs. I bought mine at Motorcycle Innovations. They are modulating amber LEDs mounted on the lower forks. I've had them for many years and I find them highly effective.
Looking making the bike more visible and was wondering what colour lights could be shown (If any) at the front of a bike. Emergency vehicle ones are pretty much a no no. Modulating headlight is one option but I have some other concerns with them.

Anything legal? Flashing?
 
Rethink the commonly used idea of symmetry. The lack of symmetry is unique and will look "odd" to other drivers, which is exactly what you want: to be noticed over the general visual noise of regular life. We need to stand out, to be subconsciously noticed, to slightly annoy the subconsciousness of other drivers, for them to see us.

http://dontai.com/wp/2015/06/15/motorcycle-headlight-configuration-conspicuity/

and try mixing in amber lights into the randomness.
 
As far as I know you cannot have any modulating lights. I wanted to do something like this for when I sound the horn but was warned against it:
[video=youtube;zjf0ytJ-T7s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjf0ytJ-T7s[/video]
 
As far as I know you cannot have any modulating lights. I wanted to do something like this for when I sound the horn but was warned against it:
[video=youtube;zjf0ytJ-T7s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjf0ytJ-T7s[/video]

Modulating headlights are specifically allowed on motorcycles (with a decently defined set of rules on their operation). Flashing lights are prohibited.

It looks like you could wire a modulator into your horn circuit without running afoul of the law (assuming it met all of the technical requirements).

Obviously, that bike as shown fails for other reasons (at least 6 bright lights). Hopefully the quantity of lights gets removed the next time the standard gets revised, that was always a stupid metric. It would make much more sense to provide a maximum light intensity and let people figure out the best way to achieve it. Are they considering the 6' wide LED bars as a single light or 150 lights? In either case, they are horrendous and shouldn't be turned on on a public road.

Technical Standards Document No. 108, Revision 4 — Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment
See this link: Section S7.9 Motorcycles
Effective Date: June 9, 2007
Mandatory Compliance Date: December 9, 2007

S7.9.4 Motorcycle headlamp modulation system
S7.9.4.1 A headlamp on a motorcycle may be wired to modulate either the upper beam or the lower beam from its maximum intensity to a lesser intensity, provided that:
(a) The rate of modulation shall be 240 ± 40 cycles per minute.
(b) The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of each cycle.
(c) The lowest intensity at any test point shall be not less than 17 percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.
(d) The modulator switch shall be wired in the power lead of the beam filament being modulated and not in the ground side of the circuit.
(e) Means shall be provided so that both the lower beam and upper beam remain operable in the event of a modulator failure.
(f) The system shall include a sensor mounted with the axis of its sensing element perpendicular to a horizontal plane. Headlamp modulation shall cease whenever the level of light emitted by a tungsten filament light operating at 3000 degrees Kelvin is either less than 270 lux (25 foot-candles) of direct light for upward pointing sensors or less than 60 lux (5.6 foot-candles) of reflected light for downward pointing sensors. The light is measured by a silicon cell type light meter that is located at the sensor and pointing in the same direction as the sensor. A Kodak Gray Card (Kodak R-27) is placed at ground level to simulate the road surface in testing downward pointing sensors.
(g) When tested in accordance with the test profile shown in Figure 9, the voltage drop across the modulator when the lamp is on at all test conditions for 12 volt systems and 6 volt systems shall not be greater than 0.45 volt. The modulator shall meet all the provisions of this TSD the standard after completion of the test profile shown in Figure 9.
(h) Means shall be provided so that both the lower and upper beam function at design voltage when the headlamp control switch is in either the lower or upper beam position when the modulator is off.
 
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I'd stick with steady white or steady amber.

Personal observation only, but steady amber seems very noticeable, regardless of vehicle. The old ZX6E had steady amber signal lights when not signalling. Never had a SMIDSY moment on that bike and I didn't ride with the high beam on either. Still amazed it isn't standard on most bikes--the signal lights are right there.
 
the signal lights are right there.

And reasonably far apart which helps people perceive your distance and speed. Really no downside but manufacturers are dumb. I still don't understand why some think it is a good idea to have the dash lights on in cars without the exterior lights on, they should be liable for that horrendous decision, there is no upside to it.
 
My 1500 Goldwing has about as much frontal area as one can get on a bike but I've had to dodge a couple of head-ons recently.

My wife noted that my bike was grey and so is asphalt. It doesn't jump out at you due to lack of contrast. Going to a hi-vis paint job wouldn't change much from the front unless I painted the windscreen chrome and tire.

The wrong level and colour of light can make things worse due to Yehudi effect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehudi_lights

The ultimate would be a forward projected 3D hologram of an Abrams Tank.
 
Skene Lights Photon Blasters on my Ducati Scrambler in broad daylight.
9cec167691e3a6da750d13716e488969.jpg


Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
 
Make it look like a train.


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White, Amber, and Blue are the only legal colours for forward facing lights. I don't get the blue honestly as it seems like a weird colour, and here in Ontario it's associated mostly with snow removal equipment (when flashing), but it is what it is.

And as mentioned, headlight modulation is legal here but it's specified that the lights cannot be "alternating" in such a fashion that people would mistake them for an emergency vehicle, so if you have (for example) 2 secondary lights below your headlights (as a lot of cruisers have) they can *not* alternate back and forth. The best setup that attracts the lowest heat score is simply modulating your high beam on your primary headlight - I installed a modulator myself on my wife's last bike for $15 in parts - a flasher and a toggle to turn it on/off. It really is dead simple, I'm not sure why people pay a fortune for aftermarket kits that are basically just that.
 
White on the front, red on the back, amber for turn signals and reflectors - you can't go wrong.
 
In Ontario a combination of red and blue is now reserved for emergency vehicles (police, fire and ambulance).
Blue only is reserved for MOT vehicles like snow plows.
Amber is unregulated, but you run the danger of some idiot thinking its a turn signal.
I would stick with white.
 
Blue only is reserved for MOT vehicles like snow plows.
Amber is unregulated, but you run the danger of some idiot thinking its a turn signal.
I would stick with white.

A "combination" of red and blue forward facing is not allowed as it's restricted to law enforcement.

Red forward facing is not allowed as it's legally only for rearward. Forward facing is again restricted to law enforcement.

Single blue forward facing lights (NOT flashing) are allowed, but blue headlights are not. Headlight regs specifically state they must emit a "white light".

Amber IS regulated to only forward facing, side marker, or rear signals only. Amber rear facing tail lights are not allowed as they can be mistaken for the front or side of a vehicle in low vis conditions.

I can dig up the CMVSS regs on all these if you want. IIRC Blue forward facing is a reasonably new allowance and may only be specific to Ontario, but a good example of it's use is on the TTC where it indicates the bus is wheelchair/mobility capable.

ttc-7513-300-pearson-20160110.jpg


There have been court cases where people have been charged for having blue facing forward lights - the scale houses (commercial truck inspection stations) took a while to get with the program and were ticketing trucks for using them initially, but the charges were thrown out and they know better now.
 
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I was afraid my comment was outdated as they keep changing the regulations.
I thought the blue lights on the TTC indicated a night bus (the vomit comet).
Are they now for disabled as well?
 
You're allowed to have green turn signals. Not sure why, I think it goes back to the old BSA days.
 
I thought the blue lights on the TTC indicated a night bus (the vomit comet).
Pretty sure they're always on. That's how I spot a bus coming from down the road... look for the blue lights above all the other vehicles.
 
And reasonably far apart which helps people perceive your distance and speed. Really no downside but manufacturers are dumb. I still don't understand why some think it is a good idea to have the dash lights on in cars without the exterior lights on, they should be liable for that horrendous decision, there is no upside to it.

Heh, reminds me of my dad's monster Caprice ages ago. First night drive. Couldn't figure out why people were honking at me. I was driving sensibly, the dash lights were on, what gives? Pulled into the driveway later and the garage door didn't reflect the headlights. D'oh! Stupid dash-mounted switch off to lower left, instead of on the turn-signal stalk.

I like those lights, Doctor T. A good solution instead of those "adventure" lights.
 

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