Are brake light flashers effective?

[paulcbrowne]

My son was following me and noted that my Kisan brake light flasher is so slow (4 sec. flash to solid red) that it's more distracting than helpful. He had just put on a LED taillight on his GS that flashed very rapidly for 1 sec. going solid red. It looked much more attention-getting than my Kisan setup. BTW, I've ordered LED bulbs to replace the incandescent bulbs, but not sure that that will make any difference.

Comments on the effectiveness of these brake light flashers? I'm thinking of just removing the Kisan flasher.

[pdegnan]

Interesting comment from your son. The comments I've received about my lights have always been positive, and I just ordered a set for my new 2006. I would also be interested in knowing where you got your LED's though.

Phil

[Motomadman]

My son was following me and noted that my Kisan brake light flasher is so slow (4 sec. flash to solid red) that it's more distracting than helpful. He had just put on a LED taillight on his GS that flashed very rapidly for 1 sec. going solid red. It looked much more attention-getting than my Kisan setup. BTW, I've ordered LED bulbs to replace the incandescent bulbs, but not sure that that will make any difference.

Comments on the effectiveness of these brake light flashers? I'm thinking of just removing the Kisan flasher.
Forget the LED bulbs. They are a focused light beam pointing straight back. You will not get the light to scatter off the reflector in the tail lite lense. Yor tail lites will only be as big as the diameter of the LED cluster. Fewer square inches of lite transmitted to the cage drivers behind you. My 2 cents.....

[Russ]

"My son was following me and noted that my Kisan brake light flasher is so slow (4 sec. flash to solid red) that it's more distracting than helpful."

What ever word your son chose to discribe your Kisan brakelight flashing, he DID notice it.

regards

[gulfxray]

Well, I wouldn't give up on LEDs entirely - here is a link to a post on the old site with some information DaveDragon posted on some Tower LEDs -- http://www.bmwlt.net/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=K1200LT&Number=255628&Search=true&Forum=All_Forums&Words=tower%20led&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=99999&Old=allposts&Main=255350

Here is another link in the same thread to some videos Dave shot -- http://www.bmwlt.net/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=K1200LT&Number=258341&page=&view=&sb=&o=

I'ld say they show pretty well!

I agree with Craig - the 'regular' LEDs don't show up well the farther off to the side you get...

[cfell]

What's the cost and price list?

[gulfxray]

Check here... http://autolumination.com/1156_1157.htm

[cyclecamper]

My son was following me and noted that my Kisan brake light flasher is so slow (4 sec. flash to solid red) that it's more distracting than helpful. He had just put on a LED taillight on his GS that flashed very rapidly for 1 sec. going solid red. It looked much more attention-getting than my Kisan setup. BTW, I've ordered LED bulbs to replace the incandescent bulbs, but not sure that that will make any difference.

Comments on the effectiveness of these brake light flashers? I'm thinking of just removing the Kisan flasher.


I agree with your son. But the flasher units like the back-off are meant to work with incandescent bulbs. If you use LEDs they flash much faster, like the hyperlights add-ons. I converted my taillight to LED and was disapointed in the flasher's rate too.

[messenger13]

Forget the LED bulbs. They are a focused light beam pointing straight back. You will not get the light to scatter off the reflector in the tail lite lense. Yor tail lites will only be as big as the diameter of the LED cluster. Fewer square inches of lite transmitted to the cage drivers behind you. My 2 cents.....
Not only are the "tower LEDs" a better option than regular LEDs, but they have several types of cluster LED 1157/56 replacements that point in all directions. They even have some that SPIN!!! I can't wait to see these at a bike show before finally pulling the trigger on them. It's only a matter of time before we all switch over to some form of LED lights for our tailights and turn signals.

LED = the H.I.D. of taillights. ;)

[gulfxray]

Check out the 32LED "Matrix II LED Bulb" -- http://autolumination.com/1156_1157.htm

I think I may have to get me some of those this fall - they look pretty good! :yeah:

[Dezrae]

My son was following me and noted that my Kisan brake light flasher is so slow (4 sec. flash to solid red) that it's more distracting than helpful. He had just put on a LED taillight on his GS that flashed very rapidly for 1 sec. going solid red. It looked much more attention-getting than my Kisan setup. BTW, I've ordered LED bulbs to replace the incandescent bulbs, but not sure that that will make any difference.

Comments on the effectiveness of these brake light flashers? I'm thinking of just removing the Kisan flasher.

If you remove your Kisan flaser, are you willing to sell it?

[jtalbot]

I installed a LED setup on my wife's F650GS and found it so positive that I installed one on my R1200GS. We both feel much safer now. The cost was $120 each and are manufactured by a Gizmomill in Canada. Check them out at www.gizmomill.com

[jskene]

I have just developed a new type of modulated brake light, called P3 Lights. You can see the details at:

www.P3Lights.com

It's a tail light, brake light and emergency flasher. Very bright, programmable, and flashes very rapidly for maximum conspicuity.

[Rick-L]

I have used the regular 'tower' type LED's and while they're much better than the ones that only fire straight out they pale in comparison to these (http://frickinbrite.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=41_118&products_id=333).
I've tried 'em all and the SMT (surface mount technology) or 'chip' style are the best out there. Same technology as the Luxeon (http://www.luxeon.com/products/)brand but ready to plug & play. Finally an LED with the coverage & output comparable to incandescent.
Been dealing with this supplier (http://www.frickinbrite.com/catalog/) for a while now too and they are good people. They also have an eBay store (http://stores.ebay.com/Velocity-LEDs_New-Products_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZ1QQfsubZ4639403QQftidZ2QQtZkm) which I prefer for convenience. Pricing seems to be the same.

BTW, I'm in no way trying to sell anyone anything. No interest whatsoever in their business, just my opinions & observations.

Oh, and with a brake light modulator there's simply no comparison, LED's are much more noticeable since they are instant on/instant off.

Regular LED's just seem obsolete now. Go for wattage!
I have dozens of assorted regular LED bulbs now collecting dust 'cause I've replaced them all with the SMT's.


Rick "the LED-Freak-Yankee" Liebermann

[vano]

I added the hyperlights to my LT a few weeks ago they work great just around 100$$ install was easy took about 15 min.


VanO