Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:57 pm
And - question - have you used a headlight modulator yourself? Are you speaking from personal experience or is this just theory?
Hi deilenberger
Yes I had a modulator on a previous bike. I honestly found that people either fixated on it, or thought I was trying to flash them for some reason. I had friends comment that they found it distracting. These are just my opinions however and many will disagree with them, but to each, his own.
At the risk of sounding pompous, I don't really buy in to the whole idea of needing loud pipes or flashing lights or clown suits to make yourself more visible. While being as visible as possible always helps, riding in a visible manner usually reduces the risk before it becomes a problem. I see too many guys riding blissfully next to transport trucks all too often with there headlight flashing away, essentially, doing nothing. Does it propagate a false sense of security? I think there have probably been many debates about it and that will continue.
Having said that however, I do believe that creating a triangle, ie with running lights or aux lights, in combination with a headlight works better for identifying what you are to oncoming traffic. Much like the laws in some countries that require a third brake light above the trunk. Studies have shown this to be very effective. As I said before, you also keep the benefit after sundown. This is just my opinion and I only put it out there as a view, not so much a debate.
That is a real shame that a signal minder cannot be used on the R1200R. I would have thought that it also uses a simple relay to operate the signals.
