Brake light flasher

[vardoggs]

Hello everyone - Just purchased a 2013 r1200gs. Love the bike. I am trying, at my wife's request to add a brake light flasher to the tail lights. It is more visible. I included a picture of the flasher and the installation should be the simplest on the planet - two wires in and two wires out. I have the brown wire that goes to the white light for the plate untouched. I am using the only two left at the tail light. It will not flash - I have tried 3 different flashers - I have installed each in every conceivable combination and it will not flash when the brake lever is pulled. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Vardoggs

[dirtrider]

20 hours ago, vardoggs said:

Hello everyone - Just purchased a 2013 r1200gs. Love the bike. I am trying, at my wife's request to add a brake light flasher to the tail lights. It is more visible. I included a picture of the flasher and the installation should be the simplest on the planet - two wires in and two wires out. I have the brown wire that goes to the white light for the plate untouched. I am using the only two left at the tail light. It will not flash - I have tried 3 different flashers - I have installed each in every conceivable combination and it will not flash when the brake lever is pulled. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Vardoggs

Afternoon  vardoggs

 

It might not ever work as your tail & brake light are pulse width controlled so the pulse width modulation might be confusing the strobe controller.

 

The (-V)  wire on your strobe controller would need to hook to the brown wire but unless that strobe controller is designed to work with a pulse modulated tail/brake light it might never work as intended.

 

My first suggestion is to call the strobe controller manufacture (helpline if possible) then ask them if it will work with a pulse width modulated tail/brake light. 

[Paul4450]

Good day vardoggs,

IF you cannot get your unit to work, there are several other options, including Clearwater Billie brake light and Skene brake light packages. These options also have decelerometers which will flash the brake lights even without activating a brake lever or brake pedal. 
 

Hopefully, you can get your unit working!

[BamaJohn]

+1 on Billie Brake Light

[vardoggs]

Thanks everyone! This seems to make sense. I'm going to check out the Billie Brake Light.

 

Vardoggs

[Rob Nowell]

Doesn't the Denali CAN + Denali lights work, as well?

[Paul De]

Also should consider the Hex EZcan.  Plug and play connects to CANbus and adds four accessory circuits that are customizable for current and time to shut down. One circuit has the ability to be assigned as a strobing accessory brake light that works with the bikes accelerometer.  One feature I like is when you hit the horn it strobes the circuit you assigned to driving lights.  If you use two circuits for driving lights, you can have it cut the driving light on the side when the turn signal is activated.  Very flexible controller and doesn’t lock you into any brand of accessory.  Nicely  priced unit for what it does as well.

[Skywagon]

Hyperlights work great. I’ve been using them since 2001

[bimmers]

Sky wagon, how do you connect the hyper lights on a 2021 1250RT? I assume it is the same as the models since 2019.

I have had these lights on two hexhead RTs and now bought the set for this new bike. I removed the seat and concluded it is harder to do than on the previous ones. I did not remove any other parts yet to get to see the wires coming from the LED brake and rear lights. 
somthe question really is whether the wires will be clearly available to splice into and of course if the hypers work at all on this bike without throwing error signals. 
 

hesitant to move on with this.

 

h

[Skywagon]

I am not sure from memory, but they come with good directions.  Send them an email or call them and they will tell you if they fit that bike and how to do it.  I have them on my 1200RT LC.  

[bimmers]

Thx, will call them.

h

[strataj]

20 hours ago, Skywagon said:

Hyperlights work great. I’ve been using them since 2001

I'm with Skywagon, got them in 2001 for my 02R1150RT then later for my 05DL650 (Wee Strom, still have her) . They are great, you can have them either flash when you first apply the brakes or continue until you release. 

[Hosstage]

Be aware that flashing lights on non emergency vehicles is illegal. A brake light that flashes once or twice before staying illuminated may or may not be illegal, depending on state law, but generally allowed. A constantly flashing brake light is not.

And if I were behind one at night, or even daylight, stopped for any length of time with that thing flashing in my face, I would find it highly annoying.

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, Hosstage said:

Be aware that flashing lights on non emergency vehicles is illegal. A brake light that flashes once or twice before staying illuminated may or may not be illegal, depending on state law, but generally allowed. A constantly flashing brake light is not.

And if I were behind one at night, or even daylight, stopped for any length of time with that thing flashing in my face, I would find it highly annoying.

Morning Hosstage

 

That's not entirely true as headlight modulators (headlight flashers) ON MOTORCYCLES  have been deemed legal in every state. They do need to meet certain flashing requirements like time on vs time off & voltage drop during the flashing, plus must have an automatic means to remain totally on during darkness.   

 

You are correct in that some states can have different laws on brake light flashing. Most do allow a 3 to 5 flash (and/or something like 5 second flash period)  before they need to remain on. In fact my state's old published  motorcycle  riding guide mentioned that it is advisable to flash your motorcycle brake lights a number of times when stopping to be more visible to automobiles (this was before modern brake light flasher modules). 

 

I do know of one rider (friend of mine) that got ticketed in (I think W. VA or Fl, not sure which) for having flashing rear rear lights (Skene setup) but he had them set to flash continually.   

[Hosstage]

1 hour ago, dirtrider said:

Morning Hosstage

 

That's not entirely true as headlight modulators (headlight flashers) ON MOTORCYCLES  have been deemed legal in every state. They do need to meet certain flashing requirements like time on vs time off & voltage drop during the flashing, plus must have an automatic means to remain totally on during darkness.   

 

You are correct in that some states can have different laws on brake light flashing. Most do allow a 3 to 5 flash (and/or something like 5 second flash period)  before they need to remain on. In fact my state's old published  motorcycle  riding guide mentioned that it is advisable to flash your motorcycle brake lights a number of times when stopping to be more visible to automobiles (this was before modern brake light flasher modules). 

 

I do know of one rider (friend of mine) that got ticketed in (I think W. VA or Fl, not sure which) for having flashing rear rear lights (Skene setup) but he had them set to flash continually.   

Good points. Even so, I find modulated headlights annoying too...

[Skywagon]

I had a modulating headlight on my 1979 R100RT. It definitely increased other awareness of me to the point people would slow down and move over sometimes. I only used it when I felt like I was in high risk of left turners

Flashing rear. Mine flash a few times then go solid. When stopped if I see somebody in my mirror approaching fast, I release the brake and reapply a few times to make myself more visible. I ride with a local LEO friend sometimes and he’s never mentioned it as an issue. Not sure if legal or not but been using them since about 2000 across many states and never been stopped

 

i would probably do a modulating headlight if these bulbs weren’t so sensitive to cycles

[TSConver]

4 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

I had a modulating headlight on my 1979 R100RT. It definitely increased other awareness of me to the point people would slow down and move over sometimes. I only used it when I felt like I was in high risk of left turners

Flashing rear. Mine flash a few times then go solid. When stopped if I see somebody in my mirror approaching fast, I release the brake and reapply a few times to make myself more visible. I ride with a local LEO friend sometimes and he’s never mentioned it as an issue. Not sure if legal or not but been using them since about 2000 across many states and never been stopped

 

i would probably do a modulating headlight if these bulbs weren’t so sensitive to cycles

 

A good modulator does not cycle the bulb it just reduces power so that it dims but never actually goes out.

[dirtrider]

41 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

 

 

i would probably do a modulating headlight if these bulbs weren’t so sensitive to cycles

Afternoon David

 

A legal headlight modulator has to meet a specific set of rules so that includes a higher percentage of time on to time at reduced power plus there is also a spec that the voltage can only be reduced by a certain amount between full-on & dim. 

 

My guess is it really wouldn't be hard on the headlight bulbs but could cause your bulb-out monitor to put the bulb out dash light on.  You could add a resistor across the modulator IN side to compensate but that might then cause a light system overload when the light comes on full power at night. 

 

Plus some headlight modulators modulate the high beam & that would be not be legal on bikes with separate high beams as that would give a side to center or wigwag effect & that is not legal.  (a wigwag can definitely get you a ticket)

 

With enough thought & work you could make it work (or possibly they even make a modulation system for the newer motorcycles with light-out monitoring). 

[TSConver]

39 minutes ago, dirtrider said:

Afternoon David

 

A legal headlight modulator has to meet a specific set of rules so that includes a higher percentage of time on to time at reduced power plus there is also a spec that the voltage can only be reduced by a certain amount between full-on & dim. 

 

My guess is it really wouldn't be hard on the headlight bulbs but could cause your bulb-out monitor to put the bulb out dash light on.  You could add a resistor across the modulator IN side to compensate but that might then cause a light system overload when the light comes on full power at night. 

 

Plus some headlight modulators modulate the high beam & that would be not be legal on bikes with separate high beams as that would give a side to center or wigwag effect & that is not legal.  (a wigwag can definitely get you a ticket)

 

With enough thought & work you could make it work (or possibly they even make a modulation system for the newer motorcycles with light-out monitoring). 

 

 

The modulator I have on my ZRX allows you to turn it off, modulate the low beam or modulate the high beam.  Also flash the light on a horn sound and has a photodiode to detect when it is dark.

[Skywagon]

TSCover...do you recall which one your have?

[LAF]

A Hex ezCAN and a Bille Brake light is a great set up. 

If you just want to have rear brake lights then Hyper light is your way.  You can get them with turn signals also and that is a good thing having extra turn signals flashing and extra brake lights.

 

If you going to use spot light or running lights ezCAN, if your just want flashing Hyper for sure.

 

Hyper Lights

 

For 98.95 you got turn signals and brake light all in one kit.

[bimmers]

Connection instructions for Hyper_Lites are not in accordance with wiring in 2021 RT. Still trying to figure out how to connect them. also put in other post today with details.

 

h

[adecood]

I just installed the AmpLink controller on my bike. I tried the EZ-Can system and after 2 failed units I went with the AmpLink controller. It seams the be working for me on my 2019 R1250RT. Attached is a sketch I made on how I wired the lights to the bike. As you can see on my sketch, I tapped into the brake light wire from the big round plug under the rear seat for the trunk wiring. 

Hope this helps you too.

[Toronto99]

Hi Adecood, I have an Amplink and was planning to install it to my 2018 RT, for your switched trigger did you use the yellow wire from the aux power socket? I am wondering if I am reading your diagram correctly. thanks in advance and thank you for posting your diagram

[Motorhead1977]

I added a set of hyperlites to my 2020 R1250RS without needing to attach via my ezCAN. It was a pretty simple and straightforward install using the diagram provided by hyperlites once I figured out how to open the rear body work/tail section to gain access to the turn signal wiring. Function perfectly with no warning lights or codes being thrown.