Vehicle escort. 

Side jobs. 

Quote from: indywar360 on October 26, 2006, 11:50:31 PM
How does being an escort work with the whole law enforcement thing?

BWAAA HA HA HA HAAAA.... 

I think this is a great idea. my new C50 has a big ass lightbar, and i have definatly noticed a marked decrease in crazy people trying to hit me with their cars.

It does make a difference, especially at night.

But remember, if sombody sees you, your lucky. Even with auxilliarly lighting, assume you are invisible, and ride accordingly. No amount of extra light (and my new bike has TONS of extra light) will stop a retarded soccer mom on a cell phone from running into you.

Quote from: pantablo on October 25, 2006, 11:33:43 PM
thats called a headlight modulator. quite annoying to others. I hate them.
I think their legality in your particular state could be an issue.

+1  Those thing's had actually cause an nasty accident on a back country road here not to long ago when an older woman while approaching two motorcycles in the opposite direction with these type's of head lights. She was pulling off the road to the side thinking an emergency vehicle was coming toward her and the person directly behind her began to stop then staying in the road, well the next one back was an SUV that swerved off the road, slid on dirt and hit the lady so hard she spun back onto the road and across too the other side just in front of the motorcycles, and the SUV had flipped over rolling 1-1/2 times ending up in the tree line.  It was really all down to people following way too close for the speeds they were traveling, but I also believe that those head lights operating in the same fashion as an emergency vehicle had played a part.

Quote from: Yankee Punker on October 27, 2006, 04:03:26 PM

Quote from: pantablo on October 25, 2006, 11:33:43 PM
thats called a headlight modulator. quite annoying to others. I hate them.
I think their legality in your particular state could be an issue.

+1  Those thing's had actually cause an nasty accident on a back country road here not to long ago when an older woman while approaching two motorcycles in the opposite direction with these type's of head lights. She was pulling off the road to the side thinking an emergency vehicle was coming toward her and the person directly behind her began to stop then staying in the road, well the next one back was an SUV that swerved off the road, slid on dirt and hit the lady so hard she spun back onto the road and across too the other side just in front of the motorcycles, and the SUV had flipped over rolling 1-1/2 times ending up in the tree line.  It was really all down to people following way too close for the speeds they were traveling, but I also believe that those head lights operating in the same fashion as an emergency vehicle had played a part.

blame it on the damn motorcycles

Quote from: Yankee Punker on October 27, 2006, 04:03:26 PMIt was really all down to people following way too close for the speeds they were traveling, but I also believe that those head lights operating in the same fashion as an emergency vehicle had played a part.

By the sounds of it, those riders may have been running homebrew modulators (or had malfunctioning lights). Proper headlight modulators alternate the higbeam voltage very quickly and by a fairly small amount. The end result allows the headlight to "sparkle" in comparison to other lights on the road. That being said, they are still highbeams, so some judgement is required in using them (in slow rush hour traffic, they wont accomplish much but annoying the driver in front of you). They function best in brisk, crowded city traffic conditions, where the combonation of pedestrians, bicycles, construction, intersections and driveways make it difficult for motorists to spot everything immediately.   

Modulators 

Here is why; did you know that cops are frequently hit and have more close calls on the side of the road than civilians who park on the side of the road w/out flashers?

It's called target fixation, those flashing lights get peoples attention and just like it works on a bike the same is true in a car you will veer to where you are lloking this phenomena is not exclusive to bikes.

I have seen these modulators on the bikes coming the opposite direction, and yeah they get your attention, they get it so well it's just like red and blues, it's hard to look away this is not a good thing people, too much attention is just as bad as not enough on the part of cagers. It's especially annoying when setting up for a tight turn in the twisties.

So if you get one just be warned you may become an accident caused by target fixation and not your target fixation.

If you decide to add the side marker lights, be aware that you will be taxing an already marginal electrical system. 

Quote from: Egaeus on October 28, 2006, 09:06:01 PM
If you decide to add the side marker lights, be aware that you will be taxing an already marginal electrical system. 

If you were refering to the ones I used, they are led and use only .5 amp for each module for a total of 2 amps. (at full brightness.) How much does one standard turn signal bulb use?

Jim

Quote from: Toledo Jim on October 28, 2006, 10:42:54 PM

Quote from: Egaeus on October 28, 2006, 09:06:01 PM
If you decide to add the side marker lights, be aware that you will be taxing an already marginal electrical system. 

If you were refering to the ones I used, they are led and use only .5 amp for each module for a total of 2 amps. (at full brightness.) How much does one standard turn signal bulb use?

Jim

I'm talking about the 1156 to 1157 conversion.  The 1156 draws 2.1 A intermittently.  You're going to be drawing about 330 mA continuously with the 1157 (16 W for 4 lamps).  It also draws 2.1 A total when the turn signal is activated.

Quote from: Egaeus on October 29, 2006, 06:14:40 AM

Quote from: Toledo Jim on October 28, 2006, 10:42:54 PM

Quote from: Egaeus on October 28, 2006, 09:06:01 PM
If you decide to add the side marker lights, be aware that you will be taxing an already marginal electrical system. 

If you were refering to the ones I used, they are led and use only .5 amp for each module for a total of 2 amps. (at full brightness.) How much does one standard turn signal bulb use?

Jim

I'm talking about the 1156 to 1157 conversion.  The 1156 draws 2.1 A intermittently.  You're going to be drawing about 330 mA continuously with the 1157 (16 W for 4 lamps).  It also draws 2.1 A total when the turn signal is activated.

Okay, thats 2.1 amp per bulb for the 1156 & 1157 right? So I'm good with what I got then, .5 amp each = 2 amp for all 4 at full intensity?

Jim

Quote from: Toledo Jim on October 29, 2006, 11:04:05 AM

Quote from: Egaeus on October 29, 2006, 06:14:40 AM

Quote from: Toledo Jim on October 28, 2006, 10:42:54 PM

Quote from: Egaeus on October 28, 2006, 09:06:01 PM
If you decide to add the side marker lights, be aware that you will be taxing an already marginal electrical system. 

If you were refering to the ones I used, they are led and use only .5 amp for each module for a total of 2 amps. (at full brightness.) How much does one standard turn signal bulb use?

Jim

I'm talking about the 1156 to 1157 conversion.  The 1156 draws 2.1 A intermittently.  You're going to be drawing about 330 mA continuously with the 1157 (16 W for 4 lamps).  It also draws 2.1 A total when the turn signal is activated.

Okay, thats 2.1 amp per bulb for the 1156 & 1157 right? So I'm good with what I got then, .5 amp each = 2 amp for all 4 at full intensity?

Jim

Yes, it's per bulb.  You should be fine.

 

The target fixation thing is real, I've seen cars drift toward me in their lane as they see me, then correct back after they notice themselves doing it. yeesh.

I think the term came from pilots doing ground attacks and finding themselves following the target into the ground, it was used in WW2.