Rear Brake Light Modulator
01-31-2008 | 09:16 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 599
From: Eagle, ID.
Rear Brake Light Modulator
Has anyone added a modulator or know of one that works with the stock SH rear brake light?
Seeing this in action on a LEO's patrol bike got me thinking about adding one to my bike for a extra margin of safety.
Seeing this in action on a LEO's patrol bike got me thinking about adding one to my bike for a extra margin of safety.
01-31-2008 | 11:49 AM
#4
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,167
screeching brakes & size matters
Screw modulators, get the least expensive & brightest red LED bars you can find & tie them into you brakelight circuit. I've run modulators and when it comes to the hair on the back of your neck rising before you realize you are hearing screeching tires or get missed by and inch, I've found size matters most. With my NEON license plate surround I still hear screeching tires and brakes but they are 5 car lengths behind me now!
01-31-2008 | 12:12 PM
#5
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Well... Blinking LED's in the tail is even more effective...
The curcuit I build doesn't care weather it's LED's or stock bulbs...
I'll whip together a drawing tomorrow... Here's a little video of it.... http://www.tweety.se/img/PICT0101.mov
You can set the rate of the flashes and the length of time it flashes before going solid on (for when you are at a light) with two small potentiometers
The curcuit I build doesn't care weather it's LED's or stock bulbs...I'll whip together a drawing tomorrow... Here's a little video of it.... http://www.tweety.se/img/PICT0101.mov
You can set the rate of the flashes and the length of time it flashes before going solid on (for when you are at a light) with two small potentiometers
01-31-2008 | 12:13 PM
#6
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 266
From: Portland, OR
I'm not the biggest fan of modulators, when I see them, it almost seems like the bike is just feathering their brakes or has a short even. I know I've been told by others that they thought I had a modulator when all I do is tap them...
Definitely would think to go with the LED bars if it worried me to much, but my LED brake light is plenty good, I think.
Definitely would think to go with the LED bars if it worried me to much, but my LED brake light is plenty good, I think.
01-31-2008 | 12:36 PM
#7
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Even easier... I found the link from where I got the info... complete with radioshack part no's
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/circ/motflash.html
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/circ/motflash.html
01-31-2008 | 01:07 PM
#8
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,167
way too hi tec & trouble..
Even easier... I found the link from where I got the info... complete with radioshack part no's
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/circ/motflash.html
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/circ/motflash.html
01-31-2008 | 01:21 PM
#9
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
To each his own... I have a LED tail light and brake light.. It's really bright as it is... I just built and plugged in the circuit above to get it flashing...
It's damned simple to build and the price of the components is minimal... It's a lot simpler than most modulators that usually have a small IC controlling the flashes... This is "lowtech" with gate-logic ie it only draws power when braking, it works the exact same way, every time...
Oh... BTW the "even easier" wasn't directed at you or your suggestion about LED's... it was in reference to me having to compile the build notes... A lot easier to just paste the link to where I got the info...
It's damned simple to build and the price of the components is minimal... It's a lot simpler than most modulators that usually have a small IC controlling the flashes... This is "lowtech" with gate-logic ie it only draws power when braking, it works the exact same way, every time...
Oh... BTW the "even easier" wasn't directed at you or your suggestion about LED's... it was in reference to me having to compile the build notes... A lot easier to just paste the link to where I got the info...
01-31-2008 | 01:42 PM
#10
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,167
Go Neon
To each his own... I have a LED tail light and brake light.. It's really bright as it is... I just built and plugged in the circuit above to get it flashing...
It's damned simple to build and the price of the components is minimal... It's a lot simpler than most modulators that usually have a small IC controlling the flashes... This is "lowtech" with gate-logic ie it only draws power when braking, it works the exact same way, every time...
Oh... BTW the "even easier" wasn't directed at you or your suggestion about LED's... it was in reference to me having to compile the build notes... A lot easier to just paste the link to where I got the info...
It's damned simple to build and the price of the components is minimal... It's a lot simpler than most modulators that usually have a small IC controlling the flashes... This is "lowtech" with gate-logic ie it only draws power when braking, it works the exact same way, every time...
Oh... BTW the "even easier" wasn't directed at you or your suggestion about LED's... it was in reference to me having to compile the build notes... A lot easier to just paste the link to where I got the info...
01-31-2008 | 01:47 PM
#11
RIP Zy! You will always be in our hearts.
SuperSport
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 569
From: Asheville, NC
01-31-2008 | 01:53 PM
#12
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Well... yeah, but the point of neon is to look silly... The point of a flashing brakelight is to draw attention to the fact that I just hit the brakes...
Whatever... I gave the info, you do with it what you want... I'm happy with what I got...
Whatever... I gave the info, you do with it what you want... I'm happy with what I got...
01-31-2008 | 01:59 PM
#13
RIP Zy! You will always be in our hearts.
SuperSport
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 569
From: Asheville, NC
Neons may be thought to be silly to some...but I know for a fact that they get me seen at night. I'm not one of those people that puts neon on my bike because I think it looks good...I did it because I've almost been hit way too many times. I wired up a bunch of LEDs and to this day, I haven't had a problem...if anything cars all around you slow down to check you out...so I see it as I'm providing less speeding cars out there 
I'm not trying to bash modulators though. My dad has a modulator on his BMW and loves it. They work and get you noticed.
I'm not trying to bash modulators though. My dad has a modulator on his BMW and loves it. They work and get you noticed.
01-31-2008 | 02:08 PM
#14
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Well... quite frankly blinking brakelights look kinda silly too... But I'm not the one looking at it...
And I definetly understand the being seen part... And being heard...
Everything that makes the half-asleep cagers sit up and take notice is a good thing...
But I still think neon looks silly...
But I'm not the one looking at it...And I definetly understand the being seen part...
And being heard...Everything that makes the half-asleep cagers sit up and take notice is a good thing...
But I still think neon looks silly...
01-31-2008 | 03:07 PM
#15
Administrator
World Champion
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 105,287
From: Fulton, MO
www.hyperlites.com
This is about as simple as it gets and easy to install. I've got the 3-way which doubles as turn signals.
This is about as simple as it gets and easy to install. I've got the 3-way which doubles as turn signals.
01-31-2008 | 04:29 PM
#18
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 599
From: Eagle, ID.
Tweety-
Have any information on etching boards or using stripboards? This is all new, but I am game. The link to the list of materials and schematic seem fairly straight-forward, but creating a circuit board is different.
Have any information on etching boards or using stripboards? This is all new, but I am game. The link to the list of materials and schematic seem fairly straight-forward, but creating a circuit board is different.
01-31-2008 | 05:07 PM
#19
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Well, I can get you all the info on making a board, but it takes some chemicals and some tools...
Might be easier to start of with stripboards... I you want I can probably do a stripboard layout for you...
Might be easier to start of with stripboards... I you want I can probably do a stripboard layout for you...
02-02-2008 | 02:51 PM
#23
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
Hum... 2?
If you pay me the price of stamps I'll sneak down to the lab at work and have the little itty bitty machine there run a few...
As far as I know all components are the same as on the list, might be a slight diffence on the potentiometers... But that shouldn't really be a problem...
If you pay me the price of stamps I'll sneak down to the lab at work and have the little itty bitty machine there run a few...
As far as I know all components are the same as on the list, might be a slight diffence on the potentiometers... But that shouldn't really be a problem...
02-04-2008 | 04:06 AM
#25
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
07-15-2011 | 07:58 PM
#29
Light Cycle Expert
Back Marker
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 194
From: Tampa, Florida
Thanks a lot Tweety. I appreciate it. I have another question for you that's off topic a bit. If you've seen the newer motorcycles a lot of them have a shift light on the dash. Have you or can you come up with a way to use the low fuel LED to do this? Thanks is advance.
