increasing visiblity / making bike wider to cars

nico_yyz

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Joined
Apr 20, 2016
Messages
69
Location
toronto
since getting my 16 ES I've been wanting to make it more visible, especially to oncoming traffic (avoiding that left turning car is high on my list).

So I've installed some handguard mounted Hyperlights (whites http://www.hyperlites.com/hyperwhite.html) to make the bike as large as possible to oncoming traffic. Power draw is minimal and the lights are very visible, even during the day

install was easy. I made some small holes in the hanguards to cleanly run the wires. I also made some mounting brackets to perfectly position the lights (and allow for some movement if needed)

happy with the results
 

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airmed

Active Member
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Jul 8, 2014
Messages
195
Location
Mesquite, Nv
Very nice. I whole heartedly agree with being visible. I run with my driving lights on and often get flashed by oncoming cars. When they do flash, I feel I've succeeded in doing what I aimed to do. I will not turn them off, nor do I care about being an annoyance to others. Motorcycle crashes are typically the result of other drivers failing to see us. Brights be damned. You will see me coming.
 

Cycledude

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Jan 29, 2016
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Rib lake wi
Some friends installed some kind of green lights on the front and wow they really get your attention from very far away !!
 

14s10

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Jul 13, 2016
Messages
61
Looks really good. This is what I just did to increase visibility and have a wider profile.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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patrickg450

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Jun 20, 2012
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2,070
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Memphis TN
I always wanted lights on my mirrors (back or towards the oncoming traffic). I looked for mirrors that flash amber and run white but they were all Cruiser looking and I gave up. Looks good to me,
 

Mtbjay

In love with two-wheeled machines
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
239
Location
Sherwood, Oregon
I chose the PIAA, Yamaha endorsed, plug n play FOG lights for the very same concern. It was/is a night & day difference in conspicuity. I immediately experienced more drivers yielding right-of-way, and far fewer false-starts by them, in those deadly left-turn scenarios at intersections.

I did take care to aim them as high as was practical and still keep the light useful for viewing road imperfections. Their wide-swath beam pattern still proves quite effective today, some 3 years later. Bonus: low power draw, long life, and simple/reliable install. Highly recommended!
 

Ron Earp

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Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Messages
250
Location
Cary NC
Additional lights are important for visibility and I'm adding more. The LED light bar I have is extremely bright, far brighter head on than this picture indicates, but I am going to add two LED "fog" lights on the crash bars for additional visibility, and, I might add those guard lights as the original poster did. Light do save lives.



Do you have any details of how the lights mount/look when they are off, as in close up details? That superwhite website stinks for showing much of the products. I'm interested in their LED brake lights but not interested in a crappy Flash video.

I recently purchased some reflective vinyl that I plan to mount on my panniers. I have a vinyl cutter, I just haven't decided what pattern, image, or icon I plan to cut. I sort of liked the ADV icon, I could map and cut just the triangle and ! ADV part.

 

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
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Mar 7, 2011
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Damascus, MD
I really like the lights on the hand guards. The thing that increases visibility isn't lumens, it's putting more distance between lights. That's why lights on the lower forks are so conspicuous, and your approach is the same philosophy.


On the rear, what I've noticed makes the bike really stand out is something similar. Some of the crotch rockets around and cruisers here have their taillights inside the rear fender or a minimal underflow idea, illuminating the rear wheel and street under the back of the bike. Seen it in both white and red. Again, it's a lot more square inches of light than the stocker.


 

slakdawg

New & improved with Ti hardware (me not the bike)
Joined
Oct 19, 2015
Messages
10
Location
CLT area
Ron Earp said:
Additional lights are important for visibility and I'm adding more. The LED light bar I have is extremely bright, far brighter head on than this picture indicates, but I am going to add two LED "fog" lights on the crash bars for additional visibility, and, I might add those guard lights as the original poster did. Light do save lives.

I recently purchased some reflective vinyl that I plan to mount on my panniers. I have a vinyl cutter, I just haven't decided what pattern, image, or icon I plan to cut. I sort of liked the ADV icon, I could map and cut just the triangle and ! ADV part.
I did just that. And works well. I also added some reflective tape on the outside corners of the panniers and along the pannier rack bar that runs under the plate. I like the idea of more lighting and I really like those hand guard lights.
 

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Carlo

New Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
Messages
25
Location
Colombia
I live in Colombia, gentlemen, and here putting any lights that don't come from the factory on your bike is specifically prohibited and fined by police. Weird, right ?
 
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