Helmet Brake Light

[LBump]

Any reaction to this brake light?

Will it become a standard or, just another gimmick?

I wonder how the Canbus will react. (if it does)

[eddd]

 

Since I never wear a helmet I wonder if I could attach it to my doo rag?

[Guest Kakugo]

Yes, I have had a reaction, but I doubt it's fit to print.

[DiggerJim]

I have something similar I got several years (& helmets) ago. It's wireless not Bluetooth but same effect. It's got a little transmitter box wired into the brake light. I've not had a problem with it affecting the bike on either the 1150 or 1200RT. Mine is a long silicone oval about 8" x 1" with a strip of red LEDs. They're powered by 5 CR2032 flat lithium batteries. In addition to acting as a high-mounted brake light it has a "flash" feature that I can trigger and it will blink instead of just going on when I hit the brakes. I haven't seen it available anywhere so it's an idea some of us bought but most didn't or it already would be the latest thing. This one has the advantage of a rechargeable battery I could do when I'm charging the headset.

 

I've had people stop me at gas stations & traffic lights and ask about it. It definitely gets attention.

[algover]

It's not as "fugly" as I might've expected. Interesting idea.

 

 

[Tri750]

I almost hate to say it, but I kind of like it.

[eddd]

 

Mine has no connection to the bike, but I have a helmet that has LEDs like the one in the in this tread that are either steady or flashing. I've never used the feature on the street, but most of us have seen how well blinking LEDs work on bicycles.

[biometrics]

There is a similar device on eBay. The cost is only $12.99 INCLUDING SHIPPING from China. It is on my watch list now for about a week and I will be ordering one soon. At that price I won't lose much if I don't like it or it doesn't work well. I would post the link but I am posting from my phone and don't know how to copy the link from the eBay app to the browser. You can see the item by searching eBay for "motorcycle wireless helmet brake"

[LBump]

 

I looked on ebay, only to find this listing , then I stopped

looking...

 

Thanks for the information. I'll share it with Sue.

 

[Tri750]

LBump I think the link is broken. I don't see a helmet brake light at all.

Not at all

[eddd]

LBump I think the link is broken. I don't see a helmet brake light at all.

Not at all

 

I concur. All I saw was an ad for bumpers.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

There is a similar device on eBay. The cost is only $12.99 INCLUDING SHIPPING from China.

 

I'm not sure I want to trust a safety-related item that was manufactured in China - especially one that only costs $12.99 shipped.

 

Don't know where the one in LBump's post comes from, but it looks slick. On a black helmet, as it was in that article, it looks almost like it's integrated into the helmet.

[rogera]

only 99.99

 

buy here

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I wonder how the Canbus will react. (if it does)

 

Looked around the web, couldn't find the installation manual for it, so this is speculation.

 

It will depend how the transmitter gets wired up. If it's designed to draw its transmitting power directly from the bike's battery, then it only needs to pull a tiny amount of power from the brake light circuit in order to detect that the brakes are being applied. Something like that should work fine with a CANbus. OTOH, if the transmtter draws its transmitting power from the main brake light wire, the CANbus might not be happy about that.

[dirtrider]

I wonder how the Canbus will react. (if it does)

 

Morning LBump

 

The CanBus could care less about what you wire to the bike. The CanBus is just a Controller Area Network (communication between the bike's computers & modules).

 

On the other hand the ZFE (chassis computer) could have a hissy-fit if the added load of the transmitter disrupts the brake/tail light control.

 

Probably the biggest problem to overcome COULD BE (if) the added transmitter can function on the BMW 1200 pulsed-width-modulated tail light output as the BMW 1200RT used a single wire for both tail & brake light with a pulsed 8 volts or so for tail light & steady system 12-14 volts for brake light.

[Tri750]

This thing is sticking in my craw.

Lately, I've been really on the safety bandwagon. I even bought a headlight modulator. The thing I snickered at for years.

Maybe because since I semi-retired I'm actually riding my bike.

[algover]

..... I even bought a headlight modulator. The thing I snickered at for years. .....

 

I had one of those (headlight modulator) on my previous RT, but ended up not using it. I discovered motorists thought I was a LEO (the way their car headlights blink). I figured I didn't need someone - maybe even a LEO - getting pissed at me thinking I was trying to impersonate a LEO!

[Tri750]

Truthfully, I only use it in foul weather or in what we call heavy traffic.

I can really see it make a difference. In light traffic, I flick to low beam to shut it off.

This year, for the first time in years, I rode rain or shine so it came in handy on rainy low vis days.

I never got any dirty looks or one finger salutes from anyone for using it, but I tell you it sure works as advertised.

[Selden]

That reminds me of a billboard I have seen north of Atlanta: "Implants, half price sale." A woman's photo is on the billboard, which is somewhat ambiguous...

 

On the other hand, when I search Google images for "implants half price sale atlanta" the result isn't ambiguous at all (and is probably NSFW).

 

All things said, I think I would rather stick a blinking red LED to the back of my helmet, saving $130.

[LBump]

LBump I think the link is broken. I don't see a helmet brake light at all.

Not at all

 

I concur. All I saw was an ad for bumpers.

 

bumpers, bumpers, bumpers