adding a flasher circuit to auxiliary lighting

[woods]

I commute 110 miles in heavy traffic daily and cut through traffic almost constantly.
I plan on adding auxiliary lights to my crash bars this weekend to bring attention to me and started thinking of putting them on a three way switch so that they could either be off, on or flashing.
Has anyone here done this yet?
Any thoughts or experiences?
I will be using these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T62RK1U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Kyle_E]

Good chance its illegal to make those flash in any way. Check the state laws.
US law allows one headlight on a motorcycle to modulate but only one.

 

[2talltoo]

I have seen that on a high vis yellow Goldwing and coming at you from a distance it was quite annoying. That being said I understand your concern on your disability to others when commuting daily.

 

[woods]

The only thing that I found on federal law is the lamp color couldn't be blue or red and I would only use the flasher is during lane splitting.
Thanks for your opinions

 

[dmulk]

Here's what I would do:

Buy a headlight modulator
Wire the aux light's relay harness so it triggers off your high-beam switch
Optionally use a small piece of heat shrink to cover the ambient light sensor on the headlight modulator so it can quickly and simply be disabled

This configuration gives you a lot of options:

1) It allows you to have all three lights modulating
2) It allows you to disable the modulating function during the day by simply sliding the heatshrink cover over the sensor
3) It allows you to use your highbeam and Aux lights as a "flash to pass"
4) It allows you to disable the aux lights all together (assuming your aux relay harness is switched.

You should be able to find a very simple wire diagram for this elsewhere on this forum.

I have mine setup like this with the exception of the headlight modulator (which I can add later without re-wiring anything as it would be in-line)



<D>

 

[woods]

So does it modulate from regular to high beam?
I have spot lights teathered to my high beam circuit so they come on when I turn on my high beams

 

[dmulk]

So does it modulate from regular to high beam?
I have spot lights teathered to my high beam circuit so they come on when I turn on my high beamsView attachment 55687

Correct.
@1:00min mark in this video:

Technically you might be able to use your existing aux lights by adding a modulator in-line.

 

[dmulk]

That said, I'm not sure I would hook it up to the main headlights because that would seem like a lot of wear cycles on the shutter...

 

[Kyle_E]

The only thing that I found on federal law is the lamp color couldn't be blue or red and I would only use the flasher is during lane splitting.
Thanks for your opinions

Brought up federal law to tell you what you could legally do in any state. A single headlight that modulates is legal federally and in every state.

Not opinion as I said its probably illegal in CA to add a flasher. Looked it up, California Vehicle Code 25250 outlines that it is illegal. I don't care what you do, just letting you know that you could get a ticket for it.

I mean if you are going to go for it why not go whole hog and get some cheap construction flashers? They make them in a bunch of colors (red and blue would make them really get out of your way, and only a ticket for impersonating a police officer) This is just the quick one I found that has a mode switch on it to change the flash pattern easy and quick. There are all sorts of these things for $30 on amazon.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07P2LMZFF

 

[Checkswrecks]

Flashing lights are illegal while modulators vary the output, not make the lights actually go on and off. It's a shade of gray but enough to keep modulators legal.
That said, flashing lights can also get people to pull out in front of you and target fixate on you. Do some Googling.

 

[woods]

Thanks for the clarification.
that is the main reason that I posted
I may go with the construction flashers later but Let me see how my driving lights go first
Like stated above the modulators will probably destroy the shutters on the headlights so that won't be an option

 

[Madhatter]

construction flasher , white or white and yellow in front and yellow or yellow and red in rear are my color choices . and since Yamaha did not give us a emergency flasher it is something I have thought I might add to bike.

 

[dell835]

My 2017 has emergency flashers.

 

[woods]

I've had other bikes with emergency flashers and wish they would have been an option on the earlier year bikes
I will look into what it would take to add that option to my bike

 

[EricV]

Search the forum or google it. Gen I bikes did not come with hazards/flashers, but it's easy to add them. (Gen II bikes do all have flashers) You can do it as a simple stand alone circuit for a few dollars in parts, (which I did on my 2012 S10 and posted up how to on this forum), that allows you to have the key out and the flashers on. I never once had a problem with someone turning the flashers on when the bike was parked. In part because I used a small toggle switch located inside the fork area on the inner fairing, so it was not obvious to others, but still easy to reach.

Others have added flashers/hazards by using one of Yamaha's stock control switches. I wired in a left side for CC switches on my '12, but the right side from later bikes has the flasher button on it. It's not plug and play, but it's not that difficult to figure out the changes.

In regards to making yourself more visible when lane splitting. What makes you think them seeing you will change their behavior? The ones you need to worry about will still do the same things. It's not their responsibility to see you, it's yours to see them and avoid them. And yes, I lived in CA for a while and lane split when I ride there, so this is from experience, not just speculation. Don't be that guy that just annoys every car for a 1/2 mile on either side of you and think you'll be safer somehow.

The harsh answer to your problem is live closer to where you work. You commute by choice, don't forget that.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Another little tip for lane filtering is not to do it if you have to go more than 30mph. Your reflexes will then have a fighting chance to react to avoid contact to other vehicles cutting into you.

 

[Kyle_E]

Now talking about using the construction flashers as your emergency flashers is an idea I can get with.
Ive had this set in my shopping cart for a while waiting on the S10 so I could measure and see if the 6 or 4 led version is the one I want. Im thinking of putting them on the handguards and on the rear luggage.

This type you set the pattern once and its a pain to change it (you could wire in a switch yadda yadda) but Id only use the pattern closest to what hazard flashers on a car would do and leave it alone.

6led is longer
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B074V7VD4Y

4led
https://smile.amazon.com/Warning-Emergency-Flashing-Strobe-Surface/dp/B06XHXPQHG

 

[Checkswrecks]

Emergency flashers are not supposed to be used underway. They are supposed to be used when stationary to alert other vehicles, although the State laws usually have exceptions for funerals and other organized processions.

If you decide to go with a modulator, it varies the current to the bulb, it does not move the shutter. While I'm not a fan of them they do tend to extend bulb life, since the bulb cumulatively does not run as hot.

 

[HeliMark]

Like what was said above, emergency flashers are for emergent situations (mechanical issue...etc). People that have them on for splitting traffic makes no sense to me. By the time they will see the flashers, it would be secondary to your headlight, or aux lights in visibility. When I put my LED light bar on, I noticed a marked difference in people being aware I was coming. Before I left California, I noticed that a number of the CHP bikes (BMW) had aux LED lights put on them, most likely at the officers expense.

 

[woods]

Search the forum or google it. Gen I bikes did not come with hazards/flashers, but it's easy to add them. (Gen II bikes do all have flashers) You can do it as a simple stand alone circuit for a few dollars in parts, (which I did on my 2012 S10 and posted up how to on this forum), that allows you to have the key out and the flashers on. I never once had a problem with someone turning the flashers on when the bike was parked. In part because I used a small toggle switch located inside the fork area on the inner fairing, so it was not obvious to others, but still easy to reach.

Others have added flashers/hazards by using one of Yamaha's stock control switches. I wired in a left side for CC switches on my '12, but the right side from later bikes has the flasher button on it. It's not plug and play, but it's not that difficult to figure out the changes.

In regards to making yourself more visible when lane splitting. What makes you think them seeing you will change their behavior? The ones you need to worry about will still do the same things. It's not their responsibility to see you, it's yours to see them and avoid them. And yes, I lived in CA for a while and lane split when I ride there, so this is from experience, not just speculation. Don't be that guy that just annoys every car for a 1/2 mile on either side of you and think you'll be safer somehow.

The harsh answer to your problem is live closer to where you work. You commute by choice, don't forget that.

Like what was said above, emergency flashers are for emergent situations (mechanical issue...etc). People that have them on for splitting traffic makes no sense to me. By the time they will see the flashers, it would be secondary to your headlight, or aux lights in visibility. When I put my LED light bar on, I noticed a marked difference in people being aware I was coming. Before I left California, I noticed that a number of the CHP bikes (BMW) had aux LED lights put on them, most likely at the officers expense.

Yep,
This is why I posted because I couldn't find any clear answer when I started thinking about it.
I already have the parts to add an independent flasher control and will be going that route for emergency use.
I currently carry one of these https://www.amazon.com/Heliar-Emergency-Roadside-Flashing-Storage/dp/B071K5CX3R/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=13HTT7NUMIK71&keywords=roadside+safety+discs&qid=1558715011&s=gateway&sprefix=roadside,aps,187&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
on my bike because I'm on the road often early morning so the flashers will take that place