Blinking Headlight

rcase13

Guest
I think I am going nuts. I recently bought a slightly used NT700V. The other day I noticed the front headlight was blinking on and off. I can't remember if it was the high beam or the low beam. I've since tried to repeat it but have been unable.

I've searched the manual and I don't see anything about it. I have also searched this forum and found a couple threads about headlight modulators. Is this what I have?

If it's a modulator how to do I turn it off? How do you turn it on? How do you remove it so I can toss it in the trash... :mad:

Thanks,
Newbie
 
Maybe the high/low beam switch was mid point, or partially off a contact.
If you can contact the previous owner (or the dealer, which ever), you might want to ask him/her if they ever had a problem with the headlight, or if it had a modulator added.
I have never installed a headlight modulator or used one, so can't be of much help for you there.
 
Modulators don't blink on and off. They blink between bright and not-so-bright. They have a light detector that disables the modulation if it's dark. I'll be looking at one on Friday (installed on an ST-1100). I'll ask if it modulates when the high beam is on. Seems like it might not.
 
I am not sure if it was blinking completely off or not. It was too regular to be a short or something wrong with the switch.

For those that have installed the modulators where would I look to see it installed? Where do they plug in?
 
I have not installed one but everyone I have seen installed on other bikes plugged on to the back of the headlight bulb between the bulb and bulbs wiring harness. Then a separate wire with a light sensor, to turn it off at night, was routed to the outside of the headlight with good exposure to the sunlight. If the light only blinks / flashes / flickers in daylight, but stops in the dark, you might have a modulator installed. I'd try testing it in a dark garage and see if it flashes, it shouldn't if it is a properly installed modulator, then open the door and see if it starts in the sunlight...
 
I was looking at all the different modulator kits and realized they all have a daylight sensor of some sort installed somewhere. I looked all over the bike and found a sensor on the bottom of the front fairing. So I do have a modulator kit installed! I shined a light on the sensor to fool it and sure enough the front low beam starts modulating. As others have said the light doesn't blink on and off. It modulates the brightness of the bulb. I then switched the high beam on and the low beam stops modulating and the high beam starts modulating.

I hate to think someone has been splicing wires on my new to me bike but that is what you get when you buy used. I don't know how I feel about this kit. It modulates so fast that I wouldn't think someone could mistake it as an indication to pull out in front of me. It makes me nervous none the less.

Here is a link to the video showing the lights in action. I also attached a pic of the sensor. The location of the sensor is actually not in a bad place. It's naturally dark down there so it only comes on with the brightest of days.

http://youtu.be/9eTfxNwk_W8
 

Attachments

  • DSC01896.jpg
    DSC01896.jpg
    90.2 KB · Views: 31
Good find! Now if you don't want to use the modulator just unscrew it, and secure it up inside your fairing with some tape over it...in perpetual darkness. :D

You may not have a splice job to be worried about as some of the kits just install in-line between the bulb and wiring harness.
 
The point of a modulated headlight is to draw attention so that your presence is noted. The problem with headlight modulators is the phenomenon known as "target fixation". The eye is drawn to the modulating light and vehicles tend to go where the driver is looking. Think how many cases of vehicles crashing into police cars on the side of the road there are. I can't cite the specifics, but over the years, I've heard of instances of drivers drifting over into the path of bikes with modulators. Modulators work to attract the eye, but if the brain isn't functioning, they can cause problems. And we all know how many drivers put the car in gear and the brain in neutral.

When I bought a bike with a modulator, I removed it and installed a pair of lights to form a triangle with the headlight. The eye has trouble judging distance from a single point of light, but does much better with three lights spread across a plane. I've noticed that other drivers often look and then hesitate rather than pulling in front of me.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't like them. I have a friend who has one on his ST1100 and swears by it. I had a BMW K75ST with a modulator follow me for about 250 miles one day and by the end of the day, I was ready to shoot the guy's headlight out. I found it very annoying. I'd just as soon not annoy other drivers/riders.

My guess is that the installation was plug and play, with the modulator module in-line between the headlight and the power wires to the headline assembly. That wouldn't bother me...I just don't like them.
 
Well put me into the "I don't like them" column... I have put about 90 miles on the bike and I have had two people just suddenly stop and pull over to the right. I have also had two people pull out when I was going to turn left. It's clear they either think I am a police bike or I am flashing them to go.

I wrapped the day light sensor with Teflon tape and screwed a tire valve cap over the sensor. Problem solved.

I think what I will do is replace all the lights with the brighter Philips Xtreme Power or something similar.
 
Don't think that just because your headlight isn't blinking people won't still pull out when you're going you're going to turn left. People just don't see motorcycles. But I'm with you...I still don't like modulating headlights. Now, my blinking brake lights are a whole other deal.
 
ClassicVW said:
People, who cares if they pull over or flash you? The freakin point is that they NOTICED YOU. That's the desired result and the whole reason why headlight modulators are installed!
Click to expand...


Being noticed is a good deal. Being annoying is not. After I had a K75 follow me for 200 miles with blinking headlights, I was really, really, really tired of looking at them. I don't think motorcyclists need to p**s people off just to be seen. The more motorcyclists p**s people off, the less people are likely to respect us.

And, having people pull out into an intersection because they think you're flashing them to ahead and pull out while you've got your turn signal on is exactly counterproductive to what you want them to do. In that case (read rcase13's quote you included more carefully, ClassicVW) being notice didn't get what you want being noticed to do for you.
 
I'm all for being being noticed but I think I prefer to get noticed in another way. I wear Hi-Vis yellow and plan to run the Denalis on the fork. I actually spoke with the truck that pulled out as I was making a left hand turn. As I rode by he said sorry I thought you wanted me to go.

I agree you can't fix stupid! I live in the south... You have to expect it.
 
Split the difference and install the Skene Photon Blasters. These are LED lights that are very visible to traffic up ahead, but they are obviously not headlights, and the flickering is at just the right frequency so if you look straight at the bike, they are solid on, but if the bike is somewhere *else* in your field of vision, they flicker and draw your eye. It really works to force the drivers to look at you and focus on you. I can see the effect myself, and they do seem to work in traffic.
 
I think if they are used appropriately they can be very beneficial - particularly in built-up areas/cities. I recently fitted a modulator to my NT700V but it operates on the high beam only, is switchable (I have to turn high beam on during the day for it to work) and, because of the light sensor (which is required to be installed facing upwards and unobstructed towards the sky) it will not modulate in low light/night time conditions.
 
I plan on replacing my headlights to something brighter than stock. While I am in there I think I will disable the low beam modulator and keep the high beam modulator.

This site is awesome! Lots of ideas that I never would have thought of on my own.
 
I had headlight and taillight modulators on my PC800 and was quite happy with them. I will tell you though, that at least in PA, they can only modulate on low beam and must stop on high beam. If I were to be following someone for a significant distance, I'd just put a piece of electrical tape over the sensor to prevent it from modulating for that day. I definitely plan to add them to the NT at some point. I will look into the Skene product listed above before I decide which way to go.

I had a cop pull me over for them once and after I educated him on the legality (had a copy of the federal law in the bike at all times for just such an occasion), he asked how many times I'd been pulled over. My response. "Including you...once."
 
Katherine:

I like what I see of the Skene product. What model and brackets are necessary for the NT?

elizilla said:
Split the difference and install the Skene Photon Blasters. These are LED lights that are very visible to traffic up ahead, but they are obviously not headlights, and the flickering is at just the right frequency so if you look straight at the bike, they are solid on, but if the bike is somewhere *else* in your field of vision, they flicker and draw your eye. It really works to force the drivers to look at you and focus on you. I can see the effect myself, and they do seem to work in traffic.
Click to expand...
 
Gosh, I can't recall exactly. Nothing fancy. I think there was a plastic spacer bushing and a longer screw to go into the side of the fender. All things I recognized as generic hardware store stuff, though it did come with the kit. I took them off the NT before I sold it, and moved them to the Super10, and had to source some different bits and pieces from my local hardware. Nothing difficult either time.

I would just order whatever looks likely, and then if I need different screws or spacers, figure it out when it gets here. But then, I do have a great local hardware with a whole room full of tiny drawers full of pieces to use for such projects, so I have the luxury of going over there to find whatever I might need later.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom