Modulaing headlight for R1200R

[mgdoc8307]

Anyone installed a Kisan modulating headlight-comments on use and effectiveness for conspicuity. Thanks

[deilenberger]

Yes. It works fine, the Z option ensures it will work without triggering the bulb failure warning, and it's very effective.

[dderrig]

I thought about getting one of these for my headlight but after seeing them on the road and reading about the pros and cons decided that just having an extra set of "fog or driving" lights was good enough. I will grant you they are effective but can be confusing to other drivers on the road either when your behind them or coming at them. There is the thought that who cares what other drivers think at least they "see you" but I am not in that camp. A good set of driving or fog lights making a nice front end triangle of lights is very effective and less startling/confusing to others on the road. Just my 2 cents!

Dave

[deilenberger]

I've been riding with a headlight modulator for something over 10 years. I wouldn't want to ride without one. Aside from waking up drivers (who with cell-phones and texting are even more brain dead then they used to be) - it seems to have reduced drastically my interactions with 4 legged hooved rats (deer.) Before I had a modulator I was known in the club as "lets watch Don lock his brakes up WHEN the deer jumps him" (not IF). Haven't had a close one in about 10 years now, and thats riding in deer infested NJ, PA and WV..

And no I don't care if I startle anyone - the people getting startled are the ones who are asleep and not seeing the bike. I have auxiliary lights and a modulator - at times I use both (in the morning, heading west to work - sun behind me and in the evening, heading east to home - sun behind me.)

[dderrig]

Like I said Don, there is no question they are effective but I've heard stories about people pulling over thinking its law enforcement etc. and also think they are rather irritating to look at. If it's not a concern to you that it has an unintended affect besides waking up idiots on cell phones etc. then more power too you I look at my wifes PIAA lights on her 2009 F650GS when she is riding behind me and think you would absolutely be blind not to see her (Knock on wood). I know this, there is no 100% regardless what we do.

Dave

[vroomr]

I feel the same as Dave. When I see a modulated headlight, it gets my attention as an annoyance/curiosity, but not really as a wake-up call; when I see the headlight/fork light triangle, my visceral reaction is "whoa! locomotive!"

When a see a bike on which the rear directionals have been wired as running lights and one of the signals starts blinking, there's a nanosecond where I have to process what's happening, whereas my reaction to a conventional bike turn signal is automatic.

I guess what I'm saying is that some nonstandard lighting schemes force other drivers to perform exception processing, and that consumes some critical brief slice of time. One's conspicuity has to be effective.

Death rays, on the other hand...

[celticus]

I tried one and it did not work on my bike. Kept giving an error light. Actually it DID work it just kept giving me an error signal. I called Kissan and they said send it back. I was hoping they could fix it but "send it back" was the fix.

Mark

[nephets]

Hi,

I think modulators are huge benefit for a motorcyclist. I had both the Kisan headlight and rearlight on my Kawasaki, so I got them both for my 2007 R1200R.

To overcome the error light problem, the headlight version had an external bulb which flashed in antiphase to the headlight. This worked for a year, but then I noticed that in hot humid weather 90+ (I live in Atlanta) the external bulb would stop flashing. As I did not know the status of the headlight when riding, I removed the unit. I would be very interested if Kisan can come up with a solid state solution.

The rear modulator worked well for a year. Then developed an intermitent fault which turned out to a fracture between the brass section which houses the electronics and the top section which the bulbs connect into. So that was the end of that one too.

As for Kisan, I recommend them highly, Andy is excellent. He sent me at least three versions of the headlight modulator to get it to overcome the error light. I think Kisan's products are good and they worked perfectly on the Kawasaki.

I would hope that BMW could build a modulator into the LED version of the rear light- maybe they have.

That's my experience.

Cheers,

Steve.

[deilenberger]

Hi,

I think modulators are huge benefit for a motorcyclist. I had both the Kisan headlight and rearlight on my Kawasaki, so I got them both for my 2007 R1200R.

To overcome the error light problem, the headlight version had an external bulb which flashed in antiphase to the headlight. This worked for a year, but then I noticed that in hot humid weather 90+ (I live in Atlanta) the external bulb would stop flashing. As I did not know the status of the headlight when riding, I removed the unit. I would be very interested if Kisan can come up with a solid state solution.

That was a beta-1 design (spent a lot of phone time with Andy in their technical department on this design..) The real design uses two external 5w resistors to avoid the error light, and a module that plugs into the headlight shell and the wiring harness, requiring NO change to the wiring, and you don't even have to open the headlight shell. It works quite well - no problems in about 20k miles. It's possible if you call them, ask for Andy, they might do an exchange for free or a reduced cost. My exchange was free.

The rear modulator worked well for a year. Then developed an intermitent fault which turned out to a fracture between the brass section which houses the electronics and the top section which the bulbs connect into. So that was the end of that one too.

As for Kisan, I recommend them highly, Andy is excellent. He sent me at least three versions of the headlight modulator to get it to overcome the error light. I think Kisan's products are good and they worked perfectly on the Kawasaki.

I would hope that BMW could build a modulator into the LED version of the rear light- maybe they have.

That's my experience.

Cheers,

Steve.

Interesting - I had the same failure of their rear light. Haven't talked to Andy about it yet.. I'm getting by with a TailBlazer from Run-N-Lites, but if I had it to do over again - I'd probably look at the P3 aux brake light solution. It is blindingly bright.

[ka5ysy]

I agree with all those here who use the modulator. It definitely makes a difference how approaching or side-street vehicles look at you. I also have the HID lights on all the time too. Probably overkill but it is amazing how nobody pulls out in front of me now.

The tail lamp flashers work too. I have the Kisan Trailblazer bulb setup in the main tail light, and the Hyper-Lite LED flashers .

Anybody who fails to see all the red flashing lamps is totally blind.

My light setup is described here:

http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.c ... stcount=60

I am pretty sure that the fit problem with the headlight modulator has been resolved now.

[cwrose]

Forgive me for being ignorant, but does your headlamp continue to modulate at night? I'm in the farkling mode since my bike is in storage for another couple months, and I've recently been looking into safety/visibility. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska (land of the midnight sun) and the sun sits low on the horizon for many hours during the day. The glare can be ridiculous at times and I would like to add a headlamp and tail lamp modulator. My biggest concern is late in the riding season when it finally starts to get dark that the headlamp will continue to modulate even when they are needed full-time. TIA, for any advice or information.

Edit: I found the answer to my own question after quite a bit of searching.

[ka5ysy]

Forgive me for being ignorant, but does your headlamp continue to modulate at night? I'm in the farkling mode since my bike is in storage for another couple months, and I've recently been looking into safety/visibility. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska (land of the midnight sun) and the sun sits low on the horizon for many hours during the day. The glare can be ridiculous at times and I would like to add a headlamp and tail lamp modulator. My biggest concern is late in the riding season when it finally starts to get dark that the headlamp will continue to modulate even when they are needed full-time. TIA, for any advice or information.

Edit: I found the answer to my own question after quite a bit of searching.

To add to you knowledge, the Kisan unit is "programmed" as to the light level you want it to trigger to by doing a quick "double tap" to you high beam flash switch just after powering up the bike, so if you have a concern as to where it stops flashing in low light, it is very easily reset. For high latitude areas, I can understand your concern with the twilight you get that is not quite "day" and not quite "night" either. It is an interesting experience having the sun sitting low on the horizon at 1AM !

[celticus]

I like the idea of a modulated high beam and I have had one on two earlier bikes. I wish my unit would have worked of my R1200R. It would have been nice if the guys at Kisan had shown a little more interest in finding a solution. They gave me my money back willingly but what I wanted was a headlight modulator.

Mark

[deilenberger]

I like the idea of a modulated high beam and I have had one on two earlier bikes. I wish my unit would have worked of my R1200R. It would have been nice if the guys at Kisan had shown a little more interest in finding a solution. They gave me my money back willingly but what I wanted was a headlight modulator.

Mark

Mark,

Have you tried the latest one from them (the external mount one with the two big 5-W ceramic resistors on the sides)?

Mine has worked fine for ohh.. 18 months or so now. No error messages. This current one also is really easy to install since it just goes in-line to the wiring to the headlight shell, using plug and play connectors. I velcro'd/tie-wrapped it to the mounting bracket for my 2nd horn (but it could go on the one for the stock horn just as easily.)

[celticus]

Don, I do beleive that is the one I tried. I remember reading that you had one before I got mine. It was the Z model and should have been exactly the right one for my bike.

Mark

[cwrose]

Thanks for the information regarding the headlamp modulators. I'm still a bit torn between one of these and say the photon blasters from Skene Designs. While modulators are blatantly obvious, I'm worried about safety issues with confusing other drivers. It's amazing how easily confused they can get.

[deilenberger]

Thanks for the information regarding the headlamp modulators. I'm still a bit torn between one of these and say the photon blasters from Skene Designs. While modulators are blatantly obvious, I'm worried about safety issues with confusing other drivers. It's amazing how easily confused they can get.

In umm... more than 10 years of riding with a modulator - there is only one case where I think someone got confused, and that isn't certain. Other than that one time - the reaction to a modulator is quite obvious - they see you and STOP.

[cwrose]

Thanks for the information regarding the headlamp modulators. I'm still a bit torn between one of these and say the photon blasters from Skene Designs. While modulators are blatantly obvious, I'm worried about safety issues with confusing other drivers. It's amazing how easily confused they can get.

In umm... more than 10 years of riding with a modulator - there is only one case where I think someone got confused, and that isn't certain. Other than that one time - the reaction to a modulator is quite obvious - they see you and STOP.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, or rather your lack thereof. However, if the obvious reaction to a modulator is that they see you and stop, I don't know if I want that. Anyway, it'll just be something that I have to try out and see what reactions I get. If a bunch of people start pulling over and hitting the shoulder thinking I'm LEO or something I think I'll find alternative solutions to conspicuity. From a lot of reading I've done on the subjects it seems like people either love them or despise them. I'll keep an open mind and try one.

[thepeacebullgrunt]

I have photonblasters, FF50's auxiliary lights, kisan modulator and maybe soon a pair of bike vis LED somewhere at the extremes right & left or my mirrors...and I even think about a LED stripe somewhere on the sides of my bike.

It works great ! car drivers see me right away in %85 of the situations and accordingly correct their car position while very often freaking out just like if I was a cop ready to pull them over. I don't abuse of it and behave just like cops...by staying calm at distance of the cars before I decide to pass them. (Main goal not being to scare drivers but in first place to be seen and respected...)

Also I am trying to find a small marine safety switched strob flash to hack and fix somewhere hidden in the middle of the bike, to use only when I park & leave my bike in some darkish Los Angeles residential streets or for my bike to be reminded when I am parked in between cars at night. (My peripherals alarm sensors also already help for that...)

It can seems odd to love lights so much on a bike but when they are efficient and well functionally located all you see is intelligence instead of decorations or "toys obsession".

[ShinySideUp]

I've been using the Z option Kisan modulator for about a year and it still triggers the fault light which blinks in time with the modulations. When I switch off, the fault light often stays lit. Then I just hit the high beam for a moment and it turns the fault light off. To me, it's not worth the hassle of sending it back.

I mainly use the modulator just for lane splitting. When I pull back in the lane, I turn it off, because I figure if I were driving the car in front of me, I wouldn't like the modulated high beam in my rear view mirror all the time.

Besides using it in the sun-behind me situation mentioned above, I also use it behind slow drivers in the fast lane, and for side traffic that fails to come to a complete stop.

Mostly, I rely on the triangle of my HID FF50's to make me noticeable.

Kisan tail light failed also. As did their tire pressure sensors. The taste left in my mouth: Andy's a nice guy. Their products are released way too early.

Good to read the info about programming the modulator from ksys. My bike uses the double flash of the high beam to trigger my garage door opener. I've been wondering why my modulator comes on for a few seconds when I use the high beam at night. It seems I've been unwittingly reprogramming it.