So, as I contemplate my next ride, probably another Road King Classic, and having found myself in this position due to a negligent driver hitting me (totaling my current bike), I guess I'm contemplating some safety options as well as chrome and performance.

I have some ideas, and questions, so I'd like to know what other Road King/Classic owners have done, or thought about doing.

Here are some things I'm thinking of, or looking for:

Air Horn - Feel free to post, but I think I've searched this to death already, MiniBeast, Stebel/Strebel sp?, metal arts, and others

Headlight/Running Lights - I can't remember what they're called, but some people get these 'pulsating' like lights, that draw attention to them more.

* Didn't know much about them, like can they be put in stock housing?
* Do they do that all the time, or just in either dim or bright mode, or is there a switch, or what?
* Do you usually just do the headlights, the running lights, or both?
* Likes/dislikes?
* Any other things to do on the front end visually?

Tail/Brake Lights - I know some people wire the turn signals to run hot w/ tail/brake lights, but I was wondering what other options there might be, or how many ways can you configure this?

* In other words, I'd still like turn signals if possible, can you wire it to run w/ tail light, but also flash when turning, even though it's now red?
* Is there some other mod you can do to get more lights on the back of a RKC, w/out adding tour pack, etc.

One idea I had was if there was a lighted license plate frame that could be integrated w/ the stop...or maybe a sleek chrome trimmed light strip that could go on the bar over the fender, or a luggage rack, or sissy bar, or something, like w/ bright LEDs or something in it.

Now that I think about it, I think I saw the lighted fender tips, but never saw em going down the road day/night, so not sure how effective they were.

Another idea I had, was integrating some sort of visual when the horn is activated, like some sort of auto switch that flashes bright/dim head light a few times automatically every time the horn is hit.

Or how some guys 'decorate' the bike w/ LEDs to accent chrome etc., have some of those strategically placed and integrated w/ horn button, so they flash for x seconds when horn is depressed.

And I know some advocate loud pipes. I'm not into pipes that deafen the rider, but I would like to add something louder than stock, so I'm looking into that.

I guess I'm looking for ideas that keep a sleek look, but offer some increase in visual/audible presence. I realize some won't see you regardless, like the lady that hit me wasn't looking at me, I could have been a mack truck, if she's not looking at me, she won't see me, but i figure like anything else, if I do what I can, maybe it helps my odds somewhere.

Also, like w/ the horn idea, sometimes people hear a horn, but aren't sure where it's coming from, so some visual aid may help draw attention to you, once they are looking in your direction. Like on a car alarm, siren is cool, but some flashing lights help notice it once you hear the sound. I thought it might help a person track you a second or so quicker once they react to hearing the horn, it might matter...

Just thinking out loud, any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

I'm a big advocate for lights up front. I run the fog lights on the crash bar and am convinced I'd rather have that than loud pipes. Most problems happen in front of you and "the other guy" is not going to hear pipes that point behind you. With the headlight, passing lights, and the fog lights, you'll be seen. Plus you can really see well at night.

I have always had air horns. I used it pretty regular when I had the softail with only one headlight. Now with all the lights up front, I hardly use it all.

As far as the back goes, I run a plug in module from a comapny called Biketronics that they call the "Tail Stopper". This module converts the turn signals into brake lights as well as turn signals but not run lights. I had the other kind on my softail that made them run lights as well but I felt like there was not enough difference in the running lights and the brake lights. It was hard to tell the difference between the running lights and the brake lights. When I hit the brake, I want the people behind me to know it. I don't want them to be confused. With the module I have, the single light tail light is on for running but when you hit the brake, you now have three brake lights on. It's a big change and it really lights up and they know I'm stopping.

Just my 2 cents worth from a guy that rides everyday across Houston.

 

So far i bought the brake light kit from the dealer, makes your rear turn signals red and they are always on and flash red when turning.. makes a huge difference at night, one of the best mods you can do to start in my opinion.
havent done the pulsating headlight yet, but did swap out my headlight and passing light bulbs with sylvania silverstars, they are a LOT brighter at night, but in the daytime leave them on HIGH (you should doing that anyway) but on low you can hardly see the headlight.. on high you can.
Just put on V&H slipons to wake the exhaust up some, its not obnoxiously loud but have a nice low tone to them and rumble on accel. people over the weekend i noticed turn their head more, where before they probably could hardly hear me if at all with stock.
Next and probably last thing i buy for my bike is a horn, personally i havent used my horn on bike other then getting a friends attention and it worked fine.. but i like what i hear about the minibeast.

 

If you go for the pulsating headlight, make sure you get one that "dims/brightens" and not an "on/off" cycling. The latter one will shorten you headlight bulb a lot. The ones I've seen usually use a light sensor to turn off the pulsating when it gets dark and some include a manual switch. For a RK Classic, they usually fit inside the headlight housing. It's annoying to see coming towards you which means it works very well!

Cheers, geeded

 

Thanks, liking the feedback so far, keep em coming...

 

I installed a headlight modulator from Kriss. It was about $100. Installation was easy: remove headlight bulb, unplug stock connector, plug in the Kriss connector, plug the stock connector back in, route a single cable back through the nacelle, put headlight bulb back in. Then cable tie the sensor wire so its end faces down to the pavement and it's done. Operates only when brights are on and still daylight. Only trick is at twilight you need to notice and switch back to dims or you run with your brights on. Also on an RKC it means that driving lights are off in the daytime (due to use of the brights setting). If you are pack riding, you can just switch off the brights and the modulating ceases.

Works like a charm! I've had the mod for almost a year. I've had people pull over, and here in LV they don't even pull over for emergency vehicles. Had some guys in Death Valley say they could see me coming from 10 mi away. Had a guy in central AZ get out of his minivan, come back and tell me I was annoying him. Still had the cellphone in his hand. Made my day! :-)

I think modulators should be required on every street legal motorcycle, but for now at least the cagers see mine.

 

I've rewired the spots so they are also on when the high beams are on. The problem I had with running my highs during the day was I wanted the added visability of the spots as well. Voila, now I have both. Apparently in some jurisdictions this violates the law but I will take that chance.

On the back-end, I also have the HD brakelight/turn-signal conversion kit but after having been behind a couple of buddies who had it, I have rewired min so that the turns are not activated as running lights. To my eye, and a couple guys I know, when the turn signals are also running lights, the difference in brake light is minor. Yes, you do get more visability from the rear but you lose that attention getting "hey, suddenly there are three red lights blazing" reaction you get when braking with the modified wiring. This mod just disables the running light feature and leaves the turn and turn/brake the same.

I am also a big believer in reflective clothing at night and low light condition riding.

Oh, and while not a solve-all, loud pipes don't hurt.

 

Edward - So this is the tail stopper? http://www.chromeglow.com/catalog.as...showprevnext=1 I've heard of biketronics before, I was surprised I had such a hard time finding this online, only saw a couple sites w/ them, gues some indy shops might have em too? Is that a fair price?

Where did you get the foglights for the crash bars? Any pics of your ride like that?


RoadkingRick - I've heard of those sylvanias before, any issue w/ adding a pulsator/modulator to them, as far as you know, if you wanted to later?

lviguy - So this is the company you bought?: http://www.kriss.com/harleymod.php
Can't tell 100% from their site, is that like what geeded said about ones that go bright/dim as opposed to on/off?


Steelhead - Sounds kind of like what I was thinking, didn't want to lose my spots during the day, if I could help it. How did you figure out how to wire that?

I also like what you and others are saying about using the turns to still do turns, but just add for brake light, not tail light functions so there's more of a difference when braking.

I'm also looking at summer/winter jackets w/ some reflective qualities, and some pipes.

Thanks for the post.

 

Require! Hellno.
As for the OP. I installed a Phillips crystal vision, and replaced my running lamps with amber sealed beams. The contrast between the very white center and yellow shows up well.

 

not sure if you have a fender tip light but if you do you can make it a brake light with 48 leds. Best thing I bought for the back for extra safety http://ridetimetechnology.com/ft_48led.htm