brake lights connected to throttle open/closed

[00RAH]

just checking if this a good idea? would it be difficult to rig up?

brake light stays on, then dims when throttle opens

Edited May 30, 2021 by 00RAH

[Triple Jim]

Aside from deciding whether or not it's a good idea, I doubt if it would pass inspection in most states of the US.

[00RAH]

how come? why not?

[shinyribs]

Kinda not off topic, I saw a guy with cool looking scrolling lights across the back of his helmet when I was in traffic last week. Bright LEDs that were clearly visible in broad daylight. I asked him about it. Sykik is the brand. They're $49 and use accelerometer to activate the brake light portion. No wires and a slim magnet mount. 

 

Very cool tech for "engine braking" lights.

And sometimes you just have to remember that we slow down quickly with the throttle off, so just lay your finger on the lever enough to activate the lights to let folks know you're slowing down, whether you're on the brakes or not

 

 

[mjh937]

14 minutes ago, Triple Jim said:

Aside from deciding whether or not it's a good idea, I doubt if it would pass inspection in most states of the US.

How many states have inspections?  I have never had to have a vehicle inspected. 

[00RAH]

im sure you could figure it out shiny, youre good with electrics

Edited May 30, 2021 by 00RAH

[Triple Jim]

12 minutes ago, mjh937 said:

How many states have inspections?  I have never had to have a vehicle inspected. 

I don't know.  In NC we have annual safety inspections for motorcycles.  If the brake light stayed on while the bike was idling, I'm pretty sure it would fail.

[00RAH]

sure, but for that added safety, wouldnt you be willing to replace your bulbs more than ever?

[Triple Jim]

1 hour ago, 00RAH said:

sure, but for that added safety, wouldnt you be willing to replace your bulbs more than ever?

I'm not sure how much safety it adds.  I'd have to think about that a while.  Every time you let off the throttle the brake light comes on, so a driver behind you eventually realizes that the light doesn't mean you're putting on the brakes.  What if he gets the "cries wolf" syndrome after a while and starts ignoring it?

I've been behind my share of car drivers who "ride the brake", and I can tell you for sure that after a while the brake lights flashing on and off loses all meaning.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Triple Jim

[Triple Jim]

2 hours ago, Triple Jim said:

I don't know.  In NC we have annual safety inspections for motorcycles.  If the brake light stayed on while the bike was idling, I'm pretty sure it would fail.

 

2 hours ago, 00RAH said:

sure, but for that added safety, wouldnt you be willing to replace your bulbs more than ever?

Not the bulb failing... the motorcycle failing a safety inspection. 

[ElGonzales]

Yeah it is called Smart Brake Module:

https://www.louis-moto.co.uk/artikel/smart-brake-module-brake-light-warns-of-speed-reduction/10031139

 

I have heard of it, but I have no own experiences with this.

[Triple Jim]

17 minutes ago, ElGonzales said:

Yeah it is called Smart Brake Module:

https://www.louis-moto.co.uk/artikel/smart-brake-module-brake-light-warns-of-speed-reduction/10031139

That eliminates the inspection problem, since during a typical safety inspection it would not activate.

[MTMike]

11 hours ago, Triple Jim said:

That eliminates the inspection problem, since during a typical safety inspection it would not activate.

Here in Victoria, Australia these are legal (I checked with VicRoads). I installed one a few months ago and am thinking about installing the unit that they make that turns off the indicators. The installation is easy and the product is well made. 

[mt7fan]

I have the Smart Brake Module since two years. It's very sensitive: on downhill it's often on, every now and then it turns on when switching gears. It's ok for me b/c I use engine braking often before brakes. 

[Triple Jim]

1 hour ago, mt7fan said:

I have the Smart Brake Module since two years. It's very sensitive: on downhill it's often on, every now and then it turns on when switching gears. It's ok for me b/c I use engine braking often before brakes. 

I read some reviews of the ST2 module.  Many were positive, but there are some that said what you said...  it's way too sensitive.  Apparently you can tilt the unit to "adjust" its sensitivity, but one reviewer said:

Quote

As others wrote it flashed all the time. I angled it up to reduce sensitivity and that worked on the highway but when going downhill it was flashing away again. Up hill it was hard to make it flash at all. There was no sweet spot. My guess is they used a mercury switch instead of a true accelerometer. I took it off the bike and put it on my shelf of money wasted.

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Triple Jim

[mt7fan]

I seldom brake when going uphill

[klx678]

On 5/30/2021 at 1:35 PM, 00RAH said:

how come? why not?

Ever ride or drive behind someone who rests their foot on the brake - aka riding the brakes?   You never know if they're actually braking or not.   It is one way to get people off your tail, but also a good way to get rear ended by someone who still will ride your back wheel.

Go for a ride and realize how often you are on and off the throttle and think what that would be like connected to the brake light.   Traffic behind wouldn't have a clue what the heck you were doing.

[00RAH]

so youre saying it would be too distracting for people behind you?

all this flashing of the brake light could possibly even cause an accident as people try to decipher the flashes?

[mjh937]

2 hours ago, 00RAH said:

so youre saying it would be too distracting for people behind you?

all this flashing of the brake light could possibly even cause an accident as people try to decipher the flashes?

I do not think he is saying it would be distracting, rather it would be confusing.  If the brake light is coming on without seeming to relate to the bike slowing drivers will suspect the light is malfunctioning and just ignore it.  When the rider actually does slow down it could be more dangerous as the car behind will not know that the light is actually signaling something now. 

[Triple Jim]

2 hours ago, mjh937 said:

If the brake light is coming on without seeming to relate to the bike slowing drivers will suspect the light is malfunctioning and just ignore it.   When the rider actually does slow down it could be more dangerous as the car behind will not know that the light is actually signaling something now. 

Yes, good description.  That's the "cries wolf" syndrome I mentioned above.

Edited June 2, 2021 by Triple Jim

[00RAH]

take rear end smash ups for example, they can happen when youre driving along and reach a traffic jam where the car infront is rolling slowly not using the gas and not using the brake. you dont give the signal to slow down, the car behind smashes you.

if the light was connected to the gas pedal. the light would be on when coasting and could reduce the risk of a smash. 

better to be seen than not seen. esp on a bike

Edited July 11, 2021 by 00RAH

[DewMan]

This all seems like overthinking.

When you want to let people know you're either going to slow down to are slowing down... lightly or firmly use the brake pedal/lever as needed.

Everything else just seems to overly complicate a simple  but very important safety featue of the the bike.

But you do you. 

[00RAH]

i still think its odd that the lights are linked to the brakes and not the accelerator. you have to take your foot off the gas to brake anyway which would make the light come on faster, unless youre trail braking in the car using both feet.

[seven]

21 hours ago, 00RAH said:

i still think its odd that the lights are linked to the brakes and not the accelerator. you have to take your foot off the gas to brake anyway which would make the light come on faster, unless youre trail braking in the car using both feet.

Don't forget about downshifting. As you blip the throttle the brake light would go off and then back on which again could be confusing to someone following you...they might not brake as much seeing you "let off" the brakes.

I guess depending on how you ride it might make the light come on faster but your right foot can it the brake pretty quick too. When I engine brake I touch the rear brake to trigger the lights. I adjusted the switch to be quite sensitive so that I don't have to use much pressure and therefore the braking force is basically negligible.

The technical issue with trying to get a sensor on the throttle to turn on the brakes would be the fact that you want it to trigger when closing the throttle and not just at closed throttle. So you need something that can detect the relative movement of the throttle (like a position sensor) that is aware of the current position versus the previous position. Then you need to facture in some sort of dead zone so that minor changes don't cause the light to flicker.

I like this as a thought experiment but will stick with using the rear brake as a brake switch at the very least.

[00RAH]

i was thinking more of a Macguyver type fix, perhaps using the existing front brake light switch and a throttle cruise control clip thing, so that it would press on the light switch on a closed throttle.