Safety Modification suggestions for New Riders.

[SkH]

GET A HELMET OR BIKE MOUNTED CAMERA.
 
In my opinion, one of the best things you can spend your money early on.  Use it to document any accidents.  See your reaction times or the type of actions you do while riding (ie., view any mistakes you've made).  You should be able to find many out there that are less than 100 bucks.  But please do me a favor and don't make yet another motovlog.
 
Here's a relevant thread:
 
Action camera thread

BRAKELIGHT MODULATION
 
Causes your brake light to flash upon braking which theoretically lets the person behind you become aware you are braking. 
 
You can either go with a very simple connection to your stock brakelights under the passenger seat (basically a 1 minute easy installation):
 
Supabrake 2
 
Or Integrated modulators which require changing out the entire brakelight (you need to remove tail body plastics):
 
Motodynamic

Blaster X
 
Some relevant forum topic threads:
 
vizi tech supabrake
 
Motodynamic taillight
 
Supabrake vs Motodynamic opinion review
 
HEADLIGHT AIMING/ BULB REPLACEMENT TO HID OR LED
 
Get a brighter bulb to better see (at night) and be seen (in daytime) or raise the stock headlight aim height.
 
How to: aim headlight
 
Lightbulb upgrade main discussions topic
 

CHANGE OUT THAT "meep meep" HORN FOR A REAL ONE
 
Generic horn upgrade thread
 
badass horn upgrade (Denali)
 
I could be wrong, I didn't find actual "how to" topics (maybe I got too lazy).  But its fairly straight forward IF you aren't upgrading to a Denali Sound bomb.  Unplug the 2 wire connectors on stock horn. Unscrew bolt and nut and remove (the horn is behind the radiator right next to the coolant reservoir).  Screw in bolt and loctite new horn.  Plug both wires back into new horn (there is no polarity on the two wires so it doesn't matter which wire goes to which connector).  You are done.
 
Personally, I did not go with the Sound Bomb because to this day I still accidentally hit the horn because the button is horribly placed.  I went with a Fiamm Freeway Blaster instead.
 
 
 
 
If anyone can find more relevant threads, post a link.  Also if you guys have anymore suggestions, feel free to post your own suggestions.

[hobbs]

More options for brake light modulation. Mine have treated me well. About 1 to 2 hours to install.
 
http://www.hyperlites.com/stdsf.html

[motomeek]

Nice round up of threads @skeeterh!

[pineappleunderthesea]

I've also seen headlamp modulation on some cruisers, it's something very subtle but it does seem to catch your peripheral vision. I guess it'd be useful in an intersection or something. Although if modulation was truly safer, you'd think it would be factory. Unless it conflicts with various emergency light ordinances....

[booboobusfz07]

I've also seen headlamp modulation on some cruisers, it's something very subtle but it does seem to catch your peripheral vision. I guess it'd be useful in an intersection or something. Although if modulation was truly safer, you'd think it would be factory. Unless it conflicts with various emergency light ordinances....

 
 
Dmv just likes to regulate everything. It's extremely difficult if not impossible to get a normal headlight/fog lights to modulate/flash in a way to activate the light sensors. I love my opticons they're f##king amazing. But pretty much impossible to duplicate on a civilian scale.

[foxk56]

It's extremely difficult if not impossible to get a normal headlight/fog lights to modulate/flash in a way to activate the light sensors

What about this? https://kisantech.com/mag/pathblazer/p75w.html Looks pretty simple and I've verified it will work with the wattage of the stock headlight bulb. I've bought both their headlight and taillight modulator products for my old bike and they worked great

[Beemer]

All good suggestions but here's one that doesn't get the credit it deserves. Many times cager's will cause near accidents and not even know it. Many biker's, like ourselves, feel we are held to societies rules/standards and must remain "pleasant" at all times and "Let It Go". I say there are too many cager's that aren't learning that they're constantly making the same mistakes and therefore must be let known their errors and be corrected on the spot to help save lives in the future so I insist "The Bird" be flown high and directed at the intended recipient only for not more than 2 seconds. We don't want innocent people thinking they received the bird from a biker. We have an image to maintain but more importantly, we have an amendment right to practice and protect. Ride safe!

[booboobusfz07]

It's extremely difficult if not impossible to get a normal headlight/fog lights to modulate/flash in a way to activate the light sensors

What about this? https://kisantech.com/mag/pathblazer/p75w.html Looks pretty simple and I've verified it will work with the wattage of the stock headlight bulb. I've bought both their headlight and taillight modulator products for my old bike and they worked great

 
 
I'm not referring to standard modulation. I was talking about emergency vehicle lighting and the fact that a standard modulator wouldn't trigger the light like a standard opticon would.