Design help for additional brake warning light...please!!

[bushrat]

I'm a 'down-shifter' when slowing for hazards, stop lights, whatever; consequently, I don't always tap the brakes enough to alert drivers behind me. I try to remain conscious of traffic, but am VERY interested in adding a device to my bike that would automatically flash and notify others that I'm slowing down. In another thread, someone kindly mentioned a "gear brake". I consulted the makers, only to find that, while it is quite compatible with ST's and RT's, it is not compatible with the F3.

So, my question: does anyone have a suitable alternative that will work on my new F3? Alternatively, is there anyone in the aftermarket business who cares to develop such a product? Or, does anyone have any designs that might simply incorporate a 'front brake-type lever' that could be wired up to simply flash an auxiliary brake warning light? I'm thinking that a quick squeeze or two with the hand would be faster than trying to repeatedly tap the brake pedal, and the two systems could be used in combination - lots of warning lights!!

Thanks for any suggestions.

[aHermit]

http://cosmoconnected.com/en/

[bushrat]

http://cosmoconnected.com/en/

Thanks. Could mean that I would need two - one for my helmet while solo; another for my lady when she's a passenger. Perhaps I could mount one on the top case??? Will look into.....

[aHermit]

Actually, no. You would only need to buy an extra magnetic mount for the second helmet. You would simply remove the unit from you helmet and attach it to the magnetic mount on your passenger's helmet. I am waiting for an e-mail response from the company to see if the unit is available yet in the US. If you drill down in the website, you will find there are additional benefits planned for the unit beside the brake light function.

[cptjam]

vololights.com
this light is connected to a decelerometer; when you engine brake, or roll off the throttle abruptly, it lights up. Simple and exactly what you need. Ann has threatened to buy me one for years. I make it a point to use the brake to light the light.

[bushrat]

I'm pretty much a klutz when it comes to computers (I often say I know only 3 things about computers: 'on', 'off' & 'mouse'. When the mouse goes on strike, I'm dead). However, in this marvellous age, surely someone could come up with an in-built computer program that would read deceleration and automatically begin to flash brake lights for you, say once you slowed by 5 or 8 (or whatever pre-set) mph. If a nanny can be designed to do what it does for safety, is it that much of a leap to ask the system to flicker the brake lights when slowing?

[UtahPete]

vololights.com
this light is connected to a decelerometer; when you engine brake, or roll off the throttle abruptly, it lights up. Simple and exactly what you need. Ann has threatened to buy me one for years. I make it a point to use the brake to light the light.

Thanks for the heads-up. I went to their website and found a couple of different options. One, for $100, is a full license plate holder with built-in LEDs. The other, for about $35 is just the actuator module that I imagine is wired into the existing brake lights? Hard to tell from their website https://vololights.com/collections/v...ts-and-volomod

[IGETAROUND]

vololights.com
this light is connected to a decelerometer; when you engine brake, or roll off the throttle abruptly, it lights up. Simple and exactly what you need. Ann has threatened to buy me one for years. I make it a point to use the brake to light the light.

you beat me to this Joe

https://vololights.com/pages/vololights-in-action

[UtahPete]

I'm pretty much a klutz when it comes to computers (I often say I know only 3 things about computers: 'on', 'off' & 'mouse'. When the mouse goes on strike, I'm dead). However, in this marvellous age, surely someone could come up with an in-built computer program that would read deceleration and automatically begin to flash brake lights for you, say once you slowed by 5 or 8 (or whatever pre-set) mph. If a nanny can be designed to do what it does for safety, is it that much of a leap to ask the system to flicker the brake lights when slowing?

The Spyder is basically a motorized computer on 3 wheels. Without the electronics, it just wouldn't be a Spyder as we know it. I think the engineers did a pretty good job of designing it for safety, but obviously some people will want to modify the stock bike to improve on what the design engineers have wrought. That's what most of this forum is about - after-market improvements to suit just about every taste.

The technology as you describe it (decelerometer) is available but not through the dealer typically. If you don't want to tackle the installation projects yourself, find someone locally (maybe your dealer) who will do it for a fee (or a case of beer), or come to a rally and have one of the vendors do it for you.

[IGETAROUND]

Or look @ this


http://www.webbikeworld.com/lights/o...-light-review/

[newbert]

vololights.com
this light is connected to a decelerometer; when you engine brake, or roll off the throttle abruptly, it lights up. Simple and exactly what you need. Ann has threatened to buy me one for years. I make it a point to use the brake to light the light.

Just looked thru the website and am intrigued with the license plate frame product. (Anything to enhance safety is something worth exploring in my book....).

A question though:

The installation instructions make it sound so simple to install (of course), - just pull the power from the license plate illumination bulb, right? Well, unfortunately I'm "mechanically-challenged". So how do I access that bulb on a 2016 F3-T? And is any splicing involved? Thanks!

[PocoToro]

Yes ..... Another Great and Needed Farkle

[hypurone]

These guys say they will build a plug-n-play unit for you once purchased, yet they still don't have ANY of the newer models listed.... But might be worth a call to them to see.

https://gearbrake.com/collections/sh...nt=15412515971

[asp125]

I've been looking at Vololights for a while. Has anyone any real world experience with them?

[bushrat]

Just heard back from Vectolabs, makers of Vololights and Volomod. Unfortunately, the first won't work on the F3, and the second needs significant modification. Here is the reply:

"Hello Roger,
Thank you for your interest in our products!
well, the vololights is not an option for your bike, we had some customers found out that the swing arm vibrates way to much causing false positives, making the unit flash constantly.
You could use the volomod but your bike is on Canbus system, and because of this we cant insert any signal into your stock (OEM) lights, so you would need to find a 12V switched source to power up the unit and get some LEDs to use as output instead of your turn signals. Some of our customers get LEDs from Custom dynamics and attach them to our volomod. but unfortunately our volomod is out of stock.
Do you want me to let you know once we restock?
Regards!"

Have previously been advised that gear brake is not compatible with the F3.
So, still looking for something that works on the F3.

[bushrat]

Or look @ this


http://www.webbikeworld.com/lights/o...-light-review/

Really interesting reading; I'm seriously going to follow up on the Ohmics Programmable Deceleration/Brake Light, and also the Admore Smart Brake Light, also mentioned, regardless of cost. Thanks for posting.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Just heard back from Vectolabs, makers of Vololights and Volomod. Unfortunately, the first won't work on the F3, and the second needs significant modification. Here is the reply:

"Hello Roger,
Thank you for your interest in our products!
well, the vololights is not an option for your bike, we had some customers found out that the swing arm vibrates way to much causing false positives, making the unit flash constantly.
You could use the volomod but your bike is on Canbus system, and because of this we cant insert any signal into your stock (OEM) lights, so you would need to find a 12V switched source to power up the unit and get some LEDs to use as output instead of your turn signals. Some of our customers get LEDs from Custom dynamics and attach them to our volomod. but unfortunately our volomod is out of stock.
Do you want me to let you know once we restock?
Regards!"

Have previously been advised that gear brake is not compatible with the F3.
So, still looking for something that works on the F3.

Does anyone here have the wiring diagram for the F3? Unless the F3 is somewhat different than the RT the brake/turn signal lights are not on the CanBus. Or did BRP put them on the Canbus which is how they use the same light for turn signal and brake?

[Bfromla]

There are a few out there, most are actually for bicyclist but can work for what your asking. There actually was a post of one shared here last year(maybe 2years?), ill dig around see if I can find again, I only know because I was installing some wireless brake lights I found as well, mine required a transmitter tied to the existing brake lights not quite what your looking for.


***! found!:
https://gearbrake.com/

[joebryanjr]

I'm a 'down-shifter' when slowing for hazards, stop lights, whatever; consequently, I don't always tap the brakes enough to alert drivers behind me. I try to remain conscious of traffic, but am VERY interested in adding a device to my bike that would automatically flash and notify others that I'm slowing down. In another thread, someone kindly mentioned a "gear brake". I consulted the makers, only to find that, while it is quite compatible with ST's and RT's, it is not compatible with the F3.

So, my question: does anyone have a suitable alternative that will work on my new F3? Alternatively, is there anyone in the aftermarket business who cares to develop such a product? Or, does anyone have any designs that might simply incorporate a 'front brake-type lever' that could be wired up to simply flash an auxiliary brake warning light? I'm thinking that a quick squeeze or two with the hand would be faster than trying to repeatedly tap the brake pedal, and the two systems could be used in combination - lots of warning lights!!

Thanks for any suggestions.

See if GearBrake has an F3 solution. I have it on my 2014 RT. Flashes tail lights when slowing down (counterbalance in the switch). It was plug and play for my RT

[bushrat]

See if GearBrake has an F3 solution. I have it on my 2014 RT. Flashes tail lights when slowing down (counterbalance in the switch). It was plug and play for my RT

Unfortunately, as I have tried to explain above, neither 'gear brake' nor 'vololights/volomod' are compatible with the F3. I have been in direct contact with the makers of both, and have been advised that these products are NOT SUITABLE.

However, thanks to IGETAROUND, and his post above, it does seem that either the 'Ohmics' or the 'Admore' systems will work, and are designed to easily install on the F3 Canbus set-up.

Somewhat costly, but I believe the safety factor that I seek is well worth it.

Thanks to all who have contributed.

[newbert]

http://cosmoconnected.com/en/

From all of the potential solutions suggested in this thread, it seems to be that the cosmoconnected unit might be the simplest answer overall. No messing with F3 wiring required. My only question is whether the light works without the need of a smartphone, and whether the decelerometer feature is built into the unit. (I just sent an e-mail to the company with these questions.) If so, I might try one of these.

Does anyone have any practical experience with one of these units?

Thanks!

[bushrat]

From all of the potential solutions suggested in this thread, it seems to be that the cosmoconnected unit might be the simplest answer overall. No messing with F3 wiring required. My only question is whether the light works without the need of a smartphone, and whether the decelerometer feature is built into the unit. (I just sent an e-mail to the company with these questions.) If so, I might try one of these.

Does anyone have any practical experience with one of these units?

Thanks!

Bert:
It would seem rather likely to me that the 'Cosmo' system would still require some type of decelerometer to be mounted on the F3, and for that signal to then be transmitted, either by wire or wirelessly, to the helmet light. It is the bike's deceleration that needs to be measured, independent of any movement of the helmet. If it's simply measuring helmet movement alone, then any shaking of the head is going to set it off. That's why I'm leaning toward other systems that mount on the bike and flash from the bike.

[newbert]

Bert:
It would seem rather likely to me that the 'Cosmo' system would still require some type of decelerometer to be mounted on the F3, and for that signal to then be transmitted, either by wire or wirelessly, to the helmet light. It is the bike's deceleration that needs to be measured, independent of any movement of the helmet. If it's simply measuring helmet movement alone, then any shaking of the head is going to set it off. That's why I'm leaning toward other systems that mount on the bike and flash from the bike.

Yup - I understand your concern.

I just came across this: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/b...s-motorcycle#/. It's not available yet, but looks pretty promising to me. They say it addresses your concern about detecting the bike's deceleration, and meets my needs in that no smart phone is required.

I've never donated to an Indiegogo project, but I'm seriously considering this. If nothing else, it's an interesting concept.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Here's a possible solution: http://www.pulseprotects.com/faq/. However, it works only with a high mount brake light, i.e., a light separate from the regular brake lights. You could use it but you'll have to add a HMBL. It's not available on the Internet, only auto dealers and parts stores.

[PocoToro]

Just heard back from Vectolabs, makers of Vololights and Volomod. Unfortunately, the first won't work on the F3, and the second needs significant modification. Here is the reply:

"Hello Roger,
Thank you for your interest in our products!
well, the vololights is not an option for your bike, we had some customers found out that the swing arm vibrates way to much causing false positives, making the unit flash constantly.
You could use the volomod but your bike is on Canbus system, and because of this we cant insert any signal into your stock (OEM) lights, so you would need to find a 12V switched source to power up the unit and get some LEDs to use as output instead of your turn signals. Some of our customers get LEDs from Custom dynamics and attach them to our volomod. but unfortunately our volomod is out of stock.
Do you want me to let you know once we restock?
Regards!"

Have previously been advised that gear brake is not compatible with the F3.
So, still looking for something that works on the F3.

Hi I'll throw in my $0.02

As an electrical, mechanical, and refrigeration diagnostician and all around problem solver.

"The vololights is not an option for your bike, we had some customers found out that the swing arm vibrates way to much causing false positives"

I can see this being a very true statement for the F3 and F3s. The plate is mounted to the swing arm. The Vololights might work on a F3/s with the chopped rear fender kit. The license plate mounts to the body.

The F3t and F3 Limited Is very different with mounting the license plate to the body just above the mud flap. So in my opinion the Vololights will work on a F3t or F3 Limited. (97% accuracy)

Oh look they take pay-pal "click"

I'll keep you up dated, PocoToro