Break-light flashes when downshifting?

[CA-SPYDR]

I've been enjoying my new Spyder for 1300 Miles and I absolutely love everything about it! As I'm now looking into adding some additional break-light LEDs on the back trunk, I was wondering if anyone knows how to make them flash when you are downshifting? I really like to use the engine power to downshift, and I realized that cars behind me don't know I'm slowing down when I do, which causes a dangerous situation. I would sometimes just lightly hit on the break to get the light to flash but I would rather avoid that.

Any existing products or how to guides in existence?

[stevencovert]

I've been enjoying my new Spyder for 1300 Miles and I absolutely love everything about it! As I'm now looking into adding some additional break-light LEDs on the back trunk, I was wondering if anyone knows how to make them flash when you are downshifting? I really like to use the engine power to downshift, and I realized that cars behind me don't know I'm slowing down when I do, which causes a dangerous situation. I would sometimes just lightly hit on the break to get the light to flash but I would rather avoid that.

Any existing products or how to guides in existence?

I'm not aware of a signal you can tap to show you are slowing down. I have ALL the rear LED's from canamspyderaccesories.com. I put in a little $10 flasher from the site too. It doesn't make a big show, but you can definitely see them dim about 50% and back up. The LED's don't draw enough current to really make full use of the module. A good module would just kill power fully and back on, but I digress...

I touch the brake pedal. Practiced at night to get the feel. Not enough to engage brakes at all, but the lights come on and do their thing. What I was thinking though is a switch on the right handle bar with a small arm (think mini brake lever for two wheel bikes). FOr those of us that have or rode those, it is easy to get in the habit of both foot and right brake lever. In this case, right brake lever just taps in parallel to the foot switch. Nice project for one of our sponsors!! Hint hint...

Steve

[quasi]

there's one out there called Gearbrake that is supposed to be plug n play for the oem brake lights.

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

[george123]

I have one that has a decelerometer that will show red lights for downshifting then with the brake pedal, it will flash the brake lights and a center white led. It also has sequenced amber turn signals/emergency flashers. I love it. I mounted it high up on the top part of the trunk, for better visibility. Will post pictures soon.

https://admorelighting.com/product/a...ration-safety/

[george123]

Ok, found the pictures. Now, if I can just get them to post right side up.797FF6EC-C5E5-4C33-B8EE-5ADC4148DE91.jpg052AE63A-548A-4F8A-8BFE-7A6BE0900C86.jpgDA1982E5-2600-4148-AC06-7641463DC23C.jpg4A7386CB-C03D-49A4-9CE2-C4644A833274.jpg

[CA-SPYDR]

Thank you George123 and Quasi! Both products look very interesting!
I'll send pics once I have something installed on my Spyder - I think it's super important and will probably prevent some unwanted rear-endings (when is a rear-end collision ever wanted )

[CA-SPYDR]

I'm not aware of a signal you can tap to show you are slowing down. I have ALL the rear LED's from canamspyderaccesories.com. I put in a little $10 flasher from the site too. It doesn't make a big show, but you can definitely see them dim about 50% and back up. The LED's don't draw enough current to really make full use of the module. A good module would just kill power fully and back on, but I digress...

I touch the brake pedal. Practiced at night to get the feel. Not enough to engage brakes at all, but the lights come on and do their thing. What I was thinking though is a switch on the right handle bar with a small arm (think mini brake lever for two wheel bikes). FOr those of us that have or rode those, it is easy to get in the habit of both foot and right brake lever. In this case, right brake lever just taps in parallel to the foot switch. Nice project for one of our sponsors!! Hint hint...

Steve

Thank you, Steve!

[CA-SPYDR]

Ok, found the pictures. Now, if I can just get them to post right side up.797FF6EC-C5E5-4C33-B8EE-5ADC4148DE91.jpg052AE63A-548A-4F8A-8BFE-7A6BE0900C86.jpgDA1982E5-2600-4148-AC06-7641463DC23C.jpg4A7386CB-C03D-49A4-9CE2-C4644A833274.jpg

Love this solution! How did you connect it to power?

[Navydad]

https://vololights.com/ I have one on my Suzuki.

[CA-SPYDR]

https://vololights.com/ I have one on my Suzuki.

Wow - I like this one! Simple and relatively cost friendly!

[SpyderAnn01]

Someone I know has the gearbrake light and it is so sensitive that it drove me crazy riding behind him. I don’t want to see brake lights every time you slow down 1 mph. Tapping your brake when engine braking is the safe and polite thing to do and, best of all it costs nothing to use!

[CA-SPYDR]

Someone I know has the gearbrake light and it is so sensitive that it drove me crazy riding behind him. I don’t want to see brake lights every time you slow down 1 mph. Tapping your brake when engine braking is the safe and polite thing to do and, best of all it costs nothing to use!

Agree it's the most cost-effective way but where I drive on the twisties I would have to have my foot on the brake at all times
About the gearbrake I read that the sensitivity can be tweaked very easily - your friend just needs to adjust the alignment of the device - - tell him that and you may enjoy riding behind him again!

[george123]

Love this solution! How did you connect it to power?

Comes with good instructions, not plug and play though. You do have to tap into wires for the brake light, tail light, l & r blinkers. You also have to run a positive wire from the battery to power it. They also had to send me 2 wires with diodes in them, to isolate the connection with the blinkers, to prevent the sequenced flashers from stopping. You can also connect it to a computer, to adjust the sensitivity of the decelerometer.

CORRECTION: I said the red positive wire goes to the battery, it really goes to a 12 v switched source.

[BrianO]

there's one out there called Gearbrake that is supposed to be plug n play for the oem brake lights.

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

Site says not compatible with CANBUS systems....which I believe the Spyder uses.

[StickerPatch]

there's one out there called Gearbrake that is supposed to be plug n play for the oem brake lights.

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

Has anyone installed this?? Sounds like they are developing it?? Their site says they call you??

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Site says not compatible with CANBUS systems....which I believe the Spyder uses.

True, the Spyder has CANbus, but it's not tied into the brake lighting system, nor the headlights. Some bikes, BMW being one I think, have brake lights that are computer controlled via the CANbus. The Spyder brake lights are still plain ol' electrical circuits with switches and wires. But not so the turn signals. The turn signals are controlled by the cluster and there is no old style flasher module for them on a Spyder.

[OlJim]

Has anyone installed this?? Sounds like they are developing it?? Their site says they call you??

I have this installed on a 2011 RT. I bought the plug and play model. Haven't had anyone ride behind me so don't know if it's annoying or not but it is adjustable.

[bushrat]

I've been enjoying my new Spyder for 1300 Miles and I absolutely love everything about it! As I'm now looking into adding some additional break-light LEDs on the back trunk, I was wondering if anyone knows how to make them flash when you are downshifting? I really like to use the engine power to downshift, and I realized that cars behind me don't know I'm slowing down when I do, which causes a dangerous situation. I would sometimes just lightly hit on the break to get the light to flash but I would rather avoid that.

Any existing products or how to guides in existence?

This was discussed a year ago on a thread I began:

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...g-light-please!!

You might want to have a look; several possibilities were discussed - Gear Brake, Vololights, Admore and a design in development for a helmet-mounted flasher. After extensive research, during which I was advised by the manufacturers that neither Gear Brake not Vololights was really satisfactory for mounting on my F3L, I went with the Admore "Smart Brake" light which works off a decelerometer, as has been described and pictured above by george123.

The Admore system functions well and is rugged. I bought it for the same reasons you want it - I love to engine-brake and don't often tap my brake pedal. The warning light is activated when my Spyder begins to decelerate; you can use numerous different settings to have the sensitivity and sequencing that you want, including turn signals and actual foot brake signal as well. You do this by connecting to a smart phone or computer. I really only wanted to signify to followers that I was slowing up; my 2017 F3L already has turn signals, brake lights and is pretty well illuminated. I merely wanted something separate, distinct and different to convey the special message:"Hey, I'm slowing". The Admore does that; I'm happy and a lot more satisfied that I have signified to others behind me what I'm doing, because I don't often or always use my right foot. I would have placed it higher up, like george123, but didn't like attaching it to my topcase; so it got placed on the licence plate bracket, with easy access to the wiring system. Pics attached.
20171027_170233.jpg20171027_170315.jpg

[CA-SPYDR]

Comes with good instructions, not plug and play though. You do have to tap into wires for the brake light, tail light, l & r blinkers. You also have to run a positive wire from the battery to power it. They also had to send me 2 wires with diodes in them, to isolate the connection with the blinkers, to prevent the sequenced flashers from stopping. You can also connect it to a computer, to adjust the sensitivity of the decelerometer.

CORRECTION: I said the red positive wire goes to the battery, it really goes to a 12 v switched source.

Oh wow, you lost me at positive wire. I am the least techy person on earth!

[CA-SPYDR]

This was discussed a year ago on a thread I began:

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...g-light-please!!

You might want to have a look; several possibilities were discussed - Gear Brake, Vololights, Admore and a design in development for a helmet-mounted flasher. After extensive research, during which I was advised by the manufacturers that neither Gear Brake not Vololights was really satisfactory for mounting on my F3L, I went with the Admore "Smart Brake" light which works off a decelerometer, as has been described and pictured above by george123.

The Admore system functions well and is rugged. I bought it for the same reasons you want it - I love to engine-brake and don't often tap my brake pedal. The warning light is activated when my Spyder begins to decelerate; you can use numerous different settings to have the sensitivity and sequencing that you want, including turn signals and actual foot brake signal as well. You do this by connecting to a smart phone or computer. I really only wanted to signify to followers that I was slowing up; my 2017 F3L already has turn signals, brake lights and is pretty well illuminated. I merely wanted something separate, distinct and different to convey the special message:"Hey, I'm slowing". The Admore does that; I'm happy and a lot more satisfied that I have signified to others behind me what I'm doing, because I don't often or always use my right foot. I would have placed it higher up, like george123, but didn't like attaching it to my topcase; so it got placed on the licence plate bracket, with easy access to the wiring system. Pics attached.
20171027_170233.jpg20171027_170315.jpg

Thank you! Is it relatively simple to connect? I'm really not technical at all.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Oh wow, you lost me at positive wire. I am the least techy person on earth!

If a fundamental aspect of electrical wiring such as positive and negative, befuddles you I suggest you have the dealer or an electricity-wise friend install it for you. They're not hard to install, but making sure you understand what to do where is not so easy. One reason is there are many wires of many colors and stripes, and sometimes it's hard to know what a wire you have hold of does. You don't want to take any chances on fouling up something electrical on your Spyder. It could end up expensive.

[bushrat]

Thank you! Is it relatively simple to connect? I'm really not technical at all.

Had my dealer do it for me when in for my first oil change. Relatively simple job for them, getting into wiring system, and no additional pieces to buy other than what Admore supplied when I ordered the light directly from them. Simply handed my dealer's tech the box, told him what it was meant to do, and left it to him to choose the best and easiest mounting solution. Charged me a small amount to cover basic extra time taken in addition to oil change, which itself was fairly priced compared to others.

[kitkat61]

Has anyone installed this?? Sounds like they are developing it?? Their site says they call you??

I have the GearBrake system. I put it on my 2015 RT-S soon after they became available. Probably the only thing I've ever been an 'early adopter' on, but I wanted something that would make the brake lights flash when I applied the brakes.

I will admit the getting the decelerometer set properly took a bit of trial an error. It seemed fine at first, would flash if I turned cruise control off or geared down which is what I wanted, but on one ride when hubby was behind me on a downhill section, he said that the lights flashed anytime I hit a bump. Once I fixed that sensitivity issue, then they still came on when gearing down, but not if I just canceled the cruise. So you might get lucky setting it the first time, but odds are you may need to tweak it a bit.

Installing it though was real easy and I am both mechanically and electrically challenged. If I don't have step-by-step instructions, and preferably with pictures, I'm lost. I gave easy to follow instructions 2 years ago .. try to follow this link: http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...79#post1158279

I know I'm late to the discussion, but I also know I'll read posts from years past, so hope this helps someone.

[ARtraveler]

Another "old schooler" here. I just flash my brakes with the foot when I want to get the driver's attention behind me. This works well when pulling into gas stations, fast food, turning into driveway, or just slowing down for a turn onto another road.

My bacon has been saved a few times by this maneuver. Distracted drivers are the bane of all of us. I also have the LED trunk light warning that lights up when the brakes are activated.

Whatever you use--it should be a consideration to warn other drivers about your intentions.

[hypurone]

I suggest you have the dealer or an electricity-wise friend install it for you.

Yup! And I myself have been known to install stuff for ryding brethren from all walks of riding! Where in Cali do you hail from CA-SPYDR ? I have a full set of tools and a lifetime of automotive/motorcycle knowledge with 22yrs of it paid as a Master ASE/ASC Tech....Wow, that makes me sound old and like it was a lifetime ago now that I'm in IT....