[Xyzzy]

I'm a bit slow, so this install took a whole afternoon, but my excuse is I had no idea what I was doing!

I do have a service manual which helps.

I recently purchased a Kisan HD-100 brake light modulator.

http://kisantech.com/mag/index.php/tailblazer/100hd.html

They sell them direct on amazon.com for about $10 cheaper.

I like the design because the blinking decays rather than just frantically blinking.

tailBlazer uses a flash pattern which decays exponentially - a well-recognized deceleration warning. The attention to the initial flashing now changes to a clear recognition that you're beginning to slow down!

Anyways, I received the order in two days which I think is exceptional. I also had some questions and when I called the lady on the phone (Heather) had all of the answers I needed. The module is designed and manufactured in the USA, too.

I was supposed to install it in the harness under the seat, but I was really worried about trashing a big bundle of wires, so I decided to mount the modulator back where the light is. The wiring back there is much simpler.

The module has screw-down connectors to insert the wire ends in. It is a nice design.

There are three wires in the wire loom attached to the rear brake light. One wire powers the running light, one powers the brake light and one is the ground. Of course, I used the wrong wire at first! The clue was that when I turned on the ignition, the running lights when through the blink deal and the brake lights did not work at all. I switched the wire and now everything works fine. I "fixed" the wire I wasn't supposed to cut with a really small wire nut. If it vibrates loose I have a soldering station that I can use to make it a better connection.

In the pictures you will see several things.

1 - The part of the bike under the fender is filthy. That is almost 6,000 miles of grime. I cleaned most of it off after I took the pictures.

2 - Getting the fender off involves taking the saddle bags off, the seats off, the rear pegs off, some panels off and some weird pop-pins. It was hard the first time through but now I could probably take all of that stuff off in much less time. For now I am leaving the saddle bags off just because I don't use them much and they make the bike feel "fat" to me.

3 - The module is pretty small and barely fits next to the wire bundle. I had to plan this out very carefully to make sure the input wire was on the right side and stuff like that. Fortunately it worked out. The module has a velcro strip that you use to mount it.

4 - I don't have the links handy but from what I have read brake light modulators really help with visibility and safety.



Here is a video of the brake light modulator in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YpAbCW_vbI



Please cut me some slack on my voice. I have a cracked piece of cartilage in my larynx that makes talking a bit rough. I am hoping to get it fixed (surgery) this winter. My son is the one operating the levers and stuff.

Here are some pictures. The first one shows the mounted modulator and the remaining four show how the rear frame area looks like without a fender.

 

[Xyzzy]

I'm too late to edit the original post.

Here is the installation manual for the brake light modulator: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8230728/f6c-brake-light-modulator-installation-manual.pdf

 

[westgl]

Those are some great pictures.

That Rear steel sub frame looks pretty beefy/heavy.

The Rear fender does Not have to go all the way over and shroud the Rear tire.

I would not mind showing off a little more rear tire.

I would also like a single seat, I have at least two of the Old Valkyrie single seats, in my shop that are in excellent condition, they were nice looking and pretty comfortable too.

 

[westgl]

I also Have several rear fenders off of the 80's era Goldwing.

I hate modding a new bike though.

 

[westgl]

I have had Modulators on bikes before, both headlight and tail light modulators, they work very well I have had the wigwag back off models.

Any time you create Movement with light it will catch the attention of the drivers that are awake but are tuned out.

Does the new Valk have the Flash to pass for the headlight switch on the left grip switch cluster the flash to pass is a separate switch from your Hi/Low beam selector?

I use the head light Flash to pass button very often, it flashes the headlight from low to highbeam as long as you hold the button on.

I use it to create movement, especially when I have not made eye contact with the driver of a car, sometime a car driver can look over at you and right through you and never see you, I will flash the head light at them.

New cars are so well insulated, and the new stereos are 150watt+ in most new cars, where horns and loud exhausts dont work.

But flashing a headlight and creating the movement will.

Or you can get a headlight Modulator, that will automatically do it for you, they have a optic so they only flash during the day, and the flashing stops at dusk.

 

[Xyzzy]

Does the new Valk have the Flash to pass for the headlight switch on the left grip switch cluster the flash to pass is a separate switch from your Hi/Low beam selector?

The "flash-to-pass" is part of the headlight switch. It is a momentary switch position below the normal lights.

I leave my high beams on all of the time.

 

[Jean-mi]

I would install the brake light modulator Kisan HD-100, but can be a risk because of multiplexed wiring harness?
I dare not go for it, but it's great ok, nice and safe.
Xyzzy, you are a champion, and thank you for all the info and pictures

 

[Xyzzy]

I have been riding the bike with the modulator installed for a while now. I test it before every ride to make sure it still works.

It seems like it is very noticeable. I feel like people give me a bit of extra room with it flashing. I had one guy in a pickup pull up next to me and tell me my brake light was broken because it was flashing. I'm just glad he noticed the light.

I think it really helps in that hour between daytime and night time where things are harder to see. I can sometimes see the brake light flashing behind me being reflected off of objects like parked cars and stuff.

If I had any complaint, other than the fact the bike does not have a modulator from the factory, I would say that the light should continue to flash (slowly) when the brake is held for a very long time, like at a stop light. Right not I reapply the brakes every 15 seconds or so to make sure if there is anybody coming up behind me that they can see me. I would think adding this feature to the programming would be easy.