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Invisibility Training for Motorcycles (video)

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
It's finally getting to be motorcycle season. Days are warming up. April rains are waining. Good weather is coming. We've had a few isolated days where the bikers have been out on the roads, but the season is upon us. If you ride a motorcycle you know you go unseen.

"Invisibility Training for Motorcycles"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x94...aXAmtgJ7KgCK66b2RLwxwnAIjeHelCNl9LOqgkvVMruts

It clearly explains why cars don't see us. Made by a motorcyclist for us, so we understand. We will never get drivers to see us unless we do things, it's actually not that they don't care, it's that their brain doesn't register us as visible. In essence, we need to make ourselves visible to them and not assume they can see us.

 

Bamby

New member
Fascinating isn't it. We assume and take for granted so many things we fail to realize discrepancies such as discussed in the video exist. I remember another article on vision I found interesting some time back and it went into other vision discrepancies that exist that weren't even mentioned on this video. I remember applying some of the information myself and was fascinated by realizing what I was missing in my general view of things.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Fascinating isn't it. We assume and take for granted so many things....

Yup

HD riders claim "loud pipes saves lives" but for the most part that is untrue because of the doppler effect and that fact that most of the noise is behind the rider. I'm sure if the car has its radio and A/C turned off and the windows open the loud pipes might help some.

I installed extra auxiliary lighting on the front end. They are fork mounted LEDs with a wide spread beam. Any movement of the handlebars obviously moves the lights. The rear also has added lights too, but I think those are less necessary. I'm mostly worried about the people turning left at an intersection. They don't seem to ever see motorcycles. Honestly looking to install a set of Barkbuster hand guards with lights on the Barkbusters just to get more visibility on the front side of the bikes.

The video pretty much explains why. :thumbup:
 

Bannedjoe

Well-known member
I've watched many of Ryan's videos over the last few years.
He's a great teacher, and reviewer of MC gear.

I don't ride all that often, but when I do, it's probably 90% highway, and 10% surface streets.
My biggest struggle is it's 8 miles to the paved road on heavily washboarded sandy roads. so I must take the extra steps to trailer a bike in and out, and that's a PITA, until I finally come across a realistically priced MC trailer.

If cash wasn't an issue, I'd have one of these in a heartbeat:
5H1dzKW.gif


I'm also in the club that pretends absolutely everyone on the road is TRYING to kill me.
I'm always looking for that pocket on the highway where no one else is around me, and when I find it, I try to stay there whether I have to speed up or slow down to do it.

I also try to use cars to my advantage when going through intersections, such as staying in the right hand lane with a car on my left as I go through.

Another thing one of my bikes is equipped with is the "Back off" module, that causes my brake lights to pulsate when they are applied.
I also have something called a vololight.
It's a license plate frame with LED's that flash when it experiences deceleration.
This helps when you're engine braking and not using your brakes for those behind you to notice you're slowing down.

Another thing out there is the pulsating headlights, but as effective as they may be, I hate seeing them on other bikes, and in certain areas with certain driving practices, they could actually cause an accident.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
...
Another thing one of my bikes is equipped with is the "Back off" module, that causes my brake lights to pulsate when they are applied.
I also have something called a vololight.
It's a license plate frame with LED's that flash when it experiences deceleration.
This helps when you're engine braking and not using your brakes for those behind you to notice you're slowing down...

I like the idea of the pulsating lights in the rear.

Both bikes have extra rear lights, but honestly I'm mostly worried about the left hand turners at intersections. Statistics say they are most likely to kill bikers.

As for the oscillating headlights, i believe those are illegal in many/most areas, but I do think they help, especially in town/city driving.



I don't ride all that often, but when I do, it's probably 90% highway, and 10% surface streets...
FWIW, of my riding, I think it is safe to say that under 1% of my riding is on the interstate highways. 80% is 2 lane, 4 lane, 4 lane divided rural or suburban highway. The remaining 19.5% is small town and suburban traffic. I actively avoid interstates. Perhaps because the superslabs near me are typically 8 and 10 lanes, occupied by crazed drivers commenting to and from Chicago.

But honestly if I am going to go somewhere I want to enjoy the view and the ride. Interstate highways rarely have scenic views. We were thinking of riding Route 66 this summer and the major maps suggest you follow the "new" path, which is mostly interstates with some stretches of the "old" 66 route as suggested route. But there are some maps and guides that show the "old" mother road and alternatives off the interstates. We had it mapped out to follow 66 from Chicago's south suburbs through Albuquerque with only a few miles on interstates where we crossed the Mississippi river and a couple other unavoidable spots where we needed to hop on.
 

thepooguy

Member
a car behind you is the worst....people try to beat the car when making a left and dont see you in front of it. chrome camo adapts to any surrounding.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
a car behind you is the worst....people try to beat the car when making a left and dont see you in front of it. chrome camo adapts to any surrounding.

That is why I like extra lights on the front.

6 high intensity LEDs on each side of the front fork... can you see me now :hammer:

I'm thinking of adding 2 more sets of the same lights, but with yellow lenses, to Barkbusters on the grips.
 

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Bannedjoe

Well-known member
I like the idea of the pulsating lights in the rear.

Both bikes have extra rear lights, but honestly I'm mostly worried about the left hand turners at intersections. Statistics say they are most likely to kill bikers.

As for the oscillating headlights, i believe those are illegal in many/most areas, but I do think they help, especially in town/city driving.



FWIW, of my riding, I think it is safe to say that under 1% of my riding is on the interstate highways. 80% is 2 lane, 4 lane, 4 lane divided rural or suburban highway. The remaining 19.5% is small town and suburban traffic. I actively avoid interstates. Perhaps because the superslabs near me are typically 8 and 10 lanes, occupied by crazed drivers commenting to and from Chicago.

But honestly if I am going to go somewhere I want to enjoy the view and the ride. Interstate highways rarely have scenic views. We were thinking of riding Route 66 this summer and the major maps suggest you follow the "new" path, which is mostly interstates with some stretches of the "old" 66 route as suggested route. But there are some maps and guides that show the "old" mother road and alternatives off the interstates. We had it mapped out to follow 66 from Chicago's south suburbs through Albuquerque with only a few miles on interstates where we crossed the Mississippi river and a couple other unavoidable spots where we needed to hop on.

When I wrote highway, I wasn't necessarily talking superslabs.

I always look for those routes less traveled, and they may add many more miles to the trip, but who cares? You're out there to ride, right?

Sometimes, the superslab can't be avoided as you said.

I used to ride daily, almost always surface streets to get back and forth from work. Stop lights and intersections galore.
I had wayyyy more close calls on them than I ever did any highway.

I always ride defensively, but the thought of installing a harpoon gun on my bike has been considered often.
You just pull up behind the offending car, and launch a harpoon into their trunk that has an asshole flag attached.

If you're seen driving with more than one asshole flag sticking out of your car, you get a ticket!
KNvr6Vh.gif
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
The lovely Mrs_Bob and I took the bikes out for a nice ride. All rural with the exception of visiting a small farming community. Virtually no traffic, so no problems with cars not seeing us. Got barked at by dogs, waved to people walking and enjoying a nice day.

Washed both bikes after we returned home.

On the front forks, at the axel, you can see the small LED array that we installed for extra visibility. 6 high intensity LED lights on each array, one array on each side of the wheel.
 

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