LED Flashing Brake Light

Ken Valkyrie

Ken Valkyrie

Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
318
Age
81
Location
MA
Bike
09 ST1300A
I have had the Hyper-Lites S16 flashing LED brake light on my ST for a few years. ( 2" wide x 1/2" high)
Now as I approach 80 years old in a few weeks I'd like to replace my Hyper-Lite with something a bit brighter, More attention grabbing.

The www.stobesnmore.com LED's are bigger ( 3 1/2" wide x 1 1/8" high) and have built in flashing modes.
I am looking at two models: Whelen LIN3 and the Whelen TIR3
https://www.strobesnmore.com/whelen-linear-3-super-led.html (LIN3)
https://www.strobesnmore.com/whelen-tir3-super-leds.html (TIR3)
Would appreciate your experience and input
 
I went with the Whelen LIN3s on all four of my ST1100s.
They are about the same size as the rear reflector on the ST1100 tailpiece and the rear reflector on the ST1300 (IIRC).
I just replaced the rear reflector with the LIN3.
I leave mine on constant flash when braking (don't really care if it is legal or not since hitting me from behind is not legal! ;))
Cars usually stay about two lengths back since they don't know if I am a policeman or what is going on.
I had a drunk following me too close one time so I hit the brakes and when they lit up he almost ran off the road - then stayed way back! :biggrin:
You have to wire a ground and a hot to your brake light circuit.
There is a third wire which allows you to change the flash pattern but I leave mine on the default.
 
If you really want something bright, get a whelen M7. These are used on emergency vehicles. Its a bit big, but @tonythecarguy has one on his ST, and I have one on my V Strom. There are, I think 150 odd flash patterns, I chose 4 flashes then steady. They can be a bit pricey, but they do come up at a fraction of the list price on ebay. Go with the red one, regardless of the lens color. These are so bright, my riding buddies complained so I covered it with theatre film to knock down the brightness. Tony did the same. The other Whelen lights in the M series are simply smaller (physically) than the 7. You would have to call them to ask if they are as bright.

As a bonus, if you are cruising along and just touch your brake lever to turn on the brake lights, the photon push will boost your speed about 10 mph. :rofl1:
 
I don't see any difference between the LIN3 and the TIR3, the E3's have a combo light now: flood & spot
 
Ken Valkyrie said:
Would appreciate your experience and input
Click to expand...
Every one of those strobes in your post works great on EMS vehicles though Whelen and Federal (not listed) get the lion's share of EMS lighting markets. Any one is more than bright enough for "civilian" use.

There's a Whelen LIN6 that has a wider horizontal spread that makes it a good choice but I feel it's way brighter than needed. But that's a preference.

I have the Strobes n More E3 and it like a lot. It's honestly too bright for nighttime use but works very well in the light of day. Well at least for civilian (there's that pesky word again) use. I like the SnM E3 because it's an exact fit for the reflector pad. Exact. But that's not a critical metric. I just moved the reflector to the hole at the bottom of the fender.

One of the SnM strobes has a lead that when connected to a switch will reduce the output by 50% IIRC. That's great for nighttime use. My E3 doesn't have that. In daytime use I've noticed drivers behind me obviously annoyed by the light and often stopping way back or creeping up enough where they don't get a blinding light.

Know the lighting laws where you live. These lights are bright and may draw unwanted attention. My E3 doesn't have a CA legal flash pattern so I keep off the brakes as much as possible. Most every state has a law about glaring lights. Go by the book or embrace you're inner Outlaw —you're choice. But you really should know the state laws in case a copper doesn't.

People are quick to point out "cops don't know nuthin' 'bout lighting codes" etc and "you won't get stopped". But if you're the one person in the history of mankind that gets a tag for illegal lighting well then it sucks to be you. Cue the "why aren't you at a donut shop or catching real criminals" violins. I've never been stopped because of my strobe but I try not to push my luck.

There's also a thread here about placing a diode inline with one of the brake light switches so while both the front and rear brake levers will activate your brake lights only one of them (your choice) will activate the strobe. I like that idea. Great mod.
 
If you do replace the rear reflector with an extra light please ensure you put at least another red rear reflector somewhere.
It would really suck for your bike to be parked and hit because it didn't reflect and be seen soon enough.
I think most DOT laws state reflectors (passive lighting devices) are also required on vehicles.
 
SMSW said:
If you really want something bright, get a whelen M7. These are used on emergency vehicles. Its a bit big, but @tonythecarguy has one on his ST, and I have one on my V Strom. There are, I think 150 odd flash patterns, I chose 4 flashes then steady. They can be a bit pricey, but they do come up at a fraction of the list price on ebay. Go with the red one, regardless of the lens color. These are so bright, my riding buddies complained so I covered it with theatre film to knock down the brightness. Tony did the same. The other Whelen lights in the M series are simply smaller (physically) than the 7. You would have to call them to ask if they are as bright.

As a bonus, if you are cruising along and just touch your brake lever to turn on the brake lights, the photon push will boost your speed about 10 mph. :rofl1:
Click to expand...

I can attest to the "Photon torpedos" that TonyTheCarGuy launches from the rear of his ST-1300. That M7 is literally PAINFUL to look at when lit at full brightness, even in the middle of the day. And I'm thinking it will give you more like 15MPH boost!!
 
I hope I haven't blown $54. on the LIN3, just got it today and I can't get it to function like I thought it would.
I may have misunderstood the function or purpose of the LIN3.

I disconnected my Hyper-Lites that have worked perfectly as I wanted them to since 2013 (to hook up the new LIN3).
The Hyper-Lites (they are LED's) would light up only when I applied the brakes,
then they would flash for about 5-6 seconds, then stay on steady until the brake was released.

I hooked up the LIN3, It seems to have the choice of a steady on mode only or the choice of many continuously flashing modes.
But no flashing when braking for just a few seconds and then a steady on.
I don't want to have the the light continuously flashing while my brake is on, especially when sitting at a stop light.

HELP I'm stymied :confused:
 
AFAIK, the LIN3s do not have a 'flash-stop' mode since they are for emergency vehicles.
I sort of like mine flashing which I stop since the chance is an inattentive driver will tag you from behind while you are sitting there.
I've been known to let off the brake and then put them back on to wake up a driver coming up on my rear! :biggrin:
 
Last edited:
Ken Valkyrie said:
HELP I'm stymied
Click to expand...


Somewhere here is a thread were the LIN3 was set just to work off the lever not the pedal. I'll look...

Found it.

De link third brake light from pedal | Electronics / Electrical

Greetings all, I was wondering if anyone has third brake light that they only operate with the lever. I have an 07 and above ABS P and a LIN 3 strobe. Currently it is operated with the brake light but I would like to isolate it so it only works with the lever. Reason being at a stop light I...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com
 
Last edited:
I put the link
David Fyffe said:
Down load the instruction sheet for the LIN3 from their web site.
I have one where the reflector used to be.
I have mine set to flash 3 times and then stay on.
Click to expand...
I put the ink in my previous post. Do you recall the pattern name?

Available Scan-Lock™ Patterns:

SYNCFlash Patterns:
1. SignalAlert™ 75 Phase 1
2. SignalAlert™ 75 Phase 2
3. CometFlash® 75 Phase 1
4. CometFlash® 75 Phase 2
5. DoubleFlash 75 Phase 1
6. DoubleFlash 75 Phase 2
7. SingleFlash 75 Phase 1
8. SingleFlash 75 Phase 2
9. ComAlert™ 75 Phase 1
10. ComAlert™ 75 Phase 2
11. LongBurst™ 75 Phase 1
12. LongBurst™ 75 Phase 2
13. PingPong™ 75 Phase 1
14. PingPong™ 75 Phase 2

Regular Flash Patterns:
15. SingleFlash 60
16. SIngleFlash 90
17. SingleFlash 120
18. SingleFlash 300
19. DoubleFlash 150
20. ComAlert™ 150
21. ActionFlash™ 1
22. ActionFlash™ 2
23. ModuFlash™
24. ActionScan™
25. Steady
 
Uncle Phil said:
AFAIK, the LIN3s do not have a 'flash-stop' mode
Click to expand...
I think Uncle Phil & Larry Fine nailed it.
I'll call Strobes-N-More tomorrow to double check, maybe they will let me return then. They were shipped from Rhode Island, right next to MA.
I may go back to using Hyper-Lites, I'll just double up on them to make them more.
 
The Soundoff EL3PSNR is a hot seller; it fits a lot better as a brake light. I've done a dozen plus.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom