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Hazard Lights


dozyproductions

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Has anyone done a hazard/emergency light mod? If not does anyone have a good resource that can provide some instructions? I live in Poland and people constantly use their hazards to say thank you and modern bike bikers use them to say hello. I'm getting to the point where I feel like I'm not being grateful enough to drivers that give way for my lane splitting and etc.

Anything helps so thank you. 

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In Australia indicating right, left, right is a quick way of saying thanks.

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15 hours ago, Philois1984 said:

In Australia indicating right, left, right is a quick way of saying thanks.


I'm glad you guys have a work around for that. Haven't seen that here though. Also, a hazard light function for side of the road functions would be handy. 

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It's not something I've looked into for a while, but there's a fairly simple circuit out there you can build.  You need to use diodes.  Let me see if I can dig it out...

 

An old article from the Motorcycle Project:

 

wblogo.gifwblogo.gif.c945578e1b17d43293fc58a463d83836.gif Four-Way Flashers For Under $10
Click on an image to view a larger version.

Pow!
Ever heard of the "Dixie Cup Effect"? It's a traffic engineer's term (and nightmare). It de­scribes the accordion response that ripples through a long line of vehicles when the one in front does something to disrupt the semiconscious beta­wave state of the drivers behind him. The Dixie Cup Effect is the reason for most multi-car pileups. I don't like being a potential victim of the Dixie Cup Effect. Therefore, whenever I have to slow sud­denly, I flip on my hazard lights. I imagine this aggravates the guy with the 32oz. coffee jug (no more Dixie cup, these days) in his hand, but I don't let that bother me. Use every tool you've got to stay alive, is my motto. Hazard lights can also be useful when pulled to the side of the road for a stretch break, etc. Whatever you use them for, you'll find they add ver­satility and safety to your motorcycling.

Now
In light of their usefulness, it's strange that most manufacturers don't include them as standard equipment. A few bikes have had them. However, their manufacturer's indecisiveness is plain because on most of these machines, the keyswitch must be turned on to use the hazards. Doesn't do you much good when making roadside repairs or going for a can of gas, does it?

Wow!
Adding hazard flashers is cheap, easy, and effective. Do it yourself and you won't have to plunk down forty bucks or so for a bulky black box with an absolutely atrocious General Motors dashboard pull-switch sticking out of it. I have used the following system on my own and others' machines, and you can too.

How
There are actually two ways to wire this up. One is
cleaner and more like OEM, but requires that you give up your bike's engine kill switch. The kill switch will be used for the on/off for the flashers, and will no longer turn off the engine. If you use this method, you are on your own, and I am not going to be responsible for your not having a kill switch. Blah, blah, blah...(legal disclaimer). The other method is not as neat, but you get to keep your kill switch. Chose your method, and proceed.

hazards03.jpg.633b82760b27d56f1e28a2a914b8c958.jpg
Method #1
        hazards12.jpg.5a9bd524faf576387aade0a3595cb00a.jpg
Method #2
 

term_kit.jpg.3c1cfc79356cb52d4506950d32729cfa.jpg
Before beginning, here are some general electrical work tips. First, disconnect the battery while digging into your electrical system. Second, solder -- don't crimp -- all connections, using 60/40 rosin-core solder and 18 gauge wire. Third, for factory-like pull-apart connections, use Honda's or Yamaha's OEM terminal kit. Order the kit, or just the individual terminals (makes more sense). It's the same kit (and parts) from either manufacturer, but it will make stock-like connections that you will be proud of. Remember however to still solder the connectors to the wire instead of crimping them.

For either method, you will need the following basic items. At any auto parts store, pick up a universal DOT #552 flasher unit. The DOT #552 flasher is load-independent, which simply means that unlike most OEM flashers it doesn't matter how many or what kind of turnsignals are attached to it, it flashes at the same rate in any case. This is the ideal thing for hazard flashers. Also pick up a few feet of stranded copper, 18 ga. "primary" automotive wire. This is general purpose connecting wire fuse_holder_sm.jpg.26bbfdaf513ab4746e06a83770b89f92.jpgthat approximately matches what is on your bike. Purchase a 1/4" eyelet, either from the terminal kit or from an auto parts store. Finally, pick up some shrink tubing, an in-line fuse holder (Radio Shack #270-1281), and a 10-amp fuse. Open the fuse holder and solder the crimped-on connectors before proceeding.

Method #1
hazards01.jpg.a35cdbd867d0e473e751b552eac7ebbd.jpg
hazards04sm.jpgFor this method, pick up a package of diodes, Radio Shack part #276-1141. Find and disconnect your bike's right handlebar switch connector from the wiring harness. With diagonal cutters, slit the plastic sheath­ing of the switch's cable to within three inches of the switch assembly. Don't use a razor blade -you'll ruin the wir­ing.

The following directions are for Hondas. You will need to figure out how to translate hazards04.jpg.cbe24a985de1ff3640fbe9841499b045.jpgthe connections and colors if working with another brand. Follow this closely. We're concerned with three wires inside the sheathing. First, find the splice made hazards05.jpg.60c1a3dc538fbff6255579d294e34729.jpgby the factory of two black wires, Kill Switch Figure 1. Separate this splice to isolate the kill switch's power feed from the rest of the system, Kill Switch Figure 2. Tape-insulate the ex­posed bit of the still intact black wire. To the freed wire, add about five feet of wire, the #552 flasher, the in-line fuse holder and fuse, and the 1/4" eyelet. Solder and shrink­ tube. This completes the power-in side to the newly appointed hazards switch. Now, moving toward the connector end of the cable, cut the black/white wire (black with a white stripe), Kill Switch Figure 3. This removes hazards07.jpg.5963fdc26929ed823acbe2a3fdef60ae.jpgthe ignition coil(s) from the kill switch. Splice on a couple feet of wire and solder in the two diodes. The diodes will isolate the left and right turnsignal circuits hazards09.jpg.ef8d74c66107e5fc40fd78cd08ba3ec0.jpgfrom each other. There are two things to think about regarding diodes. First, pay attention to the diode's markings in the illustration. This circuit won't work if they're put in backward. Second, when soldering the diodes, grip each one with pliers between the soldering gun and the semicon­ductor itself to prevent heat damage. Still with me? Just one more step. Splice the loose black/white wire onto the still-intact black wire, Kill Switch Figure 4. This connects the ignition coil(s) to power again within the system (after the hazards10b.jpg.350caecb66771f0ed78bf7a244e3c33c.jpgkeyswitch). Now just tape the sheath­ing back up, and use a small zip tie to finish off your taping job. Attach one of the diodes to the light blue (not the light blue/white) wire, and the other to the orange (not the orange/white) turnsignal wire in­side your bike's headlight shell or fairing. See
Kill Switch Figure 5.

Method #2
hazards02.jpg.7a34bca91db888f93e5c72be368ffca1.jpg

 

DPST.jpg.a791ca31839e945de2532e6199f9cc92.jpgzMethod #2 uses a DPST switch instead of the bike's kill switch, and no diodes. The diodes aren't needed because the switch's two poles isolate the left and right turnsignal circuits from each other mechanically. Solder everything together as shown and tape or shrink-tube the whole thing. The eyelet end goes to the battery + termi­nal and the other two ends go to the right (light blue, on Hondas) and left (orange, on Hondas) turn signal wires inside either the headlight shell or fairing.

Mike Nixon

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

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Shouldn't be hard...... momentary switch, or DPST... adapt an idea from FRS radio users needing a Push to Talk switch... a round push-button switch into a home-made bracket mounted to the bottom of one of the switch pods (left or right)... very compact, hit the button with your thumb.  Some use one of the existing screws or (if you check first) can drill a small hole if it's not going to hit anything inside/above it and use a screw and two-way tape.

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Thanks you guys. Goldmine of information here. Curious, have you guys gone through the 'procedure'? Always felt it weird that bikes didn't have this option. I wonder, can a LED fast flasher relay be used for method 2? I have LEDs on all lights. 

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The LED flashers I think would be best, I assume you have one now or have load resistors with the stock one.  If you use a regular flasher not designed for LED's flash rate will be higher, that's all... might even be better for what you're using it for as a "thank you" light.  The only way is to try a particular flasher and see what the flash rate is.

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