Product Report

[ribbert]

You got laws that you actually in force, geez whats the world coming to. Laws around here are kinda opinions  
George

yes mate, it's not like the pirates code  


in NSW they just introduced a new indicator rule for approaching a left turn at a roundabout saying that you should start indicating much sooner, all at the policeman's discretion of course, so if he thinks you didn't indicate soon enough he can book you, gota love it.

We still have a get out of jail free card once in the roundabout in that if "you" think your are in a dangerous position you don't have to indicate.

life's a bitch  

Lucky you, Police discretion in traffic matters no longer applies down here.

Roadside chats, warnings and lectures are a thing of the past as the government moves towards zero tolerance and letter of the law enforcement.

[racerman_27410]

I use turn signals and hand signals (then they get the horns) .....i think some of the idiots around here think turnsignals are targets so i try to interact with the cagers around me.... hopefully including some eye contact so i can define my space and exsistance.

Cancelling the turn signal really hasnt ever been an issue for me.... as soon as i straighten up from the turn my left thumb automagically hits the button.... its used to covering the horn button anyway.

if its just a lane change on the flow of traffic i normally just use hand signals as that really seems to get peoples attention better and IMO is faster and can be more exaggerated/directed than a turn signal alone..... especially when combined with a little attention getter from the supertones for the daydreamers.    

That being said i have ridden with many people who leave their signals flashing from one turn to the next so i can see where a chronic forgetter would want to get some help!

leave it to a cager to actually see your turn signal the one time you are NOT actually turning.

KOokaloo!



KOokaloo!

[ribbert]

I like to think I'm not a complete idiot on a bike and 99.9% of the time I turn them off. It is the odd occasion when something unexpected takes your attention right at that moment that you leave them on.
That to me is enough to take measures to stop it happening.
Once is enough to kill you if you're unlucky.

Noel

[movenon]

Yes on a lot of older bikes it is easy to forget to cancel the signal. I think I have been there ! The FJ is the first bike I have ever owned with self cancelling signals, still amazes me....

ribbert:
         I think here you are supposed to give your signals 5 sec before you change lanes. NEVER happens, well rarely. . I can't remember anyone getting a ticket for not using there signals (mostly they are one fingered) . They are hot on aggressive driving/riding , speeding, and failing to stop, stuff like that. Motorcycles sometimes get special attention it seems. The LEO's monitor the local bike forums here and are usually on any road there is a planned ride. Of course the "fun to ride" roads get extra patrols on week ends and holidays.

Some places are working on what I call "anti stunting" laws on top of the existing laws. Special attension to wheeling down the freeway, standing on the seat at freeway speeds etc.. But when they make blanket statements like you have to be on your seat at all times while in motion, feet must be on the foot pegs at all times while in motion, you can see how that effects everyone. I think one state was lobbying to manufactures to put a reduced power switch in motorcycle seats so if you raised up it would start to cut out on you..

I have noticed that in Calif when you give a turn signal no matter how congested it is they will open up and let you in. Here its a crap shoot. Often as not they close up trying to prevent you from entering  "there" space. Its strange how some people process information.
George

[Pat Conlon]

I have heard that the reason Yamaha discontinued self canceling indicators was due to product liability.
It seems that a few modules failed to self cancel and fatalities occurred.
I think the moral of the story is to always manually turn off your indicators.....that way it doesn't matter what FJ I'm riding, my '84 or my'92.....Easy to say.

I've grown lazy riding my '84 for 29 years relying on something that can fail. I need to change my habits.

I still like the idea of a more visible indicator light.  I think I'll buy one...or two. It's only chump change.

Thanks for the tip Noel

[Zwartie]

I used to be a big fan of self cancelling signals. I had 3 bikes in a row with it - '81 Seca 750, '84 V45 Sabre and '86 FJ1200. Then I got my '92 FJ and thought "what the...?". For the past few years I've been doing M2Exit exams (graduated licencing in Ontario) where we train and test riders on the street for their full M licence. It became apparent really fast that self cancelling signals are not as great as I firs thought. They can either cancel too soon or stay on too long and in both cases that can make for a potentially unsafe scenario. I have just gotten into the habit of keeping my thumb on the signal switch so I'm ready to cancel it. That being said, I have left it on from time to time. A visual reminder would be a good thing.

Question: What's the deal with Harleys and BMWs having separate left and right switches on each handlebar? Seems goofy and inefficient to me. I can understand Harley, but BMW? I would have thought the German engineers would have gotten it right!

Comment: It sure would be nice if all motorcycles had hazard lights / 4-way flashers.

Zwartie

[fj11.5]

I fitted xjr switches and now have 4 way flashers,  easy as chaging the left switch block

[ribbert]

I fitted xjr switches and now have 4 way flashers,  easy as chaging the left switch block

I guess they introduced them at some point, my '93 has them standard.

[fj11.5]

Probably the exact same switches ,just transfered to the xjr,s, , do the 93,s have the throttle cable splitter box under the tank,  or like xjr and just use two full lenghth cables, as I fitted xjr right hand side too

[ribbert]

Probably the exact same switches ,just transfered to the xjr,s, , do the 93,s have the throttle cable splitter box under the tank,  or like xjr and just use two full lenghth cables, as I fitted xjr right hand side too

No splitter, two full length cables.

[fj11.5]

That's good to know, ill check the prices on both xjr ones may be cheaper if you need one, ,thanks mate

[crzyjarmans]

ok, Guess I need to change my post, as my turn signals self cancelled yesterday for the first time on there own, but it only happed once, I going to try and take apart the casing again and see if some more lubricant will help, I like the idea of working self cancelling turn signals, because I have forgotten to turn them off from time to time

[rktmanfj]

I fitted xjr switches and now have 4 way flashers,  easy as chaging the left switch block

I guess they introduced them at some point, my '93 has them standard.

My '78 XS750 had them, IIRC.

[Arnie]

Shawn,

The self-cancelling signals work with by having a reed switch in the speedo housing that acts as a counter and a timer circuit in the control unit.  The reed switch can be knocked out of position by a hard knock.  If you go into the speedo section you can see if its not mounted properly.
Otherwise, be aware that this self-cancel feature requires BOTH a time and a distance to elapse before the signal turns off.

Arnie

ok, Guess I need to change my post, as my turn signals self cancelled yesterday for the first time on there own, but it only happed once, I going to try and take apart the casing again and see if some more lubricant will help, I like the idea of working self cancelling turn signals, because I have forgotten to turn them off from time to time

[andyb]

Cancelling the turn signal really hasnt ever been an issue for me.... as soon as i straighten up from the turn my left thumb automagically hits the button.... its used to covering the horn button anyway.
{...}
leave it to a cager to actually see your turn signal the one time you are NOT actually turning.

Exactly!!  

I didn't say that I don't signal, though I don't bother if there's no one around to see it.  It's definitely not an automatic reflex for me, it's a deliberate thing to turn them on and display my intentions.  But that's for courtesy and legal liability, not for safety.  Icould paint my bike flat black, remove the taillight, and ride at night.  Wouldn't change how I deal with situations on the bike, as far as trying to maintain safety.  Counting on someone else's actions to ensure your own safety seems a fool's gamble to me.

Strangely, it is reflex to cancel my signals.  Even if I didn't use them, as part of my corner exit routine (bike upright, scan for escape routes, unusual traffic, usual traffic, non-motor transport, pets, click up a gear or two, cancel signals, check both mirrors, etc... mostly done in a couple seconds).  And I often find myself cancelling them more than once.  Do the 90 models even have self-cancelling signals?  I wouldn't know if I did, nor if it worked, as I've never seen any point, other than more things to go wrong.  Come to think of it, it makes me wonder if any of my bikes do.

It's kinda the same to me with the idea of having to have a ridiculously loud horn.  Not something that I really need to stay safe, but something to help when it's too dark for other drivers to see your helpful hand gesticulations... and then I ask myself if it's really worth the money to give people the finger through sound.  Nah.  If they're dense enough to do something that pisses me off to that degree, they're dense enough that they'll assume someone else is being honked at.