KymcoForum.com
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Iahawk on June 21, 2021, 09:31:45 PM
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I just hit 1000 posts, woo hoo! In honor of that odd occurrence...I thought I'd post about a new toy I have. I bought a Brake Free helmet mounted, wireless, tail, brake light. I've seen some ads and info on this and finally watched a youtube vid recently that made may me say, what the heck, I'm ordering it.
It attaches to the back of your helmet, has no wires and has a rechargeable battery in it. It has built in accelerometer / gyroscope, etc, to detect when you slow down, down shift, etc. Many times on bikes (scoots) we don't use our brakes as much due to the engine braking. This flashes a bright light when it detects you slowing. It's also mounted closer to car driver's eye level, making us easier to see. The pic on my helmet is just the tail light on, not the brake light.
I only have about 3 rides with it so far..but so far so good. I'll keep using it and report back the good or bad in the future.
One more step in my never ending, nerdy, safety quest! (and it looks kind of cool)
Safe riding to all.
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Good to know, something like this exists.
..and of course congrats to YOUR millennium.🍹
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Looks good Hawk, think I’m going to check if it’s available on the UK market! And like Ruffus said, we’ll done on passing the 1K mark!
Update - not currently available in UK and I see the price Stateside is $170? I shudder to think what the shipping to here would be on top of that!
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Neil, I believe it's a relatively new, start up company. Hopefully they will be successful and expand the distribution of their product to other markets. I recall mine was around $159 USD with free shipping? I bought direct from the manufacturer.
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Neil, I believe it's a relatively new, start up company. Hopefully they will be successful and expand the distribution of their product to other markets. I recall mine was around $159 USD with free shipping? I bought direct from the manufacturer.
Looks like the current price is $169.99, and shipping is free in the U.S.
Hawk - are you really, really happy with it. I'm considering getting one, and would appreciate any pros and cons you may have about the unit.
Jeff
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jak51 - I am happy so far but I've only used it 3 times for less than 3 hours, total. It appears solid and well made. It does work...I can swing my helmet and stop it and it lights up like a Christmas tree! I'm waiting to get a reaction from a driver or another rider..hasn't happened, yet. I can only think that it will help. It is really in the car driver's line of sight and is bright.
My new Honda Helix has a brake light at about child knee level...terrible...so this will be wonderful when I'm on that scoot.
Other than wondering about battery life (they claim 10 hours..) and actual battery lifetime...(all rechargeable batteries crap out, eventually)...I'm very pleased with this. I'm sure you're right on the price...I was going off my fuzzy memory.
The con is it is fairly expensive for what it is...but the Pro is it may save my life..saving my life always wins!
(I can picture Stig wearing this on his early morning, dark and foggy rides...)
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Interesting accessory.
Have seen several variations of this idea.
Yes, I quickly enhanced my rear running & brake lighting, on each of 4 scooters. The LIKE has wraparound LEDs on giant top case; the Liberty has a nearly blinding AdMore LED light bar.
Now, after 8 years I'm looking into enhancing my visibility by trading in my cab yellow helmet for a hi vis yellow helmet. Shopping another modular with the most hi vis yellow available. Search hampered somewhat by needing a 3 or 4 X. Usually found only in special larger shell.
Stig
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jak51 - I am happy so far but I've only used it 3 times for less than 3 hours, total. It appears solid and well made. It does work...I can swing my helmet and stop it and it lights up like a Christmas tree! I'm waiting to get a reaction from a driver or another rider..hasn't happened, yet. I can only think that it will help. It is really in the car driver's line of sight and is bright.
The con is it is fairly expensive for what it is...but the Pro is it may save my life..saving my life always wins!
Thanks. My brake light on the GV 250 is painfully low, and the brake light on the GIVI trunk box is not so bright. I think the helmet light could be a real plus for enhancing visibility to drivers behind me. From the research I've done since I read your earlier post, the Brake Free is expensive, but seems much more well designed than cheaper alternatives. I don't like the helmet lights that require bluetooth linkage via a hard wire connection to the scoot's brake light, and the wireless ones on Amazon don't have the technical efficiency the Brake Free light has. So I may bite the bullet and order the Brake Free light in the next day or so.
Thanks again.
Jeff
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if you get it, be sure to let us know what you think of it!
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I ordered it. I'll let you know what I think once I get it.
Jeff
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Neil, I believe it's a relatively new, start up company. Hopefully they will be successful and expand the distribution of their product to other markets. I recall mine was around $159 USD with free shipping? I bought direct from the manufacturer.
As you say Hawk, let’s hope they are successful and expand. Who knows that may even come with an economy of scale price cut? Yeah, maybe.
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Brake Free Light is supposed to be delivered tomorrow (Wednesday, 6/30) via FedEx. No status updates available on the FedEx tracking website, however. The package hasn't been scanned since it arrived at a FedEx facility in Bloomington, CA last Thursday evening. This morning, a FedEx customer service rep couldn't tell me anything more about where my package is then what I could already see on their website. Here's hoping it will actually show up tomorrow.
Jeff
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hope it shows up! ...and you just reminded me that I haven't ridden in about 2+ weeks...vacation...work...lousy weather...oh, boy.
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Brake Free Light is supposed to be delivered tomorrow (Wednesday, 6/30) via FedEx. No status updates available on the FedEx tracking website, however. The package hasn't been scanned since it arrived at a FedEx facility in Bloomington, CA last Thursday evening. This morning, a FedEx customer service rep couldn't tell me anything more about where my package is then what I could already see on their website. Here's hoping it will actually show up tomorrow.
Jeff
Recently, I did a free return of expensive riding jeans bought on ebay. Put jeans back in shipping bag, stick on (tape) free return label.
Took it to post office to drop in the lobby mail chute. At last minute I saw that mail clerks were free, so went to the counter, handed it over got USPS printed receipt.
The tracking for the package stopped 3 days later in SoCal at "out for delivery". Was never delivered. Ebay waited 4 weeks, then advised seller to give me full tefund.
Very glad I went to the counter, and got a receipt !!
Thrilling stuff, this😊
Stig
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So the latest in the traveling road show is that now FedEx shows a status of my package being received in Perrysburg OH, near Toledo. Next stop should be Highland Heights, OH. the local FedEx facility near me. I also got an email from Scott in Brake Free Light customer support, and here's the quote:
"Sorry about the weird tracking system. I would trust the FedEx tracking number. On our end it looks like something went really wrong with the tracking on the package. It shows it bouncing all over North America. Hopefully it actually arrives tomorrow."
Well, at least I can say with confidence that my package is still somewhere on this planet, and maybe even this continent...
Jeff
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Yippee! I got my Brake Free Light delivered yesterday, and I'm impressed. Fits perfectly on my HJC helmet. The unit was easy to install after I watched the installation video on the BF website. Also read the FAQ section and gained a better understanding of how the unit works, and all the details about the Brake Free Light system, since a detailed user manual is not included in the package. It only comes with a Quick Start Guide. Followed the instructions, used the included template, charged the unit, and played with the different modes. It works as advertised - when the accelerometer/gyrometer senses the slightest slow down, the brake light activates. My wife is anxious to drive behind me and watch it in action.
I'll post some pics and a video once I have had a chance to play with it some more. But I'm hoping that my first impressions will last.
Jeff
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please do post a video or pics..I'd love to see what it looks like on our helmets! It sure does make sense, though, doesn't it? Having a bright led brake light on our helmets at driver eye level sure seems like the right place.
(my wife doesn't like my riding hobby and will in no way participate with anything riding related...including taking pics or video)
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please do post a video or pics..I'd love to see what it looks like on our helmets! It sure does make sense, though, doesn't it? Having a bright led brake light on our helmets at driver eye level sure seems like the right place.
(my wife doesn't like my riding hobby and will in no way participate with anything riding related...including taking pics or video)
Will do. My wife is pretty good taking pics and videos with her phone. We'll see what we can come up with this weekend.
Happy 4th of July to all!
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jak51 - have you had a chance to use the new Brake Free light much? I have a number of rides in, now, and it's very subjective, but it seems I get a bigger cushion from cars behind me. I've done a few early evening rides and it seems to get people's attention. Curious to hear what you've experienced.
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Hawk - I've used it a couple of times. The weather has been really wet and crappy for the past week or so, so not too much riding. On the couple of rides I've used it, once was in broad daylight and the other just as it was getting dark. In broad daylight, I used the brake free light in stealth mode, so it lit up just as I was slowing down. When it was just getting dark, I used it in the full on mode (not flashing), and someone riding behind me thought that I certainly could be seen by anyone in back of me. I'm really pleased with the quality of the unit, and how easy it was to mount on my HJC helmet. The installation video that Brake Free Tech recommends you watch before mounting the unit to the helmet helped a great deal. All in all, I'm extremely satisfied. My wife, who watched me pull out of my driveway, said she could see the brake light up when I slowed down before pulling onto the street. And that in bright daylight with her being about 70 feet away.
I'll post more thoughts and hopefully pics and a video once the weather clears up. Speaking of which, it's pouring a thundering right now. We're supposed to have a break in the weather on Thursday, and then more rain on Friday and Saturday, with skies finally turning clear on Sunday and through next week. I wish there were some way to send all this frigging rain out west where they really, really need it.
Jeff