Riding old bikes without indicators (my Norton)

Fast Eddie said:

Cos I live in a city, it made me fit indicators to my most regular ‘town bike’.

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But your pretty blue bike has neither indicators or mirrors, right? That'd be suicide around here.

maylar said:

But your pretty blue bike has neither indicators or mirrors, right?

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Correct. So I do try to be more aware when on that.

Another problem with old Brit bikes is they’re physically small. And the smaller you are, the worse you are treated by other road users!

put blinkers on all my bikes except the 68 A65 (I use the small brushed aluminum emgo type) and will prolly do that soon...I use handsignals and blinkers at same time I am really paranoid about drivers behind me so I turn and give them a quick glance to let them know I see them just before I turn last year a tart passed two cars behind me (double yellow line!) and the bike too as I was making a left turn she missed me by inches

I have more problems with modern bikes. Often after a turn forget to turn off indicators. Much harder to forget putting back hand when hand signalling.
How do your bicyclists do in the US? Never seen a bicycle with indicators. Or have you managed to make them extinct?

Riding with no indicators in modern traffic is adding another layer of (unnecessary) danger.
Federal law since 1973 in the US.
There are SEVERAL GENERATIONS of drivers who have NO EFFING IDEA what a bent elbow means.
You’re begging to get clobbered by a snowflake.

The greatest danger in traffic is cars turning left across traffic in front of you while riding straight ahead. Your turn signals aren't going to save you in that situation. A bright headlight might help though.

I figure they are all out to get me, so I'm on high alert and am pretty good at reading traffic. That has worked for many decades on 2 wheels riding motorcycles with and without turn signals. The only bike I've owned that I ever felt safe on was my Red BMW R1100GS. Big, tall, Red, and hard to not see it coming. It had a bright head light and bright turn signals as well.

I have no intention of ever putting turn signals, blinkers, or indicators on my '67 P11. It didn't come with them from the factory. I have collector plates on the P11, and I'm not even supposed to be riding it unless testing something or riding to a show. I'm always testing something essential. If I can give a hand signal, I do it, but nobody gives a damn driving a car. They seldom yield in Seattle for anything. It is the land of entitlement.

Most blinkers are too dim

Very bright LEDs do exist but I haven’t seen them incorporated into blinkers.

Long ago, not wanting to risk wrecking expensive turn signals to a tip over, I removed them. Before doing so, I looked up the effective date of US DOT regulation and it was a later date than the October ‘72 build date of my ‘73 750. I carried that print out with my CA registration for twenty or more years but to this date never got cited - or even questioned- about no blinkers.
My original blinkers are still in their cardboard box sitting on a shelf.

Maybe Nigel and I would be safer riding without helmets - all the glare from our chrome domes could probably be seen from the ISS -

Richard Tool said:

Maybe Nigel and I would be safer riding without helmets - all the glare from our chrome domes could probably be seen from the ISS -

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It will give you another thing on the bike to keep polished

The only caveat I make against hand signals is your arms usually cannot be seen at night..and motorways.. its usefull to signal your intentions to high speed traffic whilst it it is still a dot in the mirror ,shouldyou have one

Young people don't have a clue about hand signals... I think Foot signalling is a joke. I'm surprised to hear more than a single person say they signal with their foot. I don't really ever wave to other riders because it diminishes the idea to car drivers that sticking your hand out is a signal of some sort. I'll nod my head to other riders if they wave,... that's all.

As I may have said previously, the stock lucas lollypop signals are hideous. It saddens me to see them on any commando. The classic commando shape with 4 walmart inspired turn signals... disgusting..

That's why CNW does not mount those hideous lollypop lights on their beautiful bikes... nuff said...


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None of this will help you from getting the Honda Civic enema whilst turning.

Good luck with hand signals after dark.
(yes, yes, I know..)

I see the use of turn signal justification in two categories: Functional / Safety and Aesthetic.

Functional / Safety. There is no denying that having turn signals is advantageous in modern traffic. Keeping both hands on bars, ability to signal intentions at night and in bad weather and non-familiarity of most vehicle drivers with hand signals outweighs the occasional forgetfulness in cancelling after a turn or lane change.

Aesthetic. While in the eye of the beholder the execution of turn signals goes across the board but in most cases falls into the acceptable (BMW R-series black rectangles on unobtrusive stalks) to hideous range. I’m sure this will incite some but the Commando execution (IMHO) is plane ugly. While large and effective functionally the chrome plated lolly-pops detract from the otherwise jewel-like appearance of many of the Commando features. Their appearance is right up there with those chrome quadrilateral mirrors.

On my Commando I have stored the original turn-signals (and mirrors) so that the next owner can reinstall to maintain “restored to original” as I have replaced them with some small, unobtrusive black housing aftermarket signals similar to the beemer.

BTW it was questioned as to what bicyclist do in the states. For several years I volunteered at the local senior center to lead a “slow-roll” once a week on city streets. Amazingly most of the participants knew hand signals – and used them. I encouraged the riders to also have front and rear lights to further enhance safety.

Nobody signals anymore so you're good

TomU said:

Nobody signals anymore so you're good

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That's how I feel. At least around me, if someone is going to hit you, it isn't because they didn't see your turn signal, it's because they didn't see you AT ALL.

I get in, out and gone before anyone has a chance to run me over.

That said, given the option, I'd rather have them. I'll add that pointing to where you are going works far better than antique hand signals

No Norton rides at night ,ever .... only way I’m out after dark on one of the modern bikes is result of sundown miscalculation ,way too many deer on streets/roads now to be able to enjoy an after sundown ride .... don’t hear many others ripping around after sunset here either ....

xbacksideslider said:

Most blinkers are too dim

Very bright LEDs do exist but I haven’t seen them incorporated into blinkers.

Long ago, not wanting to risk wrecking expensive turn signals to a tip over, I removed them. Before doing so, I looked up the effective date of US DOT regulation and it was a later date than the October ‘72 build date of my ‘73 750. I carried that print out with my CA registration for twenty or more years but to this date never got cited - or even questioned- about no blinkers.
My original blinkers are still in their cardboard box sitting on a shelf.

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I have just bought a 5 meter (16 ft.) reel of very bright amber LED's on a strip (see https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-tape-light-1224v-ip67-waterproof/4756/12529/)

They are fully water proof, very bright, and come with 3M tape on the back side. They can be cut in 2 inch segments, each segment having 3 LED's. They are pricey (since they come as 15 meters), but although made in China, I think the quality beats out the typical cheap crap coming from there. Obviously, I do not need more than 2 - 3 feet, so I will be willing to share the surplus with anyone interested.

I hate to do it to my Atlas, but the road idiots today do not have a clue what hand signals are, so I am in the process of installing a strip on each shroud of my Roadholders, and each shroud of my rear shock absorbers. In this way, I do not have a stalk prone to break off, or make the bike bug eyed.

Here is a 4 inch strip, the light output is almost blinding ....





Slick

texasSlick said:

I have just bought a 5 meter (16 ft.) reel of very bright amber LED's on a strip (see https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-tape-light-1224v-ip67-waterproof/4756/12529/)

They are fully water proof, very bright, and come with 3M tape on the back side. They can be cut in 2 inch segments, each segment having 3 LED's. They are pricey (since they come as 15 meters), but although made in China, I think the quality beats out the typical cheap crap coming from there. Obviously, I do not need more than 2 - 3 feet, so I will be willing to share the surplus with anyone interested.

I hate to do it to my Atlas, but the road idiots today do not have a clue what hand signals are, so I am in the process of installing a strip on each shroud of my Roadholders, and each shroud of my rear shock absorbers. In this way, I do not have a stalk prone to break off, or make the bike bug eyed.

Here is a 4 inch strip, the light output is almost blinding ....

View attachment 18337

View attachment 18339

Slick

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PO installed LED strips on my XR, I removed the sticky shit and wrapped with silicone tape.
They will work well for you.

NPeteN said:

PO installed LED strips on my XR, I removed the sticky shit and wrapped with silicone tape.
They will work well for you.
View attachment 18340

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