Self-cancelling flashers

[ZuluTiger]

I'd like to hear the views of the erudite on this issue. That means all of you! I have an unused Signal Minder that has a timed (selectable) reset. It ranges from 10 - 30 secs. I've been caught with my signals locked on a left or right flash a few times (nothing serious) but I did feel dumb when I realized I was driving down the road with a flasher going. Any cage-driver who saw this would be forgiven for pulling out in front of me. It seems simple to put a time-out on this via the SM, right? But I routinely sit at 4-lane x 4-lane crossings that take minutes to navigate. Atlanta is no joke. This means it would time out and need a push to reset, and a flick to start the cycle again. I'm not interested in hooking up the option that monitors the brake light and stalls the counter or adding springs to the switch. If you dab the brake for any reason at all, you could keep the flasher going, right? Defeats the object. I think my K1200GT had a timeout, but I'm not sure, it's a while back.

So, let's assume a 20s timeout. At a junction, it is possible it'll reset. In a dedicated turning lane, many motorists don't even indicate anyway. So, no foul, just cruise on, in the turning traffic, low risk. Or maybe remember to reset and dab it again. The bottom line is that it still takes a conscious decision.

Here's the question:

Is it better to have it time-out and have to remember to re-initialize or better to have a locked flasher and remember to cancel? Which is riskier? 

[sax_000]

Digressing slightly, it's puzzling how sometimes technology doesn't even continue, let alone improve.

Back in 1978(?) I had a Yamaha XS1100E which had self-cancelling indicators. They worked on a combination of time and distance.  If you were stopped at an intersection for some time the indicators would continue to flash because you hadn't travelled enough distance. And if you were indicating for taking an off-ramp while travelling at a reasonable speed you would travel the minimum distance quickly so the 'time' function would come into play.

That was over 40 years ago!!!  Why has this technology disappeared?  It can't be unreliability, I had that bike for years and did about 100,000 kms without any 'weird things' happening to the system.

[Dusty ST]

My 2017 TS has OE self cancelling indicators, not sure if it's just a time thing, or includes distance.
I find I usually cancel before the automatic cancel operates, and I very rarely find the indicating time is too short, so I've very happy for them to cancel in the event I've either missed the cancel button or just forgotten.

[mustangpilot]

Originally Posted by Dusty ST

My 2017 TS has OE self cancelling indicators, not sure if it's just a time thing, or includes distance.
I find I usually cancel before the automatic cancel operates, and I very rarely find the indicating time is too short, so I've very happy for them to cancel in the event I've either missed the cancel button or just forgotten.

It is time AND distance.....not 100% sure but from memory 8 seconds AND 250mtr.

[OCDave]

Being a bit OCD (OCDave), I frequently re-address the turn signal while waiting for a light to turn...how else is there to occupy one's mind while waiting.  Once the turn is completed, my short attention span has already moved on to other more pressing matters, even if that means less pressing of the signal cancel button. 

I'd opt for the time-out feature

[ZuluTiger]

I think I'll install the SM and see how it goes. I agree with all of your comments, thanks guys. Maybe I'll even hook up the brake-related interval-stall. I doubt anyone will buy this item so I might as well use it right? I am using Posi-Connectors for my existing electronic flasher so no foul if I have to swap back. 

[dave_a]

I'm of the mind that if you fear riding down the road with your blinker on....10 secs is the correct choice.
I was very happy with Signalminder on my BMW. For some reason I could not get the SM to work on my 2007 Tiger. I worked closely with the gentleman who owns SM for a couple months. I finally gave up after trying 3 different modules..I wish you better luck, Zulu!
I'm interested in your outcome...I'd try again.

[ZuluTiger]

Well, here is a quick and definitive ending to this experiment. The Kisan SM came out of the box dead as the proverbial dodo. It did not respond to voltage and when I stripped it, it showed no signs of a failure. Neither of those are good outcomes from a piece of kit that has been sitting in a protected environment for a few years. If it had been on an actual bike....? Getting it to work in a multi-function way was going to require modifying the indicator switch which was never an option. So, it failed the simple flasher function and is in the bin. Next.

[ZuluTiger]

There is an obscure comment in the packaging info that says in some rare cases having 4 x LED indicators would prevent operation. It explicitly says no ballast resistors are required as it's a solid-state flasher independent of the indicators, but then it has this disclaimer. It's part of the blurb about using the indicators as running lights, so I did not pay it any attention. I can't say I'm impressed with Kisan products, especially price. I could put an Omron 12VDC timer on each L/R leg for $25 total and still save $75. Or one timer and a pair of diodes for $15. It would take up space, but that's not an $85 value. In the final analysis, I'll just stick to my Mk1 eyeball and left thumb. 

[dave_a]

ZT, I came to the conclusion that something in the ECU or instrument cluster logic chips just wasn't compatible with the Kissan. I had regular old light bulbs in my flashers. I tried 3 or 4 different Kissan models.
Ultimately a refund, but Kissan sent me new ones w/o requiring a return first. So they were good to work with IMHO.
Didn't my 1978 Yamaha Excessive 1100 have S.C. turnsignals? What's up with that?