Product Spotlight – Gear Brake

Safety when riding a motorcycle is a bit of an oxymoron. We straddle an engine that uses controlled explosions to create forward thrust and place a highly volatile mixture on top of it. We attach the whole contraption  to two wheels, travel between 4000 pound guided missiles that are driven by distracted drivers. Not really safe, but we can improve our situation, at least from behind, with a little module from Gear Brake.

What is it?

It’s an electronic  module that plugs into your factory wire harness and actuates your rear brake light whenever deceleration is detected. It uses a 2 second pulsing alert to indicate to other vehicles that you are slowing down. Unlike many modules you don’t have to actuate the brakes to get the pulse. There is an internal accelerometer that detects slowing and does it automatically. The sensitivity is adjustable by changing the orientation of the module itself. It is available as a universal kit or they do offer custom fit options that plug and play so no wires are cut or spliced. Check out the video for a brief over view.

What makes this type of device important?

Some basic safety numbers from Gear Brake’s website and sourced from the NTSB and NHTSA.

• One second could save your life
  • An extra 1 second of warning time can prevent 90 percent of rear-end collisions. (NTSB)
• Pulsing lights get attention
  • Pulsing brake lights can improve reaction times by 50% compared to standard brake lights. (NHTSA)
• 29% of wrecks are rear-end collisions
  • The major causes are distracted drivers and the inability to detect slowing traffic. (NTSB)

I often will simply roll of the throttle to scrub speed particularly when cornering. With a large displacement twin and heavyweight rotating assembly it’s an easy thing to do. Sometimes I flash my brake lights, but more often than not I don’t. The Gear Brake makes that thought unnecessary and keeps your mind on the road in front of you. In this world of distracted drivers that flashing red light could be the difference between an accident and riding home.

What does safety cost?

Prices are $69.95 for the universal kit and another $30 for the plug and play. That’s pretty cheap protection for the back end of your motorcycle and it’s made in the USA.

Right now there’s a way to get the plug n play harness for free. The company is building custom-fit wiring harnesses for particular models so they can add new ones to their inventory. If you have a bike model they don’t already make a kit for they can make you one. Take some photos of your bikes stock wiring, and the company will research the appropriate wiring schematics and build the new plug n play harness at no additional charge to you, saving you $30.