Traffic Lights
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,350
Likes: 647
From: Vegas, baby!
I now have 700+ miles on my '20 Heritage 114 and am loving it. I'm wondering if anybody else has noticed that their Softail does not seem to register on the road sensors that switch red lights to green. If I'm the only vehicle at certain intersections, the light will stay red. My prior Harleys were all Touring models with more metal and heft, and I never noticed a problem.
And now the sensors here are in a circular, rather then rectangular, shape, adding difficulty.
Running a red, after stopping, works. But there are times, due to traffic, it isn't that easy.
Last edited by rjg883c; Jun 19, 2020 at 07:21 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 865
From: SW Ohio
As others have mentioned...try to stop on the outer perimeter of the box or circle...you want to be on the cut or "line". Some of the loops (the rectangular cut) have a double-line up front (toward the intersection). This double-line is an extra loop to make the sensor more sensitive for motorcycles. Stop with your frame above that double-line.
My best friend is a traffic signal technician, so he clues me in on best practices.
My best friend is a traffic signal technician, so he clues me in on best practices.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 865
From: SW Ohio
I've ran across the circular type when I venture into Indiana. I seem to have pretty consistent performance when stopping along a chord of the circle (front wheel on the perimeter, back wheel on the perimeter).
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 296
Likes: 116
From: Vancouver BC and Palm Desert CA
I found out the hard way that in British Columbia it’s not legal to do the “wait one cycle and proceed with caution” thing.
its bloody stupid, since my ticket I waited a long time trying to turn left at a traffic light intersection before finally giving up and going straight on.
its bloody stupid, since my ticket I waited a long time trying to turn left at a traffic light intersection before finally giving up and going straight on.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 42
Likes: 11
From: Milwaukee
Here in the state of Wisconsin My son recently completed his safety courses for a riding license. He informed me that the state has a provision of wait a cycle and proceed with caution. I was not aware of that.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,076
Likes: 3,293
From: Plover, WI
Actually, it's wait a minimum of 45 seconds, then procede with caution, been that way since 2006. Most signal lights are no longer controlled by timers, instead "cycles" are dictated by traffic flow. In certain situations, a "cycle" could be hours.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 100
Likes: 18
From: Liverpool
Would like to know the legality of this in the UK,I commute to work very early and often have to go through a red light due to it not knowing I'm waiting. I have waited nearly 5 mins in the past before carefully going through on Red!
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,561
Likes: 443
From: PNW
As others mentioned, some states have passed laws - and I actually carry a copy of the one for Virginia, since the police may not be aware and may not cut you slack
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/...0intersection.
As
Some people sell big magnets that you strap to the bottom of your bike. I've never had one, don't know if they work.
Found this article while looking for the magnets: https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...re-motorcycles
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/...0intersection.
As
Some people sell big magnets that you strap to the bottom of your bike. I've never had one, don't know if they work.
Found this article while looking for the magnets: https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...re-motorcycles
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 118
Likes: 77
From: Temecula, CA
I did the same on my Slim. Put four strong magnets on the bottom and no problems. There was this one light on base that would always give me troubles no matter how I lined up over the sensors, after I threw the magnets on, no more problems.