No Low Beam Modulation

[AmostThere]

After reading all the stuff (particularly the work Don did with the manufacturer) I went with the Kissan headlight modulator. I had a plan for the lighting package on my bike: HID driving lights on LumaLink brackets with a modulated low beam would provide for superb daytime visibility, the same setup with full low beam would provide good lighting after dark, and my HID high beam conversion would really light up the empty mountain roads where I ride a couple of nights per week. Here's the problem: due to the CANBUS system we can't modulate the low beam on the R1200R. Doing so creates all kinds of alerts/faults/warnings, etc. A local tech said it could be done but only by modifying the wiring harness and thus voiding the warranty. I spoke with tech support at Kissan and they said only high beam modulation would work. Of course that violates my plan since HID lights cannot be modulated. Maybe you guys already knew this stuff, I didn't, just an FYI.

I'm disabling the modulator, I still have good daytime conspicuity with the neon gear and the 'triangle of light' effect with the driving lights and the stock low beam.

[ka5ysy]

Why not just use the high beam modulator and separatly switch the HID's? From my and others experience with modulators, even bright color riding gear is still not as effective as the flashing light to grab attention from a long way off.

[deilenberger]

After reading all the stuff (particularly the work Don did with the manufacturer) I went with the Kissan headlight modulator. I had a plan for the lighting package on my bike: HID driving lights on LumaLink brackets with a modulated low beam would provide for superb daytime visibility, the same setup with full low beam would provide good lighting after dark, and my HID high beam conversion would really light up the empty mountain roads where I ride a couple of nights per week. Here's the problem: due to the CANBUS system we can't modulate the low beam on the R1200R. Doing so creates all kinds of alerts/faults/warnings, etc. A local tech said it could be done but only by modifying the wiring harness and thus voiding the warranty. I spoke with tech support at Kissan and they said only high beam modulation would work. Of course that violates my plan since HID lights cannot be modulated. Maybe you guys already knew this stuff, I didn't, just an FYI.

Technically - there is no reason you couldn't modulate the low beam. Same bulb as the high beam. Same monitoring circuit. Doing it would require a bit of work with a soldering iron at the connector Kisan uses where the harness plugs into the headlight shell. The downside would be there is no way to turn the modulation off in daylight since the low beam is always on. You'd have to rely on the sunlight sensor to shut it down (or hack the sensor and substitute a switch.)

The CANBUS modulator works by subsituting the current draw of the headlight bulb with an equal current draw across a pair of resistors. The CANBUS basically never knows it's there, so it wouldn't matter if it was on high or low beam. At one point I was pressing Kisan to come up with one for me where I could modulate both beams (bulbs) - using the high-beam as the master and the low-beam as a slave. The modulation effect is blocked out a bit on the R12R since it's only doing the high-beam, and the low beam is still on steady.

As far as use with HIDs - not doable. Dunno what a good answer for that is except perhaps put HIDs in your auxiliary lighting (or buy HID auxilary lighting.)

I'm disabling the modulator, I still have good daytime conspicuity with the neon gear and the 'triangle of light' effect with the driving lights and the stock low beam.

[AmostThere]

After talking with a Master Tech (although he doesn't seem that good) at the BMW dealership and the tech support guy at Kissan I gotta go with what they said. Don, with your background you could probably crack everything open and make it do whatever you want but if they tell me no, that's it.

[NeilS]

Why not leave your headlight alone and modulate your auxiliary lights? The best answer would be alternating modulation (look at a locomotive approaching a grade crossing), but that of course would require a different kind of modulator. Even if you modulate both aux lights together, you won't have to worry about the CANbus and you'll have an equivalent effect.

[AmostThere]

The driving lights are HIDs so no modulation for them.

[AmostThere]

The Kissan modulator is now removed and for sale after total installation mileage of about 1000 miles. I don't have any instructions, just the modulator itself with its wiring harness and light sensor.