Like many long-distance motorcycle riders, eager to tour all 50 states, I never seem to have enough storage on my bike. My wonderful husband and brother-in-law attached a tow hitch and a removable platform to my Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special to allow me to add an additional lightweight bag which gives me enough space to include a spare helmet and a dry pair of boots.
But the first time I set out with my platform and luggage a kind truck driver stopped alongside me at a red light to let me know he could not see my signal light! The extra bag on the platform blocked the view. After expressing my gratitude, I pulled over and readjusted, but throughout the ride, the signal light eventually became hidden again. This was a serious safety issue for me.
Soon after that frustrating trip, I was shopping at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show and discovered the solution—Third Eye Design Inc.’s inView Wireless Helmet Brake and Turn Signal System, which I later found out won Women Riders Now’s Best Safety Item at the 2019 AIMExpo.
Designed and manufactured in the USA, the inView is a transceiver that is installed to your motorcycle’s wiring which sends signals to a wireless brake and turn signal light that is mounted to the back of your helmet or attached to a jacket or another part of the motorcycle. The LEDs are bright, large, and up high where other motorists are more likely to see it, making my intentions clearly known to those traveling behind me.
The inView light adheres to the back of my helmet with a powerful hook and loop mounting sticker and easily transfers to all of my other helmets without effort. It looks big but is so lightweight I don’t know it is there, so I can pop it onto a helmet and completely forget about it.
There is no on/off switch. When the motorcycle is turned on, a transceiver which is hard-wired to the motorcycle looks to pair with the helmet receiver light that is nearest. This means I can use the helmet light with any of my helmets and with any motorcycle in my garage with an installed transceiver.
The inView runs through an automatic diagnostic test every time you turn your bike on that checks its function, battery life, and LEDs. When you turn the motorcycle on, a double chirp and a vibration lets you know the unit is working properly. If you’ve accidentally installed the helmet light upside down, it will continually flash and oh-so-cleverly make an annoying beep-beep sound when you power the motorcycle on. The first time I heard it, I thought the inView was malfunctioning. In fact, it was working perfectly. Can you imagine the danger I would have put myself in had I mounted the helmet signal light upside down, set off on a ride, then engaged the right turn signal, only to have the left side of the unit indicate my turn? Gasp!
The transceiver can be mounted to the motorcycle by a mechanic, or if you like to wrench your own bike it can be accomplished with minimal tools and effort. While the transceiver is not easily transferable from bike to bike, the company recently made available a standalone transceiver for $149.95 for those lucky riders who have more than one motorcycle in their garage.
In addition to the wireless LED helmet light, the inView comes with a wired accessory light which can be easily missed or excluded from the installation. This extra LED strip gives you an extra tier of lighting and is integral to the function of the inView’s accelerometer. Using this accessory light is optional, though.
I contacted David Werner, president of Third Eye Design Inc, to ask about the accessory brake light. He gave me some great research-based statistics (full disclosure: I am a confessed data geek) about how the Third Eye Design model for an accelerometer-based braking system for a motorcycle can successfully communicate to other drivers and riders that the motorcycle is slowing down due to engine braking or release of the throttle, instead of brake application solely. Whereas, competing companies who offer a standalone accelerometer lighting system can be confusing to following drivers because the brake lights are not coordinated with the other indicators. My takeaway from this informative conversation is that I want to have the accessory LED installed on all the bikes in my garage.
My dear friend also rides with a Third Eye Design inView mounted to her helmet. She does not tow a platform or a trailer, but she acknowledges that the signal lights on her anniversary edition Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail are difficult to see. Those of us following her on rides struggled to see her signal lights until she solved that problem by installing the inView, making all of our riding group members feel safer.
Both the clear and red lenses light up red for braking and amber for directionals. I have ridden behind helmets donning both colors and I’ve observed that regardless of daylight riding (sunny or cloudy) or night riding, the signal through a red lens is more visible. This is most evident on a sunny day when the clear lens reflects the bright sunlight.
Each inView has a limited one-year warranty. Users can stay up to date by downloading firmware updates and you can change functionality by connecting to the inView app, which is compatible with Android or IOS smart phones and tablets.
The conversations I’ve had with the owners over the past two years have been very informative and they have demonstrated a sincere commitment to improving the product based on user feedback. As David Werner proudly states, “The inView is made in America and packaged by ArcWorks, the largest contract manufacturer in the US with a 70-percent disabled workforce. As a company CEO, it is a privilege to be able to give back.”
According to the company’s web site, its mission is “making motorcyclists safer amp; more confident, improving visibility and the ride, saving lives.” I feel it is fulfilling this mission each time a customer purchases and uses the system.
For more information, visit ThirdEyeDesignInc.com.
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