Like yourself, I learned about the Brake Free helmet light via the youtube channel named, "Doodle on a Motorcycle". Today, I did a quick search and your video was among the search results. For what it is worth, I found your video useful and informative. Your personal review (after having used the Brake Free product) was the sort of testimony that I was looking for. Sure, there are others who have offered similar reviews and installation "how-to" guides, and I found their videos useful, too. That said, you gained a subscriber today (me) because of your home-grown & no-nonsense style of presentation. I also appreciate that your video has subtitles. I ordered my Brake Free helmet light a few minutes ago. I selected the white version, to go with my white helmet. I'm riding a recently acquired 2020 model year CSC Motorcycles "San Gabriel" SG-250, that I purchased in used condition from someone local. A lucky find, for me. :-)
Thanks for doing this. I think it is very valuable for such a low bike like the Grom. This caught my eye because I was hit from behind while riding. This was almost 15 years ago. I was riding my new Harley Road King. I was between intersections going about 20 mph. There was about $8,000 worth of damage to the bike and the bike was in the shop for two months. I went backward over the bike and landed on my head. I had bleeding on the brain and I had to take a couple of weeks off work. Since then I have been very concerned about being visible from the rear.
Great review. The only thing I would like to see in a follow-up video is someone following behind you in the daytime and at night to record just how visible you are with the product attached to the helmet.
Love that idea! I often ride alone, unfortunately. Perhaps one day this coming riding season I can have someone follow me or I can affix a camera on the tail seat behind me. A nice future follow-up up review. Thanks for checking out the video!
A bit late to the party but better late than never. I love it & will be buying these for myself & brother, quite possibly the best safety mod for bikers / trikers in years.
Thx for this video. I was looking for someone that removed the light because I just bought & installed mine and didn't want to damage the mount, light, or my helmet. On another note... the light modes are explained in their user manual which ppl can view and download via their website. I also agree the button could use a bit more in user feel or response/feedback than it currently has. I have accidentally changed light modes when trying to turn it on or off. Thx again!
Nice review! I give a presentation to my motorcycle club this evening. My helmet has been great for the past six months and I can definitely tell a difference in the distance cars stay behind me (Further away).
Thanks for the info. I like riders briefing other riders about a product. Makes the whole purchase thing easier to swallow. Between Sena SRL Mesh , the Shoei Neotec 2, new to me helmet and now this, yikes most expensive helmet ever.
I'm glad my video can still help inform you on the product! Yeah, I hear yah. With all these accessories on our helmet it all adds up. This is without a GoPro, haha. Last I've checked, Brakefree has a discount on the brake lights. A decent discount from the retail price. Safe riding!
I was undecided about getting one for myself, although I’ve been considering it for a couple of months. The unwieldy look was preventing me from going ahead with the purchase, but after seeing your review and reading some of the good comments about Brake Free, I am going ahead and ordering one. Thanks!
If you read your Quickstart manual the flashing lights when you first turn it on are telling you your battery status. I disagree with your comment that it is bulky, compared to the weight of the helmet you never know it's even on there. You're right the manual does not tell you what the three modes are but just cycling through them a couple times you will know exactly what they are.
Agree. Sleek and light weight. Brake Free did update the User Manual with more details as well as it’s online content. I just purchased one with their $10 off coupon for Labor Day.
Yeah, I too imagined how nice it would be to have turning signals on this smart light. No doubt this would require a bit of rethinking on the technology and hardware. Thanks for checking out the video!
Got mine a couple of months ago. I used to ride in upstate NY with no worries. Now I live in DFW / Texas where drivers are... let's be nice and just say, selfish. I saw that the inventors and founders pitched this on Shark Tank. Corcoran said "my brother was rear-ended on his bike and disabled" and then said "I'm out". This is how much motorists care about bikers.
Looks cool but yeah, a bit bulky. This would be a great safety device for EUC riding where all of the device lighting is at shin height. Thanks for the info!
Thank you! Incidentally, Brake Tech did comment on my video not too long after this video gained some traction, to my surprise. I've pinned their comment to the top of the comment tread for all to see! Some useful info that they didn't explain on their user guide such as how the Brake Free light will turn itself off after some time has passed, how it remembers the last light-mode you've set it to. Hope that helps!
Great review, I'm gotta get one of these. Though in the caption under the vid you spelled it "Break Free" and I wouldn't want my Brake Free to break free. ;)
How long does the brake lights stays on after you come to complete stop? If I stop at a traffic light, will it be on for a min or two so the drivers behind me can see me stopped waiting for the lights to change?
The Brake Light is quite responsive, as I've demonstrated with just moving it with my hands. It is very sensitive. I have found that it will turn solid even if you're slowing down to a complete stop. Keep in mind that the light will still be partially lit (solid) when you're in motion so drivers can see you're still visible in addition to your brake lights on your bike turning on. Brake Light will go to sleep if it doesn't sense any hairline of movement after 45 seconds.
A brilliant investment, its a shame they dont do afiated marketing, i asked them about this when i bought mine, theres money in this product 😉 Heres a story for you on it, they apeared on Dragons den ,(a marketing show in England, where inventors pitch there buisness ideas, for a dragon to choose to invest in it, if they choose). They went on, (this is the clever bit 😉)they said in later months when this product took off, they wasnt intrested in the investment of any dragon, they went on so as to raise the profile of the product.. When i stop at the gas station, if i see another biker, i always show them the product. I do get you though, they are expencive, however they are sturdy and never let me down, im indifferent to the size of it, for it moulds round the helmet and i need that visability, honestly there are people out there friking using there phones while driving, so when i stopp i want them to know ive stopped and do the same. Great review, ohh an i guess you know now the one to three flashes for the battery life now. Have a great day 😉😁
Thank you for sharing that Dragon’s Den backstory! Yeah, sounds like the US-equivalent, Shark Tank. I get a bit jazzed whenever I see someone riding with one of these Brake Lights on their helmets. It’s not common but I have counted three moments. Haha. Ride safe!
To me, the weight of the brake light on the helmet isn't noticeable when I ride. My helmet includes a Cardo Bold, and a GoPro Hero 8! I do feel how much "lighter" the helmet feels when I've dismounted the brake light, no less, but it's not significant.