Brake Free: The Motorcycle Safety Light That Could Save Your Life
As motorcycle enthusiasts, we're always looking for ways to stay safe on the road. While skill and awareness are fundamental, sometimes it's the gear we choose that can make all the difference. Today, I want to share my experience with a product that has genuinely improved my riding safety over the past year: the Brake Free helmet light.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Brake Free or its parent company. This review is based solely on my personal experience as a motorcyclist who values safety.
What is Brake Free?
Brake Free is a smart, helmet-mounted brake light that activates automatically when you slow down - whether you're using your brakes or not. This innovative device attaches to the back of your helmet and uses accelerometer technology to detect deceleration, instantly alerting drivers behind you with a bright LED light array.
What makes this different from standard motorcycle brake lights is crucial: it activates even when you're engine braking or downshifting, situations where your motorcycle's brake light wouldn't normally illuminate.
Why I Decided to Try Brake Free
Safety has always been my priority when riding. One aspect of motorcycle safety that often gets overlooked is how we communicate our intentions to other vehicles on the road. When downshifting, there's no visual indication to drivers behind you that you're slowing down - a potentially dangerous situation.
What attracted me to the Brake Free light was its promise to address this specific safety gap. Positioned at eye level for drivers behind you, it provides an additional visual cue that you're decelerating, whether you're using your brakes or not.
Installation and Usability
One of the standout features of the Brake Free is how simple it is to install. The light comes with mounting brackets that attach easily to most helmet types. I particularly appreciate that it comes with two mounting brackets, allowing me to switch the light between helmets when I have a passenger - a thoughtful design choice that adds flexibility.
The battery life has been impressive in my experience, lasting about 8-10 hours of active riding. While that's more than enough for most riding sessions, I've made it a habit to charge it after each trip to ensure it's always ready to go. Maintenance is essentially just keeping it charged, making it a hassle-free addition to my safety gear.
Real-World Performance
I've been using the Brake Free light for about a year now, and the difference in how drivers interact with me on the road is noticeable. The most significant change? Fewer drivers tailgating close to my rear tire. In a world where every inch of space matters for motorcycle safety, this alone makes the product worthwhile.
The light performs well in various conditions - it's bright enough to be visible in direct sunlight yet not overwhelmingly bright at night. Its weather resistance has stood up to various riding conditions without issues.
While I thankfully haven't experienced any close calls where I could definitively say the Brake Free saved me, I believe its preventative nature is working exactly as intended. Safety equipment is at its best when it prevents incidents from happening in the first place.
Where It Shines Brightest
If I had to pinpoint where the Brake Free provides the most value, it would be during highway riding. The higher speeds and more frequent speed adjustments make the additional visibility particularly valuable in these scenarios. When traffic is flowing and suddenly slows down, having that extra brake light at driver eye level can make all the difference.
Room for Improvement
My only complaint with the Brake Free involves the on/off button on the first version, which I own. This appears to have been a common enough issue that the company addressed it in their second version, highlighting an improved on/off button. It's encouraging to see a company listen to user feedback and make improvements accordingly.
What Sets It Apart
What makes the Brake Free unique compared to other motorcycle visibility accessories is its dynamic functionality. Unlike constant-on lights, it activates specifically when you're slowing down - mimicking the behavior of brake lights that drivers are already conditioned to respond to. This targeted approach to safety feels more effective than static solutions.
Final Thoughts
After a year of using the Brake Free helmet light, I can confidently say it's become an essential part of my riding gear. The peace of mind that comes from knowing drivers behind me have better visibility of my actions is invaluable.
For any motorcyclist concerned about road safety - especially those who frequently ride in heavy traffic or on highways - the Brake Free represents a worthwhile investment. It addresses a specific safety gap in a thoughtful, well-designed way.
How does the Brake Free helmet light work?
The Brake Free helmet light uses advanced accelerometer technology to detect when you're decelerating on your motorcycle, regardless of whether you're using your brakes. Unlike traditional brake lights that only activate when you press the brake pedal, Brake Free can detect when you're slowing down through engine braking or downshifting.
When the device senses deceleration, it automatically illuminates its array of ultra-bright LEDs positioned at the back of your helmet—right at eye level for drivers behind you. This provides an additional, highly visible indication that you're slowing down, complementing your motorcycle's standard brake light.
The light operates independently, requiring no wiring or connection to your motorcycle. It attaches to your helmet using mounting brackets (the product comes with two brackets for flexibility between helmets) and powers on with a simple button press. With approximately 8-10 hours of battery life per charge, it covers most riding sessions without requiring frequent recharging.
Is the Brake Free helmet light worth the investment for motorcycle safety?
Based on a year of regular use, the Brake Free helmet light has proven to be a worthwhile safety investment. The most tangible benefit I've experienced is a noticeable reduction in tailgating behavior from vehicles behind me. This increased following distance alone significantly improves safety margins when riding.
The light addresses a critical safety gap that exists with standard motorcycle brake lights—the lack of visual warning when slowing down without using brakes. This is particularly valuable during downshifting or engine braking, common techniques motorcyclists use that don't trigger the bike's brake light.
For highway riders especially, where speed differentials can be more dramatic and reaction time is crucial, the added visibility at driver eye level provides an extra layer of protection. While it's impossible to quantify accidents that don't happen, the peace of mind and observed behavior changes from other drivers suggest the Brake Free significantly enhances rider safety.
Considering the potential consequences of rear-end collisions for motorcyclists, the investment in a device that helps prevent such incidents is easily justified.
How does the Brake Free compare to other motorcycle visibility solutions?
What distinguishes the Brake Free from other motorcycle visibility products is its dynamic functionality that mimics familiar traffic signals. Unlike constant-on lights or reflective gear that remain static regardless of your actions, the Brake Free activates specifically when you're slowing down—mimicking the behavior of brake lights that drivers are already conditioned to respond to.
This behavioral familiarity means drivers instinctively understand what the signal means without having to learn a new system. The helmet placement also puts the light at or near driver eye level, making it more likely to be noticed than lights mounted lower on the motorcycle.
Other visibility solutions like reflective vests or piping on jackets enhance overall visibility but don't communicate specific actions you're taking. Similarly, always-on running lights increase general visibility but don't provide information about deceleration.
The closest alternatives would be smart brake light modulators that attach to your motorcycle's existing brake light, but these still only activate when you physically apply the brakes, missing the critical downshifting scenario that Brake Free addresses.
For comprehensive motorcycle visibility, the ideal approach would be combining the Brake Free with reflective gear and possibly auxiliary running lights, creating multiple layers of visibility and communication with surrounding traffic.
About the Author
William Flaiz, passionate about European motorcycle brands, shares his expertise and stories on RunMotorun.com. He offers detailed insights and reviews, aiming to educate both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers. Flaiz combines personal experience with thorough research, welcoming visitors to explore the rich world of European motorcycles alongside him.
