[captaingumby]

There are several traffic lights that I go by in the course of my life that do not like my ST3. They stay red until a cage comes along and turns them green. Anyone else have this problem, or a solution? One light makes me take a 1,5 mile detour on my ride home not a bad thing just frustrating.

 

[RDuc3]

At most lights you will see a strip of tar where the wire that senses a vehicle is embedded in the pavement. I try to stop my bike right along one of these tar strips and lower the centerstand just to it touches the ground over it. The wire senses the steel, It's an inductive pickup so aluminum won't be sensed. This usually works.
On other bikes without a centerstand I use the kickstand, but you have to put the bike in neutral before putting the kickstand down or the engine will stall.
It's funny but my ST3 has more trouble tripping a traffic light than my smaller Monster does.

 

[Badger_WI]

Call your local DMV and report the lights that are not sensing your motorcycle. They can adjust their sensitivity to pick up bikes. I just did this for a freeway off ramp that would never sense my bikes, even the all-steel H-D. They seemed appreciative of the heads-up. Then again, they're the government so who knows when the thing will actually be fixed...

 

[twerth]

I realize this doesn't help you in California, but Missouri recently passed a law allowing motorcycles to run red lights if they don't detect the bike and change automatically. I didn't let that stop me before, but it's nice to know it's legal now.

 

[Kramer]

I realize this doesn't help you in California, but Missouri recently passed a law allowing motorcycles to run red lights if they don't detect the bike and change automatically. I didn't let that stop me before, but it's nice to know it's legal now.

Same is true in TN. You have to stop and wait for a reasonable amount of time, and when it's clear you can go. Seems a bit subjective.

 

[YellowDuckee]

The inductive loops in the ground have an oscillating current going through the wires in which a conducting metal (ferrous or nonferrous) will increase the oscillation. That change in number of cycles per second is what causes the traffic light to detect the presence of a vehicle which is adjustable. If it is set a bit high, it may not detect a motorcycle. I have heard of guys putting magnets on the bottom of the fairing but that really has no effect because it does not detect magnetism.
Like Capt. Gumby, I have learned which lights respond to bikes.

 

[harleyxlc]

Here in town (SoCal) we have quite a few lights that have a camera rather than an undergroud loop. Lane position when I pull up to the light determines how long I sit

 

[Derek]

Kill the motor and re-start it. Not ideal but the massive magnetic field produced by the starter motor should trigger the inductive coil set into the road surface.

 

[Motard-Menace]

Most lights are triggered by either a piezo loop style system that works as most have described by the vehicle breaking the loop in the sensor or by camera. I have found that sometimes it takes a little detective work to determine where you need to place yourself on a motorcycle in the lane to trigger the light. Try placing you front wheel just slightly onto or over the stop line or crosswalk line (or imaginary area this would be if there is not one.) Of course be in the left or right wheel track. I'm sure you have tried different positions but that is my suggestion. I've found that on many lights here anyway I need to be a little further forward then a car. Of course some lights there is no solution and the sensors need to be adjusted.

 

[Mike]

When I pull up I start looking for cops. If I don't see any then, after waiting a little while, I go when it's clear.

In the unlikely event that I was pulled over for that, I would simply explain that I had waited quite a while and didn't think it was working properly.

But the loops in the pavement work like metal detectors, not magnet detectors. And the most sensitive spot is the center of the loop, not the edge.

 

[GeorgeInDallas]

Magnets

The inductive loops in the ground have an oscillating current going through the wires in which a conducting metal (ferrous or nonferrous) will increase the oscillation. That change in number of cycles per second is what causes the traffic light to detect the presence of a vehicle which is adjustable. If it is set a bit high, it may not detect a motorcycle. I have heard of guys putting magnets on the bottom of the fairing but that really has no effect because it does not detect magnetism.
Like Capt. Gumby, I have learned which lights respond to bikes.

+1. Have "earth magnet" under my ST3 - no joy at lights or parking garages. Save yer munny.

 

[JasperST4]

Have "earth magnet" under my ST3 - no joy at lights or parking garages. Save yer munny.

But hey, you pick up those pesky nails, screws and tacks for your fellow motorists.