Attach a brake light to your helmet without wiring!? “BRAKE FREE” [Tokyo Motorcycle Show 2025]

A smart brake light that can be attached to a helmet and requires no wiring

I discovered an interesting item at the 52nd Tokyo Motorcycle Show, held at Tokyo Big Sight from Friday, March 28th to Sunday, March 30th, 2025.

It was BRAKE FREE, a smart helmet brake light (high-mounted stop lamp) that attaches to the rear of the helmet. This product was originally developed by an American venture company, and is sold in Japan by ADELICA Shoji Co., Ltd., the official importer.

The product’s unique feature is that all functions are built into the main unit, so there is no need to connect it to the vehicle, do any wiring work, or set up any apps.All you have to do is connect the USB Type-C cable to the main unit and charge it, then you can attach it to your helmet and use it.

So how does it detect braking? When the brakes are applied, the BOSH accelerometer and gyro sensor built into the device detect the bike’s behavior. A patented algorithm instantly analyzes the data from the sensors and determines with extremely high accuracy how the vehicle is decelerating (engine braking, downshifting, normal braking, etc.), and turns on the LED lamp on the device accordingly.

Easy to use! Compatible with most helmets and lasts a long time!

Using BRAKE FREE is very simple; simply press and hold the power switch while wearing the helmet to turn it on. By touching the button, you can select between “Normal Mode,” in which all LEDs are lit, “Pulse Mode,” in which the left and right LED panels pulse, and “Stealth Mode,” in which the top and bottom central LED panels light up as running lights. To turn it off, simply press and hold the button again.

This product is highly versatile, and although it does not fit some helmets such as Bell Star, Strength and Steel SS1600, Sena Outrush, and Outrush R, it is compatible with most full-face and jet helmets from major Japanese manufacturers such as Arai, Shoei, OGK Kabuto, and Wins (it can also be attached to half-caps, but it is not very suitable).

However, helmets with a narrow rear, such as the Shoei Z-8, require a special attachment (1,280 yen including tax) sold separately.For those who want to use one BRAKE FREE with multiple helmets, an additional attachment (1,580 yen including tax) is also available.

One concern with battery-powered products is operating time, but thanks to the large-capacity 3350mAh battery, it can be used for approximately 8 hours in “normal mode” and over 15 hours in power-saving “stealth mode” (operating time may vary slightly depending on temperature and weather). Incidentally, charging time is approximately 1.5 hours from zero to full. Furthermore, thanks to the use of a reliable, high-performance battery, the battery is designed to retain more than 80% of its original capacity even after five years of normal use.

Despite this, its lightweight design keeps the weight of the main unit to just 200g, and even with the attachments it weighs just 210g. Its waterproof and dustproof performance is IP65 certified, completely preventing dust from entering, and tests have proven that the built-in components are not affected even when high-pressure water is sprayed from any direction. This means that it can be used off-road or in the rain without any problems.

In order to sell in Japan, ADELICA Shoji has now obtained the Japanese PSC standard in addition to the American FC standard and the EU CE standard.

There is room for further development! Expectations are high for this inexpensive, high-performance product.

In recent years, tall SUVs and minivans have become the norm for passenger cars, making it difficult for drivers to see motorcycle brake lights when the gap between vehicles is narrow. Additionally, small motorcycles are easily overlooked by drivers of large vehicles such as buses and trucks, so BRAKE FREE, which signals slowing down to following vehicles at the rider’s head, should lead to improved safety.

However, one thing that concerns me is the increased weight of the helmet. While the BRAKE FREE is lightweight when viewed on its own, many riders who prefer gadgets like this are likely already equipped with intercoms, and in some cases may also use video cameras or helmet-mounted dashcams. Even if each individual product is light, the weight increase becomes unnegligible when multiple devices are attached.

What I would like to propose is a suspender or vest-type attachment that can be worn on the back. Unlike wearing a helmet, this would mean that the weight wouldn’t be an issue, and the burden would be much less even if multiple digital gadgets were used at the same time. Alternatively, an attachment that can be attached to the backpack that riders use to carry their luggage (or a dedicated backpack with the attachment built in from the start) might be good. Either way, this is a great product idea that will lead to improved safety, so I look forward to seeing it develop in the future.

The regular retail price of “BRAKE FREE” is 29,800 yen (tax included), but it is currently being sold at a launch price of 27,800 yen (tax included), a 2,000 yen discount. The body comes in two colors: white and black. Purchases can be made through the “BRAKE FREE” dedicated website .