Reflective tape

[syl]

I recently bought some 3M reflective tape (and very reflective it is too). I was going to apply it to my GIVI top box at the sides and at the back but I'm going to have to cut the strips a bit (due to curves on the box) and I'll have several strips left over.

This leaves me thinking about applying some to the front fairing - on the side and at the front. Now, I don't mind having the stuff permanently attached to the top box - but when I come to sell it, how easy is it to remove stickers applied to a bike without damaging the paintwork?
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Current bike: Kawasaki Z750S

[Whosthedaddy]

Got some reflective tape on the front fairing of the FZR, looks pants Tried peeling it off and it leaves the usual horrible sticky grey residue.

I personally would nt bother.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Louise]

Just wrap it around yourself.. Simple

[Finglonga]

This is the stuff you want......

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/finglonga/hindsight.jpg

I think you will find any reflective tape is illegal to put on a vehicle and is only allowed by Police and other Emergancy services. But doubtfull you would get tugged for it unless your riding like a twat.
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.

[Louise]

[Finglonga]

But its illegal to show "white light" at the rear of a vehicle. Red would be ok but would it get you noticed as much? I doubt it, Me..ill take the risk.
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.

[lumphammer]

Copied from another forum where a similar question was asked:

The requirements concerning the lighting devices and retro-reflective material of all vehicles used on the public
road are contained in The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (RVLR); see here for the full spiel.

However, this is being revised and a new European regulation (EC104) is making the following changes to the
use of retro-reflective material on some vehicles.

Retro-reflective material is material that reflects light back to its source. It does not include material that
reflects an image of a lamp (for example a piece of chrome or a mirror), or material that is not reflective but has
other properties, for example fluorescent material which glows under sunlight but does not reflect light at night.

Placement of retro-reflective material on vehicles is regulated under the RVLR. The colour of the material is
regulated whereas the shape, size and grade is generally not specified.

Still awake?

Colour: Where retro-reflective material is fitted to the vehicle for conspicuity purposes, it is treated as an
"optional retro-reflector" under RVLR. The permitted colour depends on whether the material is mounted on
the front, side or rear of a vehicle:

Rear: only red is allowed. (limited exceptions to this e.g. yellow number plates)
Side: only amber (which is generally taken as including yellow)
Front: any colour is permitted except red but white is recommended.

For the side of the vehicle only, there is a caveat to the above rule. If the side of the vehicle is fitted with
retro-reflective material which is not for conspicuity purposes but is for advertising purposes, for example
a company logo, there is a variation from the above rules in that any colour is permitted. However if the retro-
reflective material is very high specification, even if it is in the shape of a logo it may still be deemed to be
mounted on the vehicle for conspicuity purposes and then it will have to be amber.

Shape and size: "Battenburg" (large blocks of colour) livery is reserved for emergency vehicles and some
other special vehicles, as explained below. It should not be mounted on any other vehicles. Other than this,
there are no restrictions on shape or size.

Emergency Vehicles: Emergency vehicles (police, county & armed services fire and NHS ambulance services)
and certain other Government vehicles have special exemptions from the colours specified above and so can
use other colours such as blue to the side. When taking advantage of this exemption the Battenburg pattern
on the side of the vehicles should be used.

The special exemptions from the RVLR are called Special Orders and they are issued by VTS6, and signed on
behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport. Other users, including privately-run fire services or ambulances,
are not permitted these colours or the battenburg pattern and must conform to RVLR as described previously.

Enquiries should be directed to VTS6 to discover if a particular organisation or body is in possession of a Special
Order. Requests from organisations who feel they have a justifiable need for special colours or livery should also
be addressed to VTS6.

So in conclusion... strictly speaking, Battenburg appears to be illegal unless you're subject to a Special Order
from the DoT!

It all looks pretty gloomy. But...

A phone call to the DoT yielded the information that EC104 only applies to the size and grade of tape used,
i.e for lorries etc, and that Battenburg on a bike is in fact ok as long as the following is done: No reflective blue
to the side! That's it. So you could have Battenburg in non-reflective blue and reflective yellow, and it would
be perfectly legal.

If you're stopped by the police they are unlikely to know exactly what the law is on retro-reflectives, but they
will start from a standpoint of "if it looks like a police vehicle it's illegal". So choose your livery wisely!

[short1uk]

[Rubix]

[Finglonga]

[syl]