legal light requirements

[quinton199]

hi i have recently found that my main headlight in my 1980 Kawasaki has blow however i still have a smaller "city light" working so there is still is visibility it is just not as much as much as the full head light is to provide. is it legal to ride my bike like this until my new bulb arrives or do i require the full headlight to make the bike road legal
cheers guys, alex

[Kickstart]

Hi

If lights are fitted they must work. So I don't think it would be legit to ride like that.

If you need to then it would probably be safest to adjust the headlight to point down and then just use high beam.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Dan79]

Correct all lights fitted must be in working order.
In terms of usage, the highway code says you must run on side lights as a minimum (i.e. headlamp is optional, not legally necessary) on roads where the speed limit is 40mph or lower AND also has street lights, between dusk and dawn.
If you ride on unlit roads, or roads with a speed limit higher than 40mph whether lit or unlit, you must display the headlamp between dusk and dawn.
Thats my understanding anyway
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Previous bikes - 1984 Honda VF500 (FII) Interceptor and 1990 Yamaha RXS100
Current bikes - 1984 Honda VF500 (V30) Magna

[c_dug]

Going to semi hi-jack this.

My back light has gone, tried tracing the wiring back to the fault but its somewhere in the main loom so I have been riding with a bicycle rear light on my luggage rack since November, I have been past plenty of police cars without being pulled over, just wondering about the legalities of it though since I do technically have a rear light, its just not connected up to my main lights?

c_dug
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Dan79]

c_dug - it must be fixed to pass an MOT.

In terms of the laws of the road, I don't know whether it matters if the tail light displayed is that fitted to the vehicle or an accessory _ sorry !
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Previous bikes - 1984 Honda VF500 (FII) Interceptor and 1990 Yamaha RXS100
Current bikes - 1984 Honda VF500 (V30) Magna

[Kickstart]

Hi

Suspect in strict terms the bicycle light will lack the appropriate E mark for a motorcycle light.

But suspect the police would take an interest if they noticed, even if it was just to give you a defect ticket (when the MOT testers opinion becomes important).

Worst comes to the worst just run an extra wire outside the loom from somewhere else that is powered when the lights are on. A bodge but easy to do.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing