Rear reflector - Legally required?

Nath · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Karma :

Hi, maybe someone can help me with this.

To affix a back L plate to my cg125, i took off the reflector that's on the rear mudguard. My dad says this is illegal, and i should put it back on. I say that this is crap, since the L plate would be covering the reflector anyway, and would also then be liable to flap up in the wind(i helped secure it with the holes for the reflector).

A quick forum search suggests that you need a rear reflector to pass an MOT. However, is it illegal to ride without one? And during the test, would an examiner pick up on it?

The only legal reference google turned up, is that it's a legal requirement to keep a reflector clean/maintained, and it can't be hidden behind something.

To me, it would seem more illegal to put it back on, and deffinately less practical Thinking

Cheers.

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

It is a requirement for the MOT, so yes the MOT examiner would pick up on it. Don't think it's a legal requirement once on the roads though.
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Nath · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Karma :

Gah, meant to make that clearer. During the practical driving test, would the examiner stop you taking the test if he saw you had no reflector?

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

Well like I say I am not 100% sure whether it is a legal requirement for the roads, so wait for someone like Kev to reply to be sure, but if it is a legal requirement for the road then the examiner may refuse to take your test. I work for a bike shop which incorporates a motorcycle training school as well. On the 31st August last month, one of our GS500 DAS bikes went to the test centre with an instructor, with a new tax disc fitted, which commenced beginning of September. Because at the time the bike was not displaying a 'current' tax disc he was funny and refused to take the test. To a certain extent he was correct to do this, but to be issued with a tax disc commencing the beginning of September at the end of August you need to prove the bike is actually taxed until the end of August.
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RooRoo · Anal Intruder Joined: 04 May 2004 Karma :

what about me, my rear reflector is broken (smashed when some idiot in a car drove into the back of me) but I have a reflecter stuck on my L plate, is that MOT passable?

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

Yes.
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Nath · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Karma :

mchaggis · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 May 2004 Karma :

Hrm, I was going to say you could just stick it on for the test, before I realised that then you'd have no L-plate. You'd have to attach the L to the numberplate I guess otherwise. Either with plastic bolts or maybe you could explore some kind of bonding agent? If the L-plate was on the numberplate, it wouldn't be obscuring the reflector either.

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

You can buy just cheap stick on reflectors for pence. Then stick them onto the numberplate just for the MOT.

Yes you could get the same examiner. He's at the Gedling test station. Where abouts in Nottingham are you from?
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McJamweasel · BCF Junkie Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Karma :

Go to any bike or car shop and you can buy a small reflector that you can stick onto your numberplate. Thumbs Up

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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

It is a legal requirement, remember when Phoe got done for small plate the cop also mentioned something about not having a reflector. Never heard of anyone getting done for not having one and you'd have to piss them off quite a bit for them to do you for one I expect, and reckon you'd just get a rectifaction notice (you have to get bit of paper stamped by MOT station to say you're road legal).

Probably worth putting it on for the test rather than taking the risk of them refusing to do the test. There is plently of other places you can put it other than where your L plate is currently attached, or you could move the L plate.

Just get a cheap stick on one and put it on the numberplate, job done. Thumbs Up

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

Well that's me corrected Laughing

Although, to be fair, I did say all along that I wasn't sure!
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Nath · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Karma :

Scooby: I'm in mapperley, with my training center in Arnold... I guess it would be the Gedling station i'll be using Sad

I think i'll buy a stick-on reflector then. My dad will moan that i should put the original back on, but i think that would be just as dodgy as it's totally covered by the L plate :/ Once i do my test, i'll be able to use the proper reflector again, so it would only be a temporary measure.

Thanks for the help guys Thumbs Up

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

Roy at Kickstart?
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Nath · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Karma :

Aye, it is Smile

Scooby · Scrappy Doo Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Karma :

He's a good lad. My boss taught him everything he knows Laughing

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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

There is very little point in putting the original back on if it's behind the L plate. Laughing

I wouldn't worry too much over it, it's not exactly crime of the centuary and you'd have to try quite hard to piss a cop off enough for them to do you for it.

Frost · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 May 2004 Karma :

I had a similar situation on my learner bike. I attached the L plate through the holes which held on the rear reflector. My bike passed its MOT without one, got pulled by the police many times without them noticing/caring that i didnt have one. And i did my bike test without one.

In all honesty the police and others care far more about you correctly displaying an L plate than a reflector which so long as you turn your lights on at night, need never be used.

jrisch · Derestricted Danger Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Karma :

I've got the reflector covered by the L plate and it passed it's MOT (and the L-plate was dealer fitted to the bas of the number plate). As there are strict rules about the numberplate and L plate just sticking a reflector to either of those is also probably technically illegal, and may not satisfy a pedantic examiner. Also with our idiotic laws you may find a reflector's fitting is a requirement, but not that you have to make it visible to the rear! I'd refit the original even if it's under the numberplate.

Regards, John

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

It being visible is a requirement, if not then everyone would just carry one around under their seat. Laughing

Have a look at the exact MOT rules on this page.

Don't think it's illegal to stick a small reflector to your numberplate or L plate as long as it's not too big and it's not obsuring any part of them other then empty yellow or empty white area. They woudln't sell small stick on reflectors at MOT places as a solution for when you don't have a rear reflector fitted.

sychosis · Crazy Courier Joined: 21 May 2004 Karma :

I don't think I've even got a rear deflector on my bike. Maybe doesn't need one being that the lights are on permanently
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Bikes owned: Aprilia RS 125 GP1 2003 (Now sold), Suzuki GSX-r600 1997 (streetfightered), https://www.bikepics.com/members/sychosis/
psy?cho?sis (si-ko-sis),n. pl. psy?cho?ses (-sez) ,A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning.

stryker · Brolly Dolly Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Karma :

What? even when parked at night?

I think the reflector is there to make the bike be seen at night, when parked. I had to have two on the rear of my trike to pass its MOT. They had to be evenly spaced from the trike's centre.

jrisch · Derestricted Danger Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Karma :

8316 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Karma :

my dad was going to fail his mot in his cbr400, because his old reflector fell off, and was charged 3.50 for it. it was never a problem for him on the actual road and getting stopped for it.
police aren't that bad are they?
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sychosis · Crazy Courier Joined: 21 May 2004 Karma :

No lights are only on when bike running, not when parked up, and ignition is off. I'm gonna have to check my bike tonight now to see. I'm sure though that theres only the rear light and indy's

EDIT: Yeah I got one, haven't noticed it before, it's hiding just below the tail light above the reg plate
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Bikes owned: Aprilia RS 125 GP1 2003 (Now sold), Suzuki GSX-r600 1997 (streetfightered), https://www.bikepics.com/members/sychosis/
psy?cho?sis (si-ko-sis),n. pl. psy?cho?ses (-sez) ,A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning.