Whilst driving yesterday afternoon I spotted in my rear view mirror a motorbike that had a rather fetching fuschia-pink headlight. Is this legal, fashionable or just plain foreign.
Clarification please.
Rita
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Rita,
I don't think that they're legal, but there are a number of bikes in my area (Petersfield/Alton) with coloured headlights - blue, red, purple and green. When they overtake you at night it's like that scene in 'Close Encounters of the Third kind'where the UFO's are following the car..!
I'm surprised that they aren't pulled up by the police, as they're very obvious.
Regards,
P.
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FiF (Mon 29 Jul 02 14:00) commented on this in Techies, see
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=i&t=66...1
Regards
Tony
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"..as they're very obvious"
That must be the point then.
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Rita,
Not sure about the blues and greens, but is definitely illegal to show a red light at the front of a moving vehicle. Why they don't get pulled I just don't know.
Changing the subject, how is your friend's Vectra ?
Regards, Adam
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Can confirm they're just fasionable, although as a distinctly unfasionable biker I reckon they're daft and not just a little dangerous.
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I would tend to think that they are illegal or perhaps a better description unlawful, I've not heard of a prosecution being brought but I believe they are an unfortunate trend which will render the errant bikers to be targetted in time...
Unlawful in the sense that they are not Type Approved,
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Without book consulation it an on offence to:
show a light to the front other than white,(indicators exempt)
show a light to the rear other than red.
Road Vehicles Lighting Regs.
DVD.
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As you were...
Reg 11(1) RVLR
no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing a red light to the front except fire beacons, side marker or traffic sign.
no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp capable of showing any light to the rear other than a red light, except (the main ones)
direction indicator,reverse light, vehicle interior illumination, warning beacons.
Under Shedule 2 and 4 the colour of front position lamp and main beam headlamp has to be either white or yellow. Have yet to come across an exemption from this for motor cycles.
DVD
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My son put new higher power bulbs in his car just before Christmas. They apparently had a very green tinge (which he hadn't realised), he got pulled within a week or so of fitting them and was given a talking to.
He took them back to the supplying garage who changed them for legal ones.
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What about the blue refraction you get from those thick lenses fitted to modern 'mini' headlights? Legally defining the colour of light transmitted through glass elements could be tricky...
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"What about the blue refraction you get from those thick lenses
fitted to modern 'mini' headlights?"
This is a problem.
Frequently I have seen what appears to be an emergency vehicle's blue lights in the distance and taken appropriate action, only to find that it is a public vehicle's headlights refracting blue.
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Perhaps related, since returning from 5 years in Oz I have noticed a new phenomenon of blue tinged headlights, viewed straight on they are white and very bright. Viewed at anything but straight on they are distrinctly blue or sometimes green. A car approaching rapidly from behind on a windy road (funny how they are always rushing!) appears to be a blue flash in the rear view mirror, Same effect when they overtake and you get a flash in the drivers door mirror.
Very distracting. Didnt notice it before (ie pre 1996).
Wish these lights would be banned!
Ian L.
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The blue tinged headlights referred to in the above posts are "Xenon" lights. They are not unlawful.
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0.1%
I didnt write that blue tinged bulbs are illegal, just that they have only recently appeared and they can be very distracting.
I spent some time in a motor factors at the weekend, Xenon bulbs seem to be very expensive and may or may not have the blue tinge effect, but there are cheaper brands (non-xenon) being marketed as being 'blue white' or 'green-white'.
These are surely fashion items or simple imitation of expensive xenon for the nova boys etc.
While they may not be illegal, my personal opinion (and it is nothing more than that) is that they are on the bleeding edge of legality and are so distracting that perhaps they should be banned.
Unfortunately it is only off axis that this effect is so obvious and it may not show in a MOT test (done in daylight).
regards
Ian
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Most of the problem isn't xenon lamps. The red and blue come from the prism effect at the edges of the lenses used in modern lamps. This splits the light into its compnent colours and creates the colours visible in the beam edges. Pal of mine had an Alfa 146, conventional bulb headlamps, and when this thing approached from behind as the beams swept over the car you got interesting red and blue flashes. You could also see the effect from within the car. He's convinced it confused some drivers into slowing up and moving over.
Regards
John S
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Changing the subject, how is your friend's Vectra ?
Careful Adam, you'll get Mark (RLBS) after you for doing that :o)
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Not as obvious as those riduculous reg plates that are either mis-spaced or using a pathetic type face. At least you can turn them off whan a copper is about during the day.
Why don't the reg plate abusers get nicked then?
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These acrylic "headlight protectors" appear to be very popular with the colour-blind bikers, orange bike, orange screen, orange headlight, orange everything, aaaaaahhh. Their mates usually have lime green Kawasakis, with lime green ........
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Adam -
At the risk of upsetting Mark(RLBS)I will respond to your off-topic friendly enquiry re. my friend's problematic Vectra.
He is taking the car for a diagnostic check. When and if he has a specific diagnosis I will post it on the technical page. I must say here how much I appreciated all those that responded to my original query.
Rita
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On the subject of dodgy headlights, I was driving a truck through Iran, at night, a few years ago and pulled out to overtake a long line of trucks. I saw two red lights ahead, assumed it was another truck doing the same as me. Nice to have one in front, he can encounter on coming trffice first. Not so, this guy was coming towards me wearing red headlamps - close shave that one.
Anthony
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Same over here, lights are regarded as primarily decorative, so just pick any colour you want. What I do dislike though is those Japanese trucks which have two headlights half-way down the truck length pointing towards the rear and facing the road at a shallow angle. Maybe in Japan these serve a safety purpose but all it does is dazzle me when I'm trying to overtake. Another one is blue turn indicators!
As for pink green blue etc tinted lamps, quite normal here. When yuo order your new car they ask you what color tint would you like on the windows and what color bulb tint in your front lights.
I don't think the Brit plod would have enough notebooks to add up all the violations we could show 'em.
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Rita,
as one of the motorcycle riders who makes fairly regular submissions to the forums I can tell you that they are there for a couple of reasons:
A] They protect the lens of the headlamp, if you get a stone chip in the lens, (an MOT fail) it will cost over £200 for most bikes for a replacement unit. My Blackbird was almost £290 when mine was cracked.
B] As you and many others note, they get you noticed! The pink ones are the best for this in my opinion, but god they look awful on some bikes.
C] They are also very fashionable mods, green on Kawasakis, Blue on Yamaha R1s and orange on some of the tiger Fireblades are common ones.
My bike is black so I don't have one.
Bill
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1. They do make clear covers. I use one.
2. They can't be caught by Gastsos
3. Yes they do look daft, and not a little dangerous 'cos at night there's precious little enough light available anyway. Maybe it's me age!! But they don't look as daft as the dopey animal ears that some stick on their helmets
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graham,
Errrrm...actually I think those are real ears poking through holes in the helmets.
They do say bikers are a breed apart.
;-)
PS: How was Wales then Toad?
David W
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Errrrm...actually I think those are real ears poking through holes in the helmets.
That theory is actually *less* stupid than the truth!
PS: How was Wales then Toad?
Not bad! Thanks for being interested. The Rover dragged me and a load of kit a total of 720 miles over the week. Home->Saundersfoot->Newport->Evesham->Newbury->Southampton->Home. It's now half full with sand and smells quite badly of sea water soaked sails warmed by the sun.
Great weather, great sailing, great windsurfing, lot's of beer, lot's of food and even an out of character day and a half of succesful lady action. Got back late last night. Can't say I feel rested though!
Trips like that make me really feel alive.
Walking in Snowdonia in two weeks time so another chance for the Rover to stretch it's legs.
Even better the twin brother got a done for 76 in a 60 on the same day as his horse fell on him! Nothing better than the misfortune of those closest to you to give you a real lift! ;-)
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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Even better the twin brother got a done for 76 in a 60
You have a twin?
What's he called - newt of Newton Abbey?
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>the twin brother got a done for 76 in a 60 on the same day as his horse fell on him!
That's some horse, Derby next year!
David W
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DW: He put's nitrous in it's high energy feed! Does 76 count as Hunter pace?
I(CT): Or maybe he's from Millpond Keynes! ;-)
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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"...->Southampton->..."
You should have popped in for a nice cup of tea.
Vin
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"...->Southampton->..." You should have popped in for a nice cup of tea.
Thanks, next time I will!
You got any Bourbon Creams?
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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"...->Southampton->..." You should have popped in for a nice cup of tea. Vin
>>
Erhumm, (clears throat)
SCUMMER, SCUMMER ....
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"Erhumm, (clears throat)
SCUMMER, SCUMMER ...."
Envy, such an ugly emotion...
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What would you say to a Bismarck "spike" on a German style m/c helmet? Or Viking horns? Both exist in my local m/c club.
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more to the point, what's the doctor/copper going to say to their next of kin when they come off the bike and the added drag from the decorations breaks there neck in what might otherwise be a survivable accident ?
(just got to get that one off my chest - every morning I see a biker on a hardly-davidson who
(a) if his lane is full , will always use the opposing lane no matter how much traffic is coming toward him.
(b) always when driving on the wrong side of the road towards oncoming traffic has his main beam on and both fog/driving lights which are mounted at car drivers eye level
[i dont know how much protection he thinks they'll give him when he finally hits something going round the bend over the blind bridge by the Queen Alexandra, and as long as it isnt me he hits, i don't care any more]
(c) he has fluffy dalmatian ears dangling off his helmet
it's all right, I feel better now...
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