Bright Lights Lose Rights?

[Visian]

What "rights" are at risk?

Similar to issues surrounding "excessive sound" (aka: noise) our rights to accessorize our bikes with suitable driving lights could be at risk.

Due to excessive noise, there are now extensive restrictions on aftermarket exhausts in California.

The same thing could happen with lights.

(which leads to the great question: how long will it be before our passion is regulated out of existence?)

Ian

ps => thanks for all the excellent replies in this thread, sorry I haven't revisited here... been out riding!

[MOTOR31]

You already have regulations regarding lights on motorcycles. As earlier noted more than one state limits the number of lights on bikes as well as cars for that matter. You have other limitations on how you can accessorize your bike. Put some red and or blue lights facing the front (especially flashing ones) and see what happens.

As far as rights are concerned, you do not have a right to drive much less a right to put whatever you want on an motor vehicle operated on public roadways. You only have privileges, authorized by the state you are a resident of and generally recognized by the other states in the union.

Personally I am very much in favor of noise limitations on bikes, cars and even trucks, big and small. Others may enjoy the sound of the exhaust and or stereo but there is absolutely no right to inflict it on others or to disturb the peace of others.

[Visian]

As far as rights are concerned, you do not have a right to drive much less a right to put whatever you want on an motor vehicle operated on public roadways. You only have privileges, authorized by the state you are a resident of and generally recognized by the other states in the union.

whatever....

rather pedantic, methinks.

[42906]

Similar to issues surrounding "excessive sound" (aka: noise) our rights to accessorize our bikes with suitable driving lights could be at risk.

Due to excessive noise, there are now extensive restrictions on aftermarket exhausts in California.

The same thing could happen with lights.

(which leads to the great question: how long will it be before our passion is regulated out of existence?)

Ian

ps => thanks for all the excellent replies in this thread, sorry I haven't revisited here... been out riding!

What restrictions? You can buy anything you want for your bike in CA. There are no inspections.

A dealer might not legally be permitted to make non-smog legal changes to a vehicle, though plenty do, but that is true all across the US due to Federal regulations. The tuner and software the Harley dealership sold me is "for closed course use only", snicker, but that didn't stop a local dyno shop from plugging it in, putting it on a dyno and re-mapping the excessively lean mixture the bike came with.

A cop in some sensitive beachside cities might cite you for excessive noise based on the vehicle code. Huntington Beach and Laguna Beach are notorious for this. But, as far as what I can buy and hang on my bike, the sky is the limit. Everything out there is available here.

Where do these stories come from?

[42906]

whatever....

rather pedantic, methinks.

"Full time RVer"

I wonder how much noise his generator makes? Shouldn't RV drivers be required to have a special license to drive such a big, heavy vehicle? Maybe a commercial license? Hey, just asklng .....................

[PGlaves]

I have auxiliary lights on a couple of my bikes. On two of them I have two sets of auxiliary lights for different purposes. I'll make two comments about auxiliary lights.

1. Quality matters. You can get a set of H3 driving lights at most mart type stores or auto parts stores for very little money. They have plastic housings, crappy reflectors, and can spread glare all over. And you can get good housings, good reflectors and good light patterns for a bit more money. If you go high tech you can spend hundreds several times.

2. Aim is everything. Know where you want the light to be and what beam pattern you want - buy the lights accordingly - and then aim them properly. Bad aiming of the lights probably accounts for more problems than lights that are too bright.

[Visian]

I agree with your point about aim, but I've seen some massively bright units being abused. Even when they're pointed correctly, they're pretty bright... and when mis-aimed they're worse than a bubba-truck in your rearview.

This is not to say that I want high quality and power lights outlawed. To Themason's point, while the reality may be that you can still get what you want, loud pipes caused those communities to crack down. The same could happen with lights if riders aren't considerate. At a minimum, it could be an excuse to pull you over.

btw, Themason, you can add the 17-mile drive at Pebble Beach to your list, where there's an outright ban on all motorcycles. Ditto Big Canoe, a really nice development in the N. Georgia mountains.

Ian

[greenwald]

You already have regulations regarding lights on motorcycles. As earlier noted more than one state limits the number of lights on bikes as well as cars for that matter. You have other limitations on how you can accessorize your bike. Put some red and or blue lights facing the front (especially flashing ones) and see what happens.

As far as rights are concerned, you do not have a right to drive much less a right to put whatever you want on an motor vehicle operated on public roadways. You only have privileges, authorized by the state you are a resident of and generally recognized by the other states in the union.

Personally I am very much in favor of noise limitations on bikes, cars and even trucks, big and small. Others may enjoy the sound of the exhaust and or stereo but there is absolutely no right to inflict it on others or to disturb the peace of others.

+1

[kantuckid]

I just checked the KY MC manual & the vehicle regs which will get you a few laughs. E.G., you are supposed to honk your horn on a mtn road when visibility is below 200' such as a curve-that ought to win some friends! As to noise it is supposed to be at the minimum(hmm?) & smoke or other disturbances as well. Both are ala 1942. As to lights, a bike must have a HL with high/low beam & otherwise the sky is the limit except cannot have colored lts. such as cops or emergency vehicles.This means for KY we have to do what everybody else will allow as we can do anything that doesn't tick off the leo's.
FWIW, aiming is important but I have often observed that in my 4x4 Tundra with low beams I am blinding the vehicle ahead as late model cars get hit hard by regular HL's. I run hotter but legal bulbs on my bike, shorter life but safer.

[tommcgee]

From Larz Anderson Euro Bike Day yesterday. I think the butane torch he used to fire it up put out more light.

[lmo1131]

You might be surprised about how much you can see with that old acetylene fueled lamp. It's all about relative brightness anyway. Back in 1915, or whenever that bike was built, there were far fewer other vehicles on the road so your "night vision" wasn't being wrecked every two or three minutes by the head lights of an oncoming vehicle ... and when you did encounter another vehicle it was, more than likely, another acetylene lamped machine. The other thing to consider is the speed these bikes were running on the road surfaces of the day.

I'm trying to remember when I discovered, as a kid, that I could see more with my flashlight off, and when it was on.

[sloride]

I don't ride at night if possible but I feel that I need additional rear lights for rain or foggy conditions.

Any suggestions for a 08RT?

I don't know if it's legal but I use my emergency blinkers in the rain and fog

[tommcgee]

I don't know if it's legal but I use my emergency blinkers in the rain and fog

It wasn't in rain and fog, but i got pulled over for using my 4 ways in Montana.

[MOTOR31]

"Full time RVer"

I wonder how much noise his generator makes? Shouldn't RV drivers be required to have a special license to drive such a big, heavy vehicle? Maybe a commercial license? Hey, just asklng .....................

Generator, a Honda 2000. Rather small but fits our needs nicely. It has about 53 to 59 dB depending on load. Quiet enough to allow you to hold normal conversation at about 4 foot from it. Quieter than my R1150RT was actually. It gets rather little usage as I like to be on shore power and don't dry camp very much.

As to licensing for operating an RV, several states do require specific license categories depending on size and or air brakes. Having been a commercial vehicle inspector as part of my other duties as a LEO I researched what was required in my state and comply with the applicable regulations. Your state has the license requirements available if you are so inclined to look them up. Just sayin, ya know. Not that is has a single thing to do with the original topic.

[PGlaves]

What kind of oil do you have to use in the Honda generator? Dino or Synthetic?