Is there a cop in the house?

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Is there a cop in the house? B. Peg 12-12-2006
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Posted by B. Peg on December 12, 2006, 8:50 am
Specifically a California one?

Regarding this:

**********************************************************

VEHICLE CODE
SECTION 25650-25651

25650. Every motorcycle during darkness shall be equipped with at
least one and not more than two lighted headlamps which shall conform
to the requirements and limitations of this division.

25650.5. Every motorcycle manufactured and first registered on and
after January 1, 1978, shall be equipped with at least one and not
more than two headlamps which automatically turn on when the engine
of the motorcycle is started and which remain lighted as long as the
engine is running. This section does not preclude equipping
motorcycles used as authorized emergency vehicles with a switch to be
used to turn off the headlamp during emergency situations or when
the light would interfere with law enforcement, if the switch is
removed prior to resale of the motorcycle.

25651. The headlamp upon a motor-driven cycle may be of the
single-beam or multiple-beam type, but in either event, when the
vehicle is operated during darkness, the headlamp shall comply with
the requirements and limitations as follows:
(a) The headlamp shall be of sufficient intensity to reveal a
person or a vehicle at a distance of not less than 100 feet when the
motor-driven cycle is operated at any speed less than 25 miles per
hour and at a distance of not less than 200 feet when operated at a
speed of 25 to not exceeding 35 miles per hour, and at a distance of
300 feet when operated at a speed greater than 35 miles per hour.
(b) In the event the motor-driven cycle is equipped with a
multiple-beam headlamp, the upper beam shall meet the minimum
requirements set forth above and the lowermost beam shall meet the
requirements applicable to a lowermost distribution of light as set
forth in subdivision (b) of Section 24407.
(c) In the event the motor-driven cycle is equipped with a
single-beam lamp, it shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is
loaded none of the high intensity portion of light, at a distance of
25 feet ahead, shall project higher than the level of the center of
the lamp from which it comes.

*******************************************
So if a Harley has three lamps (two driving and one headlamp) or a BMW or
Goldwing with added auxillary lighting like Piaa's or Motolights, does this
make them illegal by definition?Some of the new bikes have two headlamps
(Wings &B BMW's), but how many and does auxillary lighting count? I know
you can't have more than six lamps on cars without the extras being covered
and used off-road only (at least I think that's tthe law).B~



Posted by Paladin on December 12, 2006, 9:32 am
wrote:

>Specifically a California one?

>VEHICLE CODE
>SECTION 25650-25651
....

>So if a Harley has three lamps (two driving and one headlamp) or a BMW or
>Goldwing with added auxillary lighting like Piaa's or Motolights, does this
>make them illegal by definition?Some of the new bikes have two headlamps
>(Wings &B BMW's), but how many and does auxillary lighting count? I know
>you can't have more than six lamps on cars without the extras being covered
>and used off-road only (at least I think that's tthe law).B~

They added lamps are not headlamps, they are auxiliary lighting,
passing lamps to be specific.
California Vehicle Code:

24402. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two
auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less
than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches. Driving lamps are lamps
designed for supplementing the upper beam from headlamps and may not
be lighted with the lower beam.
(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two
auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less
than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches. Passing lamps are lamps
designed for supplementing the lower beam from headlamps and may also
be lighted with the upper beam.



Posted by Tim Kreitz on December 12, 2006, 9:51 am
B. Peg wrote:
> So if a Harley has three lamps (two driving and one headlamp) or a BMW or
> Goldwing with added auxillary lighting like Piaa's or Motolights, does this
> make them illegal by definition?Some of the new bikes have two headlamps
> (Wings &B BMW's), but how many and does auxillary lighting count? I know
> you can't have more than six lamps on cars without the extras being covered
> and used off-road only (at least I think that's tthe law).B~


You asked for a cop when you should've asked for an attorney.

In Texas, a running lamp is considered a headlamp, and cannot be
mounted at a level higher than the vehicle's stock headlamps. There
also cannot be more than four total headlamps on a regular passenger
vehicle.

The statutes you attached read pretty plainly to me. More than two
forward-pointing headlamps on a bike is a violation. Is that a stupid
rule? Probably. But the CHP in particular will ticket you for having
aftermarket lighting that isn't marked as being DOT compliant, too. So
with that sort of enforcement nonsense in mind, I'd consult a
professional expert on California traffic law before I turned my bike
into a rolling Ceasar's Palace sign.

Tim Kreitz
2003 ZX7R
2000 ZX6R
http://www.timkreitz.com


Posted by P.Roehling on December 12, 2006, 3:26 pm


> The statutes you attached read pretty plainly to me. More than two
> forward-pointing headlamps on a bike is a violation.

Nope. Read the actual statutes as posted above by Paladin.

Almost every dress HD in California carries three headlights: the one
central "headlight" and two "passing lamps" mounted to either side and
slightly lower than the central one. All three are on at all times, and
nobody ever gets ticketed for them so long as they're DOT legal, which they
nearly always are.

Pete



Posted by Paul Bunion on December 12, 2006, 10:04 am
B. Peg wrote:
> Specifically a California one?
>
> Regarding this:
>
> **********************************************************
>
> VEHICLE CODE
> SECTION 25650-25651
>
> 25650. Every motorcycle during darkness shall be equipped with at
> least one and not more than two lighted headlamps which shall conform
> to the requirements and limitations of this division.
>
> 25650.5. Every motorcycle manufactured and first registered on and
> after January 1, 1978, shall be equipped with at least one and not
> more than two headlamps which automatically turn on when the engine
> of the motorcycle is started and which remain lighted as long as the
> engine is running. This section does not preclude equipping
> motorcycles used as authorized emergency vehicles with a switch to be
> used to turn off the headlamp during emergency situations or when
> the light would interfere with law enforcement, if the switch is
> removed prior to resale of the motorcycle.
>
> 25651. The headlamp upon a motor-driven cycle may be of the
> single-beam or multiple-beam type, but in either event, when the
> vehicle is operated during darkness, the headlamp shall comply with
> the requirements and limitations as follows:
> (a) The headlamp shall be of sufficient intensity to reveal a
> person or a vehicle at a distance of not less than 100 feet when the
> motor-driven cycle is operated at any speed less than 25 miles per
> hour and at a distance of not less than 200 feet when operated at a
> speed of 25 to not exceeding 35 miles per hour, and at a distance of
> 300 feet when operated at a speed greater than 35 miles per hour.
> (b) In the event the motor-driven cycle is equipped with a
> multiple-beam headlamp, the upper beam shall meet the minimum
> requirements set forth above and the lowermost beam shall meet the
> requirements applicable to a lowermost distribution of light as set
> forth in subdivision (b) of Section 24407.
> (c) In the event the motor-driven cycle is equipped with a
> single-beam lamp, it shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is
> loaded none of the high intensity portion of light, at a distance of
> 25 feet ahead, shall project higher than the level of the center of
> the lamp from which it comes.
>
> *******************************************
> So if a Harley has three lamps (two driving and one headlamp) or a BMW or
> Goldwing with added auxillary lighting like Piaa's or Motolights, does this
> make them illegal by definition?Some of the new bikes have two headlamps
> (Wings &B BMW's), but how many and does auxillary lighting count? I know
> you can't have more than six lamps on cars without the extras being covered
> and used off-road only (at least I think that's tthe law).B~
>
>
That's what I want, headlights that come on when the engine starts, NOT
WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY ON TO START IT! The starter AND the lights are too
much drain on the battery and shortens it's life. Needless to say I had
to rewire my bike.

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