View Full Version : Legal to remove headlight?
tim8061
28-05-13, 05:59 PM
My bike has a normal full MOT - if I remove the headlight completely is it still legal for daytime use?
I know about daytime MOTs, but it already has a full one and I need to take the light off for repair/maintenance. I'm wondering if I could still ride it legally on nice sunny days when visibility isn't reduced.
Facts please, not guesswork :)
rictus01
29-05-13, 05:06 AM
no it's not legal, any thing tested on the MOT that is removed, damaged (and not repaired) or worn out invalidates it, although a police automatic check (to DVLA) won't show it, but if stopped you'll probably get done for "failure to maintain" which is £30 non-endorceable fine.
Oh and FYI, source was a current traffic police sergeant.
No. Such thing as a day time mot.
Its a mot with the advisory.
No lights fitted at time of test.
Re law
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/regulation/24/made
2) Save as provided in paragraphs (5) and (9), where a solo motor bicycle is not fitted with a front position lamp, no person shall use it, or cause or permit it to be used, on a road (other than when it is parked) between sunset and sunrise or in seriously reduced visibility between sunrise and sunset, unless a headlamp is kept lit and unobscured
Ps
Dont belive every thing a traffic cop.says.
They get it wrong at times as they are human.
They tried to nick my nephew for a tyre worn on the outer 1/4. Of tread.
Fail.
rictus01
29-05-13, 06:50 AM
As always there is the written law, and then what you'll get done for, I'd be more concerned with the latter .
rictus01
29-05-13, 06:51 AM
Ps
Dont belive every thing a traffic cop.says.
They get it wrong at times as they are human.
They tried to nick my nephew for a tyre worn on the outer 1/4. Of tread.
Fail.
true, however **** them off and they'll find something 9 times out of 10.
Yep.
Its the useual kids in cars meet thing.
But saved him an endorsment .
Getting back to lamps
On the telly one of theses cop shows one bloke was stoped no light ,
They fraked him about till.it got dark..
Mark you might get done for light polution ......
My eyrs lol
rictus01
29-05-13, 07:07 AM
according to Jonathan, that's why most are done for "failure to maintain", as it's only £30 and no points not many will argue or take it to court, the police write the ticket and it's paid, they have no need to justify it in anyway.
Problem is it does the police little favor.
The kids disrespect them for it.
Then when they find out its not justified look out....
rictus01
29-05-13, 07:50 AM
most will be grateful they didn't get done for the dark visor/load pipe/ small number plate...and so on, so I'd guess it's used as a £30 slap on the wrist :smt102
Oh for the days when you used to get a clip round the ear.
Nostalger isn't waht it used to be ;)
rictus01
29-05-13, 08:40 AM
g4F4ZOlZZY8
kiggles
29-05-13, 08:42 AM
my question would be more towards why no light?
If i could i would ride around with a million lights on the front turned on (obviously meeting the light beam requirement of MOT). Is there a law against fitting lots of lights to the bike to make it look like day time all the time?
cant see me? even with my high vis , oh and the thousands of Christmas lights.
rictus01
29-05-13, 08:54 AM
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/580577_10151281755014135_430011146_n.jpg
If you. Want to fettle a track bike i guess a mot with no lights is one way.
But like you id rather be seen.
The op doing work that needs light removed.
But id rather get up early fix it done job.
rictus01
29-05-13, 09:44 AM
In the real world the police will see it as an excuse to stop you, apart from wasted time they'll see what they can do you for rather than be proved wrong for stopping you.
Personally if I couldn't get it fixed that day; and I knew I'd be home well before dark, I'd fix just the shell in place so it looked like I had lights, it'd negate the above anyway.
So we saying .yes its ok to COMPLETLY remove the light and its shell.
Advisable No.
rictus01
29-05-13, 10:22 AM
no I've been advised it's one of those "grey area" the statement I made about the MOT is what he gave me, but if it's obviously missing you're likely to get pulled, now whether the copper knows if it's legal or not :smt102, but he will know what he can do you for (the failure to maintain thing).
So I can't say a definate yes or no, and I really tried to pin him down (he's my sons godfather).
I guess unless you get a soliciter to look it up its never going to be black and white.
If you get a tug the legal fee be more than the unjustified nick.
rictus01
29-05-13, 10:35 AM
and we're back to accepting a £30 fine...
I guess like most things theres a good cop bad cop thing.
We have all meet mr arogant trafic cop.
Use what it basicly a tool to target hgv s and pick on the poor biker.
Some see motorist as an easy target.
It gets the figures up.
Most will roll over
tim8061
29-05-13, 12:22 PM
Fairing upper is cracked and needs welding then spraying so not a quick job. Wondered about riding it naked - could buy a cheap Street Fighter headlamp and bolt it on so the chances of getting a random pull probably zero as ANPR would show it fully legal. However, with the fairing off it could look a bit sus although it's clean and tidy enough. "What, the light isn't working Officer? It was on when I left home, the fuse must have just blown!"
Two minuets and you can get power to it.
Save the greif of a pull.
Red Herring
29-05-13, 09:27 PM
There's some right rubbish here, and some that has come close to being right.
If your bike is not fitted with a front or rear position lamp then you do not need to comply with the rest of the lighting regulations providing you are using the bike during daylight hours (half and hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset), and not in conditions of seriously reduced visibility (generally held to be less that 100m).
It doesn't matter if the lights were there when you MOT'd it or not, it's the same MOT just the tester can't test what isn't fitted.
If you remove the headlight then the chances are you have also removed the position lamp (on many bikes the headlight is the front position lamp), however unless you also remove the rear one you cannot ride without the front one, regardless of what time of day it is.
cb1000rsteve
29-05-13, 10:03 PM
1269512695Agreed. Mot is an mot. No such thing as a daylight mot. All or nothing with the lights. Only requirement for mot is number plate horn and speedo. Along with the mechanical of course!
Red Herring
30-05-13, 07:45 AM
Gosh, I though you had found a picture of my old bike there. I used my ZX7R race bike (but with a 9 engine fitted) on the road few a few years once I had retired it and the only modification I made was to refit the horn and install a brake light for safety reasons. Great bike, sold it to a chap in his 70s who I believe is still doing track days on it.
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