What are the rules regarding lights on a motorcycle

[cjmitch]

Hello to you all,
Ther is much discussion going on on the motorcycle message board, (especially the Gold wings) about lighting on motorcycles.
What are the rules about colored lights on motorcycles in your state?

Thank you.
cjm

P.S. Please note what state, and if possible what Ordinance in your state code...
I will complie a list and post it on that board

[Ispbear]

In most States the only colors allowed on any motor vehicle are white and amber to the front and red and amber to the rear. If riders want colored lights for shows, simply put them on a toggle switch so they can be turned off when they hit the road.

[Samuel]

Hello to you all,
Ther is much discussion going on on the motorcycle message board, (especially the Gold wings) about lighting on motorcycles.
What are the rules about colored lights on motorcycles in your state?

Thank you.
cjm

P.S. Please note what state, and if possible what Ordinance in your state code...
I will complie a list and post it on that board

Google is your friend.

[TX-LEO]

Hello to you all,
Ther is much discussion going on on the motorcycle message board, (especially the Gold wings) about lighting on motorcycles.
What are the rules about colored lights on motorcycles in your state?

Thank you.
cjm

P.S. Please note what state, and if possible what Ordinance in your state code...
I will complie a list and post it on that board

Texas transportation code - Google returned these results very quickly.

§ 547.303. COLOR REQUIREMENTS. (a) Unless expressly
provided otherwise, a lighting device or reflector mounted on the
rear of a vehicle must be or reflect red.
(b) A signaling device mounted on the rear of a vehicle may
be red, amber, or yellow.


§ 547.305. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF LIGHTS. (a) A motor vehicle
lamp or illuminating device, other than a headlamp,
spotlamp, auxiliary lamp, turn signal lamp, or emergency vehicle or
school bus warning lamp, that projects a beam with an intensity
brighter than 300 candlepower shall be directed so that no part of
the high-intensity portion of the beam strikes the roadway at a
distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.
(b) Except as expressly authorized by law, a person may not
operate or move equipment or a vehicle, other than a police vehicle,
with a lamp or device that displays a red light visible from
directly in front of the center of the equipment or vehicle.
(c) A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a
red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless
the equipment is:
(1) used as specifically authorized by this chapter;
or
(2) a running lamp, headlamp, taillamp, backup lamp,
or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.
(d) A vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing
lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 only if
the vehicle is:
(1) a school bus;
(2) an authorized emergency vehicle;
(3) a church bus that has the words "church bus"
printed on the front and rear of the bus so as to be clearly
discernable to other vehicle operators;
(4) a tow truck while under the direction of a law
enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up
to a disabled vehicle on a roadway; or
(5) a tow truck with a mounted light bar

[cjmitch]

Google is your friend.

Yes it is.. if you know what to search for..
fro instance...

texas calls it the transportation code
Ohio..its the Ohio revised code.. and so on and so forth... TIMES 50 states
Do you search for "blue lights" viehicle lights, motorcycle lights???
Get the drift, now when you get all those "results" you gotta wade through them, to get close to what you need...

[cjmitch]

Texas transportation code - Google returned these results very quickly.

§ 547.303. COLOR REQUIREMENTS. (a) Unless expressly
provided otherwise, a lighting device or reflector mounted on the
rear of a vehicle must be or reflect red.
(b) A signaling device mounted on the rear of a vehicle may
be red, amber, or yellow.


§ 547.305. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF LIGHTS. (a) A motor vehicle
lamp or illuminating device, other than a headlamp,
spotlamp, auxiliary lamp, turn signal lamp, or emergency vehicle or
school bus warning lamp, that projects a beam with an intensity
brighter than 300 candlepower shall be directed so that no part of
the high-intensity portion of the beam strikes the roadway at a
distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.
(b) Except as expressly authorized by law, a person may not
operate or move equipment or a vehicle, other than a police vehicle,
with a lamp or device that displays a red light visible from
directly in front of the center of the equipment or vehicle.
(c) A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a
red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless
the equipment is:
(1) used as specifically authorized by this chapter;
or
(2) a running lamp, headlamp, taillamp, backup lamp,
or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.
(d) A vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing
lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 only if
the vehicle is:
(1) a school bus;
(2) an authorized emergency vehicle;
(3) a church bus that has the words "church bus"
printed on the front and rear of the bus so as to be clearly
discernable to other vehicle operators;
(4) a tow truck while under the direction of a law
enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up
to a disabled vehicle on a roadway; or
(5) a tow truck with a mounted light bar

Ok TX, thanks
As I read this it seems to say...
547.303.
1) From the rear.. Only RED, or for signaling RED or AMBER


2)

(b) Except as expressly authorized by law, a person may not
operate or move equipment or a vehicle, other than a police vehicle,
with a lamp or device that displays a red light visible from
directly in front of the center of the equipment or vehicle.

(c) A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a
red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless
the equipment is:

(what is meant by a "BEACON"?)

(b) means NO RED from the front that is visable from standing directly in fornt of the viehicle
(c) No Red, white, or blue, stationary, OR flashing PERIOD.

No RED any direction
No Blue any direction
GREEN go to go... (sides / Front)
Amber... good to go (sides / front)

If Im being anal about this.. sorry... but someone is going to ask, and I like to have answers.

[Samuel]

Yes it is.. if you know what to search for..
fro instance...

texas calls it the transportation code
Ohio..its the Ohio revised code.. and so on and so forth... TIMES 50 states
Do you search for "blue lights" viehicle lights, motorcycle lights???
Get the drift, now when you get all those "results" you gotta wade through them, to get close to what you need...

Yeah? So? Make an effort... Look them up and maybe come and ask for the ones you weren't able to find... GET THE DRIFT? :rolleyes:

start by looking up each state's Department of Motor Vehicles or Bureau of Motor Vehicles - check Vehicle or Transportation Code/Statute

Btw, IspBear pretty much summed it up for you.

[Jay7376]

What are the rules about colored lights on motorcycles in your state?

For Michigan:

The same as all other motor vehicles. There is not a difference between a car or motorcycle concerning the light colors permitted.

White & amber visible on front.

Red & amber visible on rear.

NOTHING else. No green, no purple, no blue etc.

[Johninaustin]

I can save you all the trouble searching. If it did not come on the bike from the manufacturer, chances are pretty damn good that it's illegal.

Pep Boys or Autozone does not count. ;)