Blinkers, CA

[Ethango]

I was pulled over earlier this evening for my blinkers, specifically the front ones.

i was told that they are "to close together" and that is "illegal"

i tried to do some research online but could not come up with anything productive. any info? advice?

there were other things he should have been looking at instead (missing rear blinker [laid it down earlier that day, sheared it off] and missing mirrors) but he was entranced by the closeness of my front blinkers...

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[DIRTEE1]

If you where just told the cop he might be blowing smoke. If you got issued a citation the should be a California Vehicle Code number violation on the citation so go to google and type it in a read up on it. Look under Division 12 Article 5 as it has all the safety equipment listings and could not find anything on light spacing for motorcycles. This list is current as of 2009

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/vctoc.htm

Just spoke with a friend of mine who is a cop and he said turn signals on motorcycles can be no narrower than 9 inches from center line to center line of both light and must be mounted higher than 15 inches from the ground. This is Federal Law but he also said most cop wont do anything as the dont know the laws governing this kind of thing unless they are having a bad day.

Edited December 19, 2009 by DIRTEE1
Added to

[DIRTEE1]

Found the Federal Standard.

FMVSS Section 108, Turn Signals (Motorcycle Column), Excerpted

At or near the rear--1 red or amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height and having a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of lamps) of 9 inches. Minimum edge to edge separation distance between lamp and tail or stop lamp is 4-inches, when a single stop and taillamp is installed on the vertical centerline and the turn signal lamps are red.

[kellymac530]

if your rear turnsignals are amber they can be right beside the tail light, look at some of the sport bikes, stock from the factory they are like a sigle unit with the tail lite and turn signals all together but that is a red tail/brake and amber turns. they must be dot certified also. the fronts must be 9" from center to center of turn signal so 18" apart according to some specs. that said my stock u.s. spec factory street legal ktm 530 excr turn sigs are only 7 1/2" from center 15" apart center of bulb to center of bulb... actually more like

14 1/2". stop by any dealer and check some dual sport bikes to see. MOST cops are ok as long as they are visible and look safe. but not all of them. if you use hand signals they cant actually do anything, so i always back up my blinkers with a quick hand sig, it is safer anyway.

[Ethango]

thanks for the responses guys.

my front blinkers definitely don't meet the standards if all you have said is truth... not even close.

time to look for a new kit!

[Bbasso]

thanks for the responses guys.

my front blinkers definitely don't meet the standards if all you have said is truth... not even close.

time to look for a new kit!

Are they stock?

Because most bikes are built to be DOT compliant.

[KTMRack]

thanks for the responses guys.

my front blinkers definitely don't meet the standards if all you have said is truth... not even close.

time to look for a new kit!

You didn't get a ticket so............ Ride on!

If you space them further out you are sure to shear them off like you did the back today.

just my .02:busted:

[BBA]

You didn't get a ticket so............ Ride on!

If you space them further out you are sure to shear them off like you did the back today.

just my .02:busted:

+1! It sounds like the cop was just being an A-hole. I've never heard of anyone getting pulled just because of the spacing between their blinkers?????? Dont sweat it, if no ticket was issued then just ride and theres probably a 99% chance you will not be pulled again for this unless you run into the same Barney again.

[kellymac530]

+1! It sounds like the cop was just being an A-hole. I've never heard of anyone getting pulled just because of the spacing between their blinkers?????? Dont sweat it, if no ticket was issued then just ride and theres probably a 99% chance you will not be pulled again for this unless you run into the same Barney again.

you are in nevada we are in cali and the cops here are dicks. it has become a really big issue with dual sports, especially if it is a conversion from dirt bike to ds. many cities are actively looking for things to bust us on. tickets equal income. that said.. if the blinkers are spread out at least some from the head light most cops are ok with that. not sure how ktm gets away with them only being 14.5 in apart if the dot standard is supposed to be 18". but they are in pretty tight, i have never been hassled on the fronts.

[thosforce]

"a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of lamps) of 9 inches"

It seems from this quote, that the critical distance is 9" not 18"??

Edited December 20, 2009 by thosforce

[kellymac530]

"a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of lamps) of 9 inches"

It seems from this quote, that the critical distance is 9" not 18"??

if you read the regulation it says center line out, that is center of head light out each way. 9" out to the left then 9" out to the right = 18"

california dmv section 800a states 8" out from center of head light which would be 16" apart center to center.

and stop yelling

[thosforce]

Pardon me, no intent to offend...............

signed up for TEAM TT to get my photos on here as an attachment and was playing with the format options...........a bit much?

From the Federal Standard excerpted, it is not clear to me which bulb is being referred to!

Further, I was thinking of the front signals and was looking for clarification. Do you have a link to share to the CA vehicle code you referenced?

I will attempt to edit my previous reply to eliminate the offense............

but I have never read a list of format protocols for internet usage.

Please educate me as to which piece of the format I used causes your ire, bold------red-----italics?

And if there is an "official protocol of formatting on internet usage" that I may read so I do not unintentionally offend?

[BBA]

you are in nevada we are in cali and the cops here are dicks. it has become a really big issue with dual sports, especially if it is a conversion from dirt bike to ds. many cities are actively looking for things to bust us on. tickets equal income. that said.. if the blinkers are spread out at least some from the head light most cops are ok with that. not sure how ktm gets away with them only being 14.5 in apart if the dot standard is supposed to be 18". but they are in pretty tight, i have never been hassled on the fronts.

Damn Kellymac530 are your feathers getting ruffled on this thread or something? Being a little harsh with your replies man! My bike came from Cali, I know cali riders, I have never heard of anyone getting pulled for their blinkers being too close. Thats all I was saying!! Here in NV they dont seem to bother the DS/converted bikes much (or at least in my personal experience anyway) but they are cracking down at the DMV on converts and in some cases pulling tags. I hope you dont consider this yelling lol!

[ULEWZ]

I just measured my stock front blinkers on my KTM450EXC, 20 inches tip to tip, or 9-1/2 inches inside mount to inside mount.

[kellymac530]

no no no im not upset... bba i was just saying that different areas have diff specs..

and thosforce... i was just giving you a hard time about the bold red type. some chat or blog/ forum places consider it yelling if you use all capitals, or all bold. you didnt piss me off tho.

but just to POLITELY clarify {lol} in CALIFORNIA there is no hard measurement on the width apart, they simply need to be clearly on opposite sides of the tail light... cops have told me and friends that they were too close together... but we have both won that case in court.. so the cop was WRONG.

On the front... the cali spec is 8" out from center of headlight to center of turnsignal bulb each way minimum. that is so that when the headlight is on at night the turnsignals are outside the glare and are visible. my 08 530 excr is 19.5 inches outside edge to outside edge but only 15 inches "ish" from bulb center to center..

i am not sure how ktm got this past dot testing but it is obviously not a huge issue.

if yours are mounted to the headlight shroud right next to the headlight they washout in the glare of the light and are worthless.

i do not have a link unfortunately to the motorcycle vehicle code section 800a.

sorry if i came off pissy. TT is an awesome place with LOTS of great people, unfortunately you cant hear the JESTING in peoples voices like you can in person.

honestly im a really fun clown and enjoy joking And helping people, no harm no foul....

[kellymac530]

oops there is no hard measurement apart ON THE REAR

i forgot that part

[thosforce]

BUT, that emoticon sure looked UPSET !

Your description as to why the front signals need to be outside the glare of the headlight makes a lot of sense. We have a KTM with what I recall as an E-line kit. The signals are integral with the headlight housing and it passed the DMV here in 2003 ?

(speaking of which, the circuit board that was attached to the shroud smoked. I have looked previously on line for a way to replace with no luck??????????)

In Sacramento, we have 3/ XR4s that have street plates but the lighting is not complete on any of them, so I really am trying to determine what I need to do.

[kellymac530]

lol thos... no for real not UPSET

To be legal and a really clean look that will not break off try these

http://www.zeta-racing.com/controls/xc_flasher/index.html

you could even make something like these with som dot led lite

p.s. if you already have cycra probend handgaurds the zeta xl guards will fit your cycra bars and the caps with turnsignals in them are only like 50-60 bucks

[kellymac530]

http://shop.thumpertalk.com/catalogs/Tucker_Rocky_Offroad_2009/default.asp?p=339&s=4

is this like the circut board light ?

[thosforce]

Highway Dirt Bikes Billet Handguards

Great mirror idea and accessories

Combine these with Zeta Shields including the turn signals?