Indicators - a legal requirement?

[rosie631]

Back in the day a lot of bikes didn't have indicators. A hand signal was considered ok. Does anyone know if the hand signal is enough now or are indicators required for a WOF??

[sil3nt]

WoF sheet in front of me has a box for indicators so i am guessing yes!

[Taz]

Yes they are. There is a year cut off for classic bikes but for modern bikes E marked indicators are required to get compliance. Any indicators after that to get WOF.

[Mully]

Yup. Anthrax has got it. If the bike had indicators when first manufactured, it must have them

Cars are the same.

[Motu]

Indicators are required after 01/01/1978.Hand signals are legal no matter what year the bike is.

[Ixion]

There are exceptions but in general what the grumpy gentleman said.

I have a bike with no indicators.

The "if it had them once it must now" is, by and large, an urban legend.

[rosie631]

Bugger.

Thanks guys.

[Molly]

Rosie. There are lots of discrete ways of having indicators on the bike. Should be able to do it without spoiling the look.

[Laava]

Are you trying to re-register an old bike or are you asking re a current road legal machine? And if so is it a Harley?

[Ixion]

Incidentally Trafficators are still legal, though not person in a hundred nowadays would have a clue what they were.

But the little light must work.

I'm not sure about the metal white and red hand that used to stick out of the window of trucks.

[scumdog]

Temper style with function.

It may save your arse some day.


(i.e. a bright indicator may prevent somebody rear-ending you - or similar such experience)

[AllanB]

Rosie. There are lots of discrete ways of having indicators on the bike. Should be able to do it without spoiling the look.

Correct.
Don at Cycle treads has some nice LED ones in there or go international

try www.flyncycle.com

I got the ovals and they are a nice size and bright. The shark head ones are cool - alloy body and in silver or black. US $ of course.

Stock Harley ones are HUGE :sick:

[Voltaire]

Incidentally Trafficators are still legal, though not person in a hundred nowadays would have a clue what they were.

But the little light must work.

I'm not sure about the metal white and red hand that used to stick out of the window of trucks.

Trafficators....like the semophores on my 54 beetle I once had...klunk...
so who are the 99 who don't know....:innocent:

[Laava]

Check these out, for 56mm forks but could be made to fit anywhere with a bit of no 8 wire!
http://www.customdynamics.com/wrap_around_LED_fork_clamps.htm
http://www.customdynamics.com/custom_led_motorcycle_mirrors.htm
http://www.customdynamics.com/licenseplates_index.htm

I made my own indicators for one of my bikes recently and it got a warrant and is a very clean and uncluttered look. Cost about$20

[Motu]

My father went to a lot of effort to make the trafficators on our A30 blink....not as easy as you think.

Good old electromechanical - coils of wire and moving parts you could see.

[rosie631]

Are you trying to re-register an old bike or are you asking re a current road legal machine? And if so is it a Harley?

For my harley. I just like the stripped down look, and thought if it was possible, I would get rid of them.

[rosie631]

Rosie. There are lots of discrete ways of having indicators on the bike. Should be able to do it without spoiling the look.

Yeah, I know. I had some nice little LEDs on the other bike. Was just trying to avoid the expense. Have a list a mile long of stuff I want to change. Will have to add indicators.

[Molly]

Be sure to shop around. I bought a nice set of mini indicators from the Triumph dealer a few years ago for about a third of the price asked in the chopper shop! Packaging was different but it was EXACTLY the same product.

[YellowDog]

Rosie. There are lots of discrete ways of having indicators on the bike. Should be able to do it without spoiling the look.
Those integrated LED ones are pretty cool.

[Ixion]

My father went to a lot of effort to make the trafficators on our A30 blink....not as easy as you think.

Good old electromechanical - coils of wire and moving parts you could see.



Did they go up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down ? Once per second or whatever the redulation rate is . That would have been funny to see!

[gubbsi]

theres a youtube vid of a 675 thats converted the running lights into indicators, he left the indicators on anyway but its a good idea (probably quasi legal though)

[Motu]

Did they go up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down, up-and-down ? Once per second or whatever the redulation rate is . That would have been funny to see!

No,he made them stay up and the light blink.I guess he must have made a separate circuit for the light,with a flasher unit.Considering it was in the late '50's when flashing indicators were the new fangled thing,he was pushing the boundaries of his knowledge.All I know is he was pretty proud of his flashing trafficators.

My Minor had trafficators - you had to smack the B pillar to make them go up.....and kick the firewall when the fuel pump stopped.There was a much more physical involvement with vehicles in those days.

[pete376403]

I had a 1976(? - the very first model, anyway) IT400 which was road legal when first registered. Yahama obtained an exemption to the indicators requirement for that model, and the last time I looked at the Wof regulations on-line, that exemption was still in force - if the bike had been continuously registered. Once the registration lapsed, if re-registered later, the exemption would not apply as it was no longer a 1976 (or whatever) model.

[tate35]

Hey Rosie631, fair enough question one I did not know. Interesting though, kind of makes sense that in order to get your bike wof, you need indicators :scooter::yes:

[Motu]

Yahama obtained an exemption to the indicators requirement for that model, and the last time I looked at the Wof regulations on-line, that exemption was still in force -

Several models of enduro and trials bikes had indicator exemptions - because enduro and trials bikes had to be road legal in those days.There was also a daytime exemption for lights,which has been dropped for some time.It's one of those regs that has just stayed around (like the Escort reverse fog light switching),there is no point revoking it as those vehicles just fade away.If someone fully restored a TY175 and wanted ride it on the street,maybe it would be enacted - but for some clown with a beat up XR250 who can't be bothered getting the indicators working - sorry,it's a fail.

[98tls]

Fwiw over the years ive had a few different sets of aftermarket Led indicators,some of them are just rubbish and unless your hell bent on being arse raped by Mrs Jones in a Corolla then avoid at all costs.Bright is good.:done:

[ducatilover]

Incidentally Trafficators are still legal, though not person in a hundred nowadays would have a clue what they were.

But the little light must work.

I'm not sure about the metal white and red hand that used to stick out of the window of trucks.

I've done work on cars before trafficators were around :yes: have done work on cars with trafficators, they are cool. Silly flappy buggers :love:

[awayatc]

Fwiw over the years ive had a few different sets of aftermarket Led indicators,some of them are just rubbish and unless your hell bent on being arse raped by Mrs Jones in a Corolla then avoid at all costs.Bright is good.:done:

yep.......
I'd be looking for bigger brighter ones myself as well.....
Riding at night without indicators......?
No thanks...

[ready4whatever]

saw some tiny indicators in the bikeshop. small enough to be useless and hidden, still legal. i think

[varminter]

Indicators? I thought they were called confirmators, mostly seen in use as they are (sometimes) flicked on when the numptie is halfway round the corner anyway.

[ready4whatever]

Indicators? I thought they were called confirmators, mostly seen in use as they are (sometimes) flicked on when the numptie is halfway round the corner anyway.


yeah mate, today an old heapa shit commodore with the gayest 18 inch chromes iv ever seen came flying around the roundabout, no indication whatsoever, and because he was going so fast it looked like he was going straight, i went to go but suddenly he came around. him and his ugly bitch of a mrs gave me the finger and yelled fuck you for not giving away, i just pulled it back. fuckin idiot. just thinks because he has the right of way that no1 will hit him no matter how he drives.

[MSTRS]

There are exceptions but in general what the grumpy gentleman said.

I have a bike with no indicators.

The "if it had them once it must now" is, by and large, an urban legend.

WOF issuers in Lower Hutt in the 70s worked on the principle 'if they are fitted, they must work'.
So...if a bulb was out, say, we'd just remove the lot.

[Swoop]

Incidentally Trafficators are still legal, though not person in a hundred nowadays would have a clue what they were.
I remember Morrie Minor's used to have them in the pillar. Entertaining, to be sure!
97 to go.

[Motu]

'if they are fitted, they must work'.
.

Never been a rule,and still isn't.Only exception is fog lamps,if they don't go,they must be removed.All other lamps are disabled.

[StoneY]

Never been a rule,and still isn't.Only exception is fog lamps,if they don't go,they must be removed.All other lamps are disabled.

Try get a wof with a bulb out - epic fail!
ALL lights on your vehicle (excluding interior lights in cabs) MUST be functional or its a fail - applies to every vehicle on our roads - and that's the law not some OPINION

The other exception is dash lights, they can be out but tail/fog/head/indicator lamps MUST be functioning

My mate took his indicators off his Triumph Bonneville, passes its WOF with no issue at all- every time, any tester

[Ixion]

Not quite.

here is what the VIRM *actually* says



Note 2 A rear fog lamp that does not comply with condition and performance requirements must be made to comply or be disabled so that it does not emit a light.
...
Note 5 A forward-facing permitted lamp that does not comply with the equipment, condition and performance requirements must be made to comply or be removed from the vehicle.

Note the "forward facing" bit. The "rear fog lamp" clause is repeated for indicators, stop lamps etc.

So, a FORWARD FACING permitted lamp that fails must be removed. A rear facing one may be disabled (if it is not already).

Of course, a mandatory lamp must work

This requirement ONLY extends to lighting. Other permitted fitments need not actually work (eg a speedo on a pre 1950) .

(BTW, you don't know what Mr Motu does for a living, do you :whistle: )

[1wheel riot]

if it had them new then it has to have them naw if it didnt then it wont need them naw.

[Motu]

Off course all manditory lamps must go - we are talking about non manditory lamps.

[Ixion]

if it had them new then it has to have them naw if it didnt then it wont need them naw.

No it doesn't. Not always, anyway.