(iii) Blue dot illumination: 1. May be located only on the rear of a motorcycle as part of or adjacent to the rear brake light; and 2. May not exceed three-quarters of an inch in diameter.
Look this up 625 ILCS 5/12-209.5, if I'm reading this correct as long as they are not red and white. Looks like this was an amendment to illinois law
Originally Posted by 40Xshooter
I just installed blue"BIKEVIS" V2 bullets on the rear of my RT-S. Has anyone else installed a blue light/lights on the back of their Spyder and if you have, have the local LEO'S given you any grief??
I work for one of the three largest manufacturers of vehicle lighting in the USA, and I can assure you that making generalizations about this is almost impossible because this is an exceptionally vague area of law. Federal regulation CFR 49 571.108 requires that original equipment and replacement lighting for all vehicles must be amber or white to the side and front, and red to the rear. The exceptions are rear turn signals (optionally permitted to be amber in harmony with overseas lighting regs), back-up lights (must be white) and license lights (must be white, and furthermore can provide only indirect illumination to the rear). HOWEVER (and this is a HUGE caveat), those regs apply specifically to manufacturers—not to owner-modified vehicles. Most states do have statutes that require all licensed vehicles to comply with Federal regulations for required lighting. For example, swapping a blue bulb into your license light would be a violation. Also, there is very often an additional requirement (in harmony with Federal regs) that auxiliary lighting cannot interfere with the function of required lighting, a stipulation "blue dot" inserts often run afoul of.
But note that term "required lighting equipment." State and local regulations rarely include blanket statements regarding the color of additional, non-required or auxiliary lighting. Blue dot tail lights might be allowable only if there are other, federally compliant stop/tail/turn lights on the vehicle (for example, a central blue-dot tail light on a motorcycle that has additional saddlebag S/T/T lights).
As far as auxillary light colors in general, it's all over the board. In some states, blue is prohibited to the rear, but green or purple is permitted. In some states, blue is only legal if steady, but not permitted to flash. In many states, all flashing lights on private vehicles must be amber, except for municipal first responders and specific highway service vehicles (tow trucks, private ambulances). Some states differentiate between indirect lighting and focused beams (think under-chassis glow lights vs outward-facing fresnel lenses). Furthermore, some states have limits on the number of individual lights that can point forward or rearward.
Add in the fact that there's a BUNCH of ignorance and mis-education among LEOs and local prosecutors, and what it comes down is what you're going to get pulled over for in your town or in the state where your vehicle is licensed.
For what it's worth, in my home state of Missouri, "blue dot" tail light inserts are legal only on vehicles bearing a specially registered "Street Rod" or "Custom Vehicle" license plate.
Last edited by Tanshanomi; 08-27-2018 at 12:19 PM.
Reason: Expressing myself clearly is hard
2013 RS-S SM5 [His] • 2021 RT Base [Hers] • 1977 Bultaco custom roadster • 1974 Harley-Davidson/Aermacchi 350 SS
I guess you should try to remember that somebody who has something to sell you; won't be there when you discover (the hard way!), that it's not legal to install it!
Well, we certainly have quite a few experts here regarding what can and can't be displayed to the rear of a motorcycle. Again, thank you all for your input. What I'm kinda getting out of this is what it comes down to is how the officer feels at the time.
Tanshanomi, thank you for your input.
When (or if I ever) get pulled over for the lights, I'll let you know. I may hook them up to the brake lights so they come on only when brakes are applied.
I went back and looked at your original post. I didn't realize you were talking about LED bullet lights, I thought you were talking about blue dot lens inserts. It doesn't really change the application of anything I said outside of my comment about Missouri law specifically, but I actually thought you meant these:
I guess you should try to remember that somebody who has something to sell you; won't be there when you discover (the hard way!), that it's not legal to install it!
In this particular situation Bob, the seller wouldn't have any idea what's legal or not legal in Illinois. He's in the UK! You can't buy these particular lights here.
I kinda take offense to your statement Bob. I may be getting up in years but I'm not 12 nor am I an idiot. I'm familiar with the term "buyer beware". The onus for this one is on ME.
And BTW, NO ONE has actually determined if it IS illegal to run blue to the rear...The statute is pretty vague here in IL to say the least, but what I WILL do Bob is let you know when I get a ticket for them...
I went back and looked at your original post. I didn't realize you were talking about LED bullet lights, I thought you were talking about blue dot lens inserts. It doesn't really change the application of anything I said outside of my comment about Missouri law specifically, but I actually thought you meant these:
HeliBars Handlebars
Brake rubber removed to lower pedal for easier long leg/Size 15 EEEEW boot access.
Ikon (Aussie) shocks all round.
Russell Daylong seat 2” taller than stock (in Sunbrella for Aussie heat & water resistance)
Goodyear Duragrip 165/60 fronts (18psi) - provides extra 1/2” ground clearance.
Kenda Kanine rear.
2021 RT Limited , Brake pedal rubber removed for ease of accessing pedal with size 15 boots. Red
In this particular situation Bob, the seller wouldn't have any idea what's legal or not legal in Illinois. He's in the UK! You can't buy these particular lights here.
I kinda take offense to your statement Bob. I may be getting up in years but I'm not 12 nor am I an idiot. I'm familiar with the term "buyer beware". The onus for this one is on ME.
And BTW, NO ONE has actually determined if it IS illegal to run blue to the rear...The statute is pretty vague here in IL to say the least, but what I WILL do Bob is let you know when I get a ticket for them...
Have a great day.
I'm out!
Please don't "wear your heart so close to your hide..."
The point that I was making was that they don't care about the legality: they just care about making a sale...
I’ve never seen that style of light out here in Aus, Tanshanomi. What benefit does the blue dot provide?
Pete
Negligible functional benefit. The combination of the blue dot and the red lens combine to give the taillights a distinctive purple appearance. Supposedly made them easier to see back when tail lights were dim, 6-volt bulbs. They really took off as a popular modification in the original hot-rod era of the post-war 40s and 1950s.
I guess you should try to remember that somebody who has something to sell you; won't be there when you discover (the hard way!), that it's not legal to install it!
My experience in LE here in Washington is that you would be at a bare minimum Ticketed. Blue lights are reserved for Law Enforcement only. Why would anyone want to take that chance.
I just installed blue"BIKEVIS" V2 bullets on the rear of my RT-S. Has anyone else installed a blue light/lights on the back of their Spyder and if you have, have the local LEO'S given you any grief??
Comments.....?
Thanks!
I've read all the posts/ comments on this topic and your responses ............ So Why did you even ASK this question , imho your mind was made up before put fingers to the keyboard..........your welcome ..... Mike
Last edited by BLUEKNIGHT911; 08-28-2018 at 08:06 AM.
After a group ride with the American Legion post that I belong to, a retired State Police motor officer was giving a presentation about a motor cycle safety course that his company provides. He was asked specifically about colored LED lighting on motorcycles and his response was that blue and/or red lighting (any kind) on the front of any privately owned vehicle was illegal, flashing or steady! He did add, however, that ticketing for this violation was at the discretion of the law enforcement officer. Sometimes, he said, that it was the attitude of the vehicle owner that would determine his decision.
He also said that tinted windshields were illegal in Maryland, no one present knew this!
Last edited by SpyderConvert; 08-28-2018 at 07:39 AM.
Reason: Additional info.
2015 RTL, BajaRon Swaybar, LaMonster LED Headlights and Foglights, LaMonster Spydercuff, LaMonster LED mirror wrap, Magic Mirrors, HMT Brake Light
So......what happens in the ensuing hours, days or weeks before you get it "fixed" and you are stopped again ?
Carrying around the first citation with you doesn't magically mean that it isn't illegal anymore......does it ??
What if, for instance, both of your headlights were out ??
Or both tail lights or brake lights ??
You guessed it. You get cited again, and again, and.......
What normally happens is when the officer issues the citation, he/she also issues a verbal warning that you can get cited again until the problem is fixed and it's the driver's responsibility to ensure compliance before going onto the road again. If you get stopped again immediately after the first citation is given, say on your way home, then a new citation can not legally be issued at that time.
What most violators do is to carry the old citation around and if they get stopped again, show it to the officer and beg for mercy with a story about how they don't have the time/money/fill in the blank to get the violation fixed YET. It's entirely the officer's discretion as to where or not a new citation is issued at that time.
Bear in mind the whole system of citations as it exists today is what I call a "violator tax", with raising revenue as the primary goal and enforcing the law being secondary in importance. But, that'll get this thread way into the weeds, so I'll stop there.
Fortunately for the kid, it's not a straw. It's a feeding tube!
2014 Copper RTS
Tri-Axis bars, CB, BajaRon sway bar & shock adjusters, SpyderPop's Bumpskid, NBV peg brackets, LED headlights and modulator, Wolo trumpet air horns, trailer hitch, custom trailer harness, high mount turn signals, Custom Dynamics brake light, LED turn signal lights on mirrors, LED strip light for a dash light, garage door opener, LED lights in frunk, trunk, and saddlebags, RAM mounts and cradles for tablet (for GPS) and phone (for music), and Smooth Spyder belt tensioner.
I've read all the posts/ comments on this topic and your responses ............ So Why did you even ASK this question , imho your mind was made up before put fingers to the keyboard..........your welcome ..... Mike
I have a friend who got a ticket In Newberg, Oregon, for displaying an LED American Flag on the beck of his Spyder. He is a proud Viet Nam Vet and was outraged. He still displays it in spite of the ticket. He lives in Portland, but no longer rides thru Newberg. Good for him. When you can't display the flag.....
Last edited by sealfloorboards; 09-01-2018 at 12:23 PM.
Ohio. ... Using red or blue colors is legal in Ohio. No flashing, rotating or oscillating lights are permitted. Flashing lights are allowed only as a means for indicating a right or left turn or the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, or overtaking or passing.