I reckon BRP/Can Am did some 'weasel wording' to get around the need for Hazard Lights on Rykers in North America, but I do
know that here in Oz, and I believe also in Europe, Spyders & Rykers have mandated specs that are different to those covering North America for
Turn Indicators & Reversing Lights (& likely headlights/fog lights too!) - if you wish, you can check out the AU/EU spec 'elephant ear indicators' and 'whale tail reversing light' monstrosities on the Can Am Parts Fiche; but I reckon it was about the early 70's that the International Agreements that covered the operation of Horns & Hazards, Brake Lights etc. hit the streets; and since around then, with
very few exceptions, all the 'street legal' motorcycles I've ridden &/or the majority of cars/trucks/Heavy Vehicles that I've driven (in a number of countries around the World, including a few postings to the US) have had all those working with the ignition off! Certainly, all my Honda motorcycles (and there's been a few since the early '70's, both here in Oz & o/seas...
) have had the 'still work with the ignition off' Horns, Hazards, and Brake lights...
I believe there were some changes made to some of the International Agreements covering, amongst other things, '
The installation and operation of Horns and other Auditory Warning Devices' made back in the early 2000's, (altho the changes I most recall were particularly applicable to cater for the growing number of quieter cars, specifying making noises so that they couldn't silently sneak up on people); but like I mentioned above, I reckon it was the early 70's that Horns & the requirement to be able to sound them without the ignition on first became a listed requirement. However, if some vehicles/bikes without have sneaked thru, it wouldn't be the first time a Country or possibly even one or more individual car manufacturers 'theoretically' signed on to one/some of these agreements, and then were... errrm, let's just say '
less than stringent' in applying all the terms of the agreements!! :banghead: A good example - the US is 'officially' one of the signatories to the
Metre Convention Treaty, which basically calls for the US to use the Metric System, but... we all know how well
that's been enacted, don't we?!
And with further regard to motor vehicles, there's a few other similar examples that readily come to mind - VW, Audi, (and more) with their 'compliance' to exhaust emission standards for instance... :shocked:
Still, I think you'll find that these days, it's probably 'more common' to find vehicles/bikes with Horns, Hazards, and Brake Lights that work with the ignition
OFF than it is the other way around, even if it's not something that many of us usually notice or have gone out of our way to check for in the past... After all, it's not really something too many are likely to check on &/or let be a deal-breaker if it doesn't work the way they'd prefer, is it?! :dontknow:
