Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Independent battery lighting for Scottish

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Independent battery lighting for Scottish

    My Scottish has a 'daylight' style MOT. No lights fitted. Ive often wondered if i could fit some kind of battery lighting pack, similar to what you might get on a bicycle. Some modern cycle lamps throw out heaps of light, and indeed more than direct lighting might provide. I realise there is the option of wiring up lighting through the engine but having something I could just clip on and off sounds attractive. Does anyone know the legality of lights in this respect and if they must be lit by a generator on the motorcycle.

  • #2
    As I understand the situation now is that you get a normal MOT with an advisory saying that the bike should not be used in the hours of darkness unless it is equipped with lighting. How the situation would change with "clip-on lights, I have no idea, but I suspect that there would be no bar on using such a system. Maybe we have an MOT Tester who can give advice.

    Comment


    • #3
      I guess you would need a dip facility for the headlight, which from what I have observed, cycle lights do not have, as cyclists appear to think that they are exempt from the requirement not to dazzle people .

      You would also need a brake light. I have never seen a pushbike displaying one. Thus I don't think a bicycle system would be appropriate.

      Comment


      • #4
        It would not go through an MoT with boby dodger lights but if you did fit them to get home after dark I dont suppose anyone would notice, there are no bobbies walking the streets anymore. In any case most of our bikes will be MoT exempt from May so it wont be an issue anymore.

        Comment


        • #5
          Actually, be careful there! I think you will find that once lights are fitted, everything must comply with the regs; headlight with dip facility, tail light, stop light etc. The fact that they won't be MoT'd anymore doesn't mean they no longer have to comply with the law. You may get away with it, but without full compliance, it ain't legal, which will be found out if, for example, someone pulls out in front of you.... just sayin'

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by IanCordes View Post
            Actually, be careful there! I think you will find that once lights are fitted, everything must comply with the regs; headlight with dip facility, tail light, stop light etc. The fact that they won't be MoT'd anymore doesn't mean they no longer have to comply with the law. You may get away with it, but without full compliance, it ain't legal, which will be found out if, for example, someone pulls out in front of you.... just sayin'
            Sound advice - thanks, yes i can see legal problems if things go wrong.

            Comment


            • #7
              Mark, I see what you are getting at. It is something I have thought about myself. TBH I am not convinced that there is really a short cut. By the time you rig up two bicycle front lamps, one with a lower beam than the other, which would need to be operated by a common switch, and you set up two rear bicycle lamps, one brighter than the other, the brighter one being operated by a brake pedal switch, you may as well set up a proper lighting set. As John says, you could go the illegal 'bobby dodger' route, but you are taking a chance, which could also contribute to our classic bikes getting a bad reputation if caught. You can imagine the headlines in the local paper...... Too much of that and they will re-introduce MoT's!

              Anyway, it would look pants!

              Just my humble opinion of course
              Last edited by IanCordes; 12/01/2018, 11:32 PM. Reason: typo

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by IanCordes View Post
                Mark, I see what you are getting at. It is something I have thought about myself. TBH I am not convinced that there is really a short cut. By the time you rig up two bicycle front lamps, one with a lower beam than the other, which would need to be operated by a common switch, and you set up two rear bicycle lamps, one brighter than the other, the brighter one being operated by a brake pedal switch, you may as well set up a proper lighting set. As John says, you could go the illegal 'bobby dodger' route, but you are taking a chance, which could also contribute to our classic bikes getting a bad reputation if caught. You can imagine the headlines in the local paper...... Too much of that and they will re-intoduce MoT's!

                Anyway, it would look pants!

                Just my humble opinion of course
                Totally agree, I wouldn't dream of breaking the law, having worked within the police and having a conscience the pope would envy both predicate this. I also wouldn't want to be the one who was to blame for the reintroduction of MOT's

                Comment


                • #9
                  Bicycle lights were used back in the day, many riders made it home with 'bobby dodgers' after riding in a trial.
                  Depends on why you need lights on the bike. If you just need some lights to get you home on the few occasions you may be out late in the dark, fine, but if you are regularly going to ride after dark or inclement weather. If the latter then you need proper lights.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
                    Bicycle lights were used back in the day, many riders made it home with 'bobby dodgers' after riding in a trial.
                    Depends on why you need lights on the bike. If you just need some lights to get you home on the few occasions you may be out late in the dark, fine, but if you are regularly going to ride after dark or inclement weather. If the latter then you need proper lights.
                    Real bad adice is that, just once could ruin your life, run someone over/cause an accident & your insurance would be void, & you could have a personal law suit against yourself costing hundreds of thousands............but look on the bright side.........

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      John, that was 50-60 years ago, you just can't do that now. Non-members reading this will think we are a bunch of cowboys, when clearly the Wild West is confined to a very small area of Cambridge!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        OK, we need a full lighting set, but how much use will it get? Would a full LED set-up (6 +10 watt head and 2 watt rear) need much of a battery to provide enough lighting for scrutineering purposes at any major Enduro event? I may well experiment with such a set-up.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          The LED head light bulb I use -

                          0.26 amp and 0.52 amp low/high beam @ 12v
                          http://www.dynamoregulatorconversion...bulbs-shop.php

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I ran a Makita 7.2 volt battery in the toolbox, with two wires up to the headlight.
                            1 original coil ran the brake light, the battery ran the back light and Hi/Lo headlight, toggle switch on headlight.
                            Gave me 15 mins of light before it ran out. It go very hot because of the quick discharge.
                            Only used it if caught out as it became dark, on my way home from work, during winter months.
                            No problems with MOT (AUS) always comment on nice bright lights

                            whitehillbilly

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X