Legalities of riding without lights

legal ish. i used to ride a track bike on the road for a few years and even during plod pulls never got any comment about having no indicators,headlights or mirrors. I did have a stop light and horn, though the stop light was disconnected half the time to piss mates off who tried to follow me on fast runs.

 

the lad at work who has his traily on a daytime mot was told no lights at all, not even brake light, no switches, nothing.
Saw a few lads at the Ace Cafe wearing their number plate on their backs ...simple but effective...doesn't get in the way

 

Doesnt it depend on if it was MOT'd with them or not?

But would take a really pedantic pold to do anything if the plate way legal and brake lights were there

 

The MOT is no different whether is is MOT'd with it or not. My ZXR400 was MOT'd with no mirrors, lights or any of that. All it had to have was a speedo, a horn and a number plate. You can use tape to cover up the lights you leave on.

I think I'm right when I say that the bike must be considered MOT worthy at the point you are stopped by the police? So as long as you follow the 'no lights' idea with tape then you will be good to go.


You can still have the switches, the lights just mustn't function - i.e. they don't illuminate.

 

My supermoto bike goes through the mot with no lights at all, no brake light ,no indicators ,no speedo , all it has is a red reflector to the rear (just one stuck on the redge plate ) and a battery operated horn

 

speedo is not a testable item but i think you could get a ticket for it .........does it come under the use and construction laws or some shite ...........have heard that some of the off road riders put there smart phones on the bars in a holder when on the road with a satnav speedo app. .....it is a illuminated display that displays vehicle speed .......is it legal ........i dont know

 

Your insurance company might be the hardest ones to convince its a good idea.

 

If you have one light missing then you have to have all lights off. It's all or nothing. That's why you can tape up your brake light for an MOT and pass without having to remove your rear brake light.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/your-motorbike-and-the-mot

 

Just ride steady and get ready with a good argument. If stopped by plod its as likely they want to have a look (or are worried about your 120db exhaust) than you don't have a headlight

 

Just texted a mate who is Met Traffic Police he said........

They used to do daylight mot's I haven't seen or heard of one for a long time, it would have to be fully road legal ie you would need everything you'd expect on a normal mot

I'd get advice to be safe, MCN did use a track bike on the road once I remember reading article

 

The law is:
Audible method of warning (that doesn't include shouting), Speedo; Rear number plate; and it used to be a brake light as well (whether that has changed I can't be bothered to look it up).

However any other lights / indicators that are fitted, all must be capable of working.........or all must not.

If no lights / indicators are fitted, it means none at all.

There is no halfway for lights with some working and some not.

I would leave your brake light working, and tape up the indicators / remove the fuse.

 

Thats as I understood it, of fitted must all be working, or not fitted at all

 

They can be fitted, but incapable of working...IE taped up / fuses out

 

Hmmm, he doesn't seem to be very genned up on the legalities. he must be a traffic officer then. :Meh:

 

Only asked don't shoot the messenger lol.

Just ride it on the road and if pulled speak in an Eastern European accent and say no speakie English works every time

Now the disclaimer this thread is not meant to be misinterpreted or offend any Eastern European peeps lol

 

+1 on what Arquebus said.