Definitive word on LED tail lights... legal?

Anyone know if these are legal in Oz?

Theres a unit that replaces the brake/indicators on the duke monster, and
has the inner leds for the running / brake lights (red) and outer ones for
the amber turn signals... not bad.. I like the idea of bright tail
lights/indicators..

Important point: if I buy this duke - it'll need a blue slip (another term
for over the pit inspection) would it pass?

JasonBW - Wollongong

 

Well considering there are a heck of alot of brand new bikes entering the market using LED
tail-lights as standard from the manufacturer, and just about every semi-trailer has them all over
the back of their trailers these days, I have a feeling they're ok to use.

 

jason if its a tail light with indicators built in they are illegal. due to
the fact that thay are too close together to tell what way your really
going. you can do ahead and put them on i belive it just make the bike
unroad worthy. my self i wouldnt as i had a fzr 250 with mini arrow
indicators on it they more spacing and bright as hell and they were hard to
tell what waywas what, as they were close together. here is a pic of them

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/mcantwell/project-f-ass.jpg

dont get me wrong i like the cleanness of the all in one but if it means
someone in a car behind me wants to make me a hood orniment they can keep
them.

 

X-No-archive: yes

Most of the Brisbane buses have them now but still have the incandescent
lights as well.
It's odd to watch the "lag" as the incandescent indicator has to heat up and
cool down and trails the instantaneous LED by a noticeable third-of-a-second
or so...
Clem

 

Google it - Zebee posted the ADRs a year or so ago

JL

--
http://www.johnhowardlies.com/
The lie:
"We won't just automatically click our heels and follow the Americans."
John Howard, September 2002
The facts:
But one year earlier John Howard offered George Bush a blank cheque just
two days after September 11, 2001 when he said: "I've indicated
Australia will provide all support that might be requested of us by the
United States in relation to any action that might be taken."

 

buses Indicate?? Never!.. esp in qld

 

Correct for victoria, also has to be seen at a 38 degree angle from both
sides at rear.

 

Good stuff, will do.

38 degrees, not sure... but they can be seen 38 k's away.

Jason

 

I'm sure one of the legal eagles can dig up the exact regulation but when I
was in the trade the design of the lamps was less important than their
distance apart. At the time it was 300mm which was why the then RG250s
weren't allowed to use their ducktail mounted indicators.
--
Deevo

Geraldton
WA, The Nanny State (® Corks)
http://members.westnet.com.au/mckenzie

 

Check out Damiges ones, VERY trick.

 

Some are, some aren't.

This page: http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/signal-leds.htm has some
interesting information and explanation on why the cheap LED replacement
"globes" that places like Jaycar sell are almose certainly not "legal".

The rules aren't about whether the illumination is provided by LEDs or
incandescent globes, they're about the brightness and viewing angles of
the complete illumination source/reflector/lens assembly.

ADR53/00 has the current Federal requirements for "Position Lamps, Stop
Lamps, Direction Indicators & Rear Plate Lamps for L-Group Vehicles"
("Group L Vehicles" are motorcycles and mopeds) which are applicable
when they are first sold new, and the RTA (in NSW) says (in VSI 7
"Vehicle Standards Information No. 7"[1]) "In New South Wales, the Motor
Traffic Regulations require that vehicles manufactured after particular
dates meet the requirements of relevant ADR's.", so it looks like you've
got to comply with all the ADRs that were in force when your bike was
manufactured.

I notice on a quick glance through that ADR that it says:

4. MARKINGS
4.1. Devices submitted for approval shall in a clearly legible and
indelible way bear the following markings:
4.1.1. the trade name or mark of the applicant,
4.1.2. The indication of the filament lamp category or categories
provided; this is not valid for lamps with non-replaceable
light sources.
4.2. They shall comprise furthermore a space of sufficient size for the
approval mark. (See paragraph 3.2.1.).
4.3. In the case of lamps with non-replaceable light sources the rated
voltage and rated wattage.

and:

5. APPROVAL
5.5 Each device conforming to a type approved under this Regulation
shall bear, in the space referred to in paragraph 4.2. above, in
addition to the markings referred to in paragraphs 4.1. and 4.3. an
international approval mark consisting of:
5.5.1. a circle enclosing the letter "E" followed by the
distinguishing number of the country which has granted the
approval, and
5.5.2. the number of this Regulation, followed by the letter "R", a
dash and the approval number;

Which, given what the RTA says in VSI7, means that like exhausts, they
are trying to say that even if the lights are completely compliant with
the requirements of the ADR, that if it doesn't bear the appropriate
"approval mark", they are not considered "roadworthy"...

Hella have ADR compliance info available for a lot of their products
including LED brakelights, like this:
http://www.hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue.pl?flcmd=preview&flmaint=339

So it appears the "Definitive word on LED tail lights" is "they are only
legal in NSW if they bear the ADR required approval markings".

big

[1] available from
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsi/vsi_dl1.html

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 26 Jul 2004 12:53:34 +1000

Hmm.. is "lamp" the entire thing, the lens, or the bulb?

I note that in the ones I've seen, the lenses have marks, the thing the
lens fits into doesn't, and lamps may or may not.

Zebee

 

The ADR defines "lamp" as "'lamp' means a device designed to illuminate
the road or to emit a luminous signal; rear registration-
plate illuminating devices and reflex reflectors shall likewise be
regarded as
lamps;', so the "lamp" is the whole assembly rather than just the bulb.
That appears to be the way the referred page uses the term too.

big

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 26 Jul 2004 14:06:31 +1000

So as long as the "lamp" is marked somewhere - and the lenses usually
are - then it's marked.

What globe you put in it doesn't seem to matter as to markings, just as
to output.

Zebee