Need your advice

[takingiteasy]

Hi Guys, my first thread, so forgive me if I have missed this topic elsewhere or I have picked the incorrect location. Equally, my question may only be applicable to British members.  I'm planning to install in the next few days  some R&G engine bars, which I bought at the NEC Birmingham bike show at a very pleasing price. I plan to use Coconut's excellent guide and I hope this goes OK. As part of the deal, I also bought some Denali D2 lamps which I plan to improve my visibility to other road users rather than for illumination of the road ahead. For me, there appears to be two places I can fit these lamps, the first is on the R&G bars with some Denali bar brackets, the other option would be at the front of the bike adjacent to the front forks about the height of the front discs. Again, using fittings designed for the lamps. My question is; is it road legal to fit lamps that low and can anyone foresee any possible contraventions of the Road Traffic regulations? Many thanks

[DaMonk45]

Rule of thumb for mounting lights.
Keep them as Hi as possible.
Position lighs so they form a triangle.

[AZBob]

Originally Posted by DaMonk45

Rule of thumb for mounting lights.
Keep them as Hi as possible.
Position lighs so they form a triangle.

Aux lights used to get noticed by other people while riding a motorcycle  (rather than used to see down the road so much) are "usually" mounted low. Our local police even have them, mounted on the crash bars, to form a triangle with the headlight.

[silverstripes]

As said on the crash bars to form a visible triangle of light

[Studley]

If you want to illuminate anything beyond 50 yards higher is better. I would try to mount them to the bottom of the mirror housing. May take some work [likely a bracket mod] but I don't believe the Denali's are so heavy they preclude that option.

Studley

[AZBob]

Originally Posted by Studley

If you want to illuminate anything beyond 50 yards higher is better. I would try to mount them to the bottom of the mirror housing. May take some work [likely a bracket mod] but I don't believe the Denali's are so heavy they preclude that option.

Studley

He mentioned his purpose in mounting the lights is to be seen, not so much illuminate the road ahead. :-)

[azgman]

I have my LED auxiliary lights mounted to the front fender bolts so they are about at the top of the front wheel rim in height. They definitely make the bike more visible and they do a good job of filling in the headlight illumination. They take all of 7W each to run.

[Coconut]

My question is; is it road legal to fit lamps that low and can anyone foresee any possible contraventions of the Road Traffic regulations?

As you might expect, the UK Law  / Regulations are not easy to comprehend.

My interpretation ( not tested in any Court of Law so use at our peril ! )
is that if you follow these guidelines you "should" be OK ! .......

If you are fitting these to be SEEN rather than to SEE with,
then they would ( probably ) be classed as "Front Position Lamps"

Relevant information is drawn from the UK Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency publication,
"Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval ( MSVA ) Inspection Manual."

Section 6, Annex 3 on Page 57 in respect of Front Position Lamps states that a Minimum of 1 must be fitted.
There is no maximum number stated so additional Front Position Lamps are permitted.
( They must be fitted to the Front of the Vehicle ! )
The lamp colour must be white and a "Tell Tale" is required - i.e. for the Manufacturer's Position Lamp,
there is a Lamp symbol on the Instrument Panel when they are switched on -
If additional Position Lamp(s) are connected to the same circuit, no additional "Tell Tale" would be required. 
If additional Position Lamp(s) are on a separate circuit / switch then an additional "Tell Tale"
( such as an LED built into the switch to show when it is switched on, must be incorporated.
The minimum mounting height from the road surface is 350mm, and the Maximun height is 1200mm.

All Lighting fitted to a vehicle shall be "EC" approved and marked as per ECWVTA Base Directive 93/92/EEC.

Lighting fitted to a vehicle, whether compulsory or optional should be maintained in good working order
as per Regulation 23 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989.