Led's On Bikes. Are They Legal? Bib Stops For Having Them?

[pokerkid]

the shit will hit the fan soon

[taninthai]

the shit will hit the fan soon

For once I agree with you .......

[BSJ]

I've never understood the fascination with LEDs on bikes or any vehicle here, and as for the safety factor, rubbish... It's a big distraction to every other rider / driver, yes the one with the LEDs may be safer but it's more likely to cause a problem than prevent one... I've lost count of the times a truck is coming towards me, flashing lights under the car, strips round the windshield and so on, whether I want to look or not I don't have a choice, not forgetting the mini-vans that sit 1 metre of your rear with blue lights in your mirror, just so you know they are there!

Wear a high visibility reflective jacket if you want safety, thats what they are designed for. LED strips not built for purpose should be for show and show only... or scrapped entirely!

Blade let me be the first to tell you - You are full of shit . Do you even own a bike. My bike stands out because it is well illuminated. It is not a fasion statement but a black bike needs to be well lit. If you don't like them don't use them But if you are bike wanna be kinda guy you can always hook them up to your pansie ass vest LOL! This post is not about if you like Led's or not . It is about if they are legal in Thailand Read the OP's opening post & please keep it on topic not your unusable comments. If you got something pertanent to ad please do. if not open another topic if you like LED's or not.

Unfortunately for you, you are the one who is full of shit, you said, and I quote: 'And it looks cool to' directly after your safety speech and claiming above its not a fashion statement haha, so was it safety or cool? Simple fact is they are banned in most countries because they are dangerous, end of.. My post was not directed at you but more that they are dangerous which is completely relevant to the OP, if they are illegal which I don't believe they are here then they should be.

And for your information, I own a Ducati 848 and D-tracker in Thailand, and a Fireblade in the UK, been riding for 20 years since I was 16, does that qualify me for an opinion about LEDs on motorcycles? or do you want to lend me your vest? hahaha

It doesn't matter what you ride. You can have an opinion even if you ride an electric bike.

[jayci]

[BSJ]

Cool! The busa has a modified swing arm and big rear wheel/tyre. Looks like it's lowered.

[shaggy1969]

Putting LED's on a bike is totally gay

Will have to agree to disagree on that one.

(photos from girlincar.com)

[Gweiloman]

It appears now that motorbikes are indeed invisable in the dark, must be true two people onhere have said it,i never take my bike out in the dark so im not really sure about this,but i thought that big bright light at the front would maje it easy to be seen. Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It's a good thing that you don't take your bike out at night.

[commande]

My understanding from what I have been told in regards to LED's and aftermarket colored headlights or other additions of lights on a bike or even car in Thailand is that they are not legal (was advised by the police (BKK) and several bike shops in Pattaya). Like all things in Thailand though, within reason, not all laws are enforced equally or consistently which is why your results will vary. To he honest I was looking for replacement headlight bulbs for my bike, I wanted something white like HID, not blue like the show car bulbs, I think it looks better than the factory yellowish color. Come to find out those are hard to find here (maybe I am shopping challenged) and my understanding is unless they are a full conversion to an HID System that those white and blue headlight bulbs actually produce less usable light during the night than the factory bulbs. I am no expert though.

LED's and different color lights in my opinion are the same as an after market exhaust system. Many will claim that both improve safety where there is little to no evidence that they do, at least nothing conclusive. In the end I think it's more personal preference, some people like a lot of lights the same as some people enjoy loud exhaust. My last thought here is if you can't see at night with your factory headlights or you think people can't see you then convert to a very expensive HID system OR better yet, SLOW DOWN because you are overdriving your headlights which is dangerous especially in Thailand when the police disappear at night and every drunk driver gets out on the road and loves to pull in front of motorbikes in their cars and trucks as if you don't exist.

Just my opinion, I am definitely no expert, to each their own in regards to what they like...

Edited April 29, 2013 by commande

[johng]

A few years ago I changed the headlight bulbs on my bike to blue-ish tint Xenon

a couple of weeks later I was stoped at a police check point in North Pattaya and fined 200 baht for having a headlight

" too bright and wrong color "

[jayci]

A few years ago I changed the headlight bulbs on my bike to blue-ish tint Xenon

a couple of weeks later I was stoped at a police check point in North Pattaya and fined 200 baht for having a headlight

" too bright and wrong color "

So did the policeman say that you were too clever and too white (wrong color).

[loserlazer]

A tiny blinking led at the back is enough. The rest is for bike shows or teenagers.

[BSJ]

A tiny blinking led at the back is enough. The rest is for bike shows or teenagers.

Rubbish! The more LEDs the better!

[johng]

So did the policeman say that you were too clever and too white (wrong color).

No he said give me your drivers licence...go to the police station and pay the fine then come back ( with reciept ) here to get your licence back...after that I went home and changed the bulbs back to the originals and havn't been stoped for wrong color lights again.

They where stoping anyone they thought they could get some money from...not just those of us of the wrong color.

[Beardog]

I recently went to Koh Chang over the songran holiday & stopped at the Checkpoint in Bang Saray 20 kilos south of Pattaya to ask if the use of LED lights were illegal in Thailand. I was not pulled over but wanted to find out about all the conjecture about if it is legal or illegal . I was told it is not illegal if your headlamp is white or a brighter halogen . The bluish bright lights are used in most of the newer cars now so it IS legal. It does not matter if your accent LED’s are surounding the headlamp. The tail lamp must be red any enhancements flashing or not upon braking is legal as long as the brake lamp color is red. The turn indicators need to be orange the stock color. Pattaya area states that they are concerned with Licenses, Drunks & helmet infractions. I asked is it all of Thailand & the checkpoint mentioned they were not sure about Bangkok. Besides all the newer cars & trucks come with LEDS on the side view mirrors & Leds in the headlight door lenses. I stopped again in Trat & it was the same answer as above. I asked about Bangkok & they didn’t know how they roll down there. Both stops the cops were more enthralled by the size of a bigger bike then the waves they were driving. So if you get nicked for The halogen or xenon headlamp you will beat it if you go to the cop shop or just pay the 200 baht fine even easier.
Here is the U.S. my home country. Not illegal anymore since 2002 when the archaic laws of the neon lights were overthrown. BMW & Mercedes Benz is introducing laser lighting strips even brighter to come out this year. There is a link for the U.S. Law if you no believe.
In the U.S. as long as you do not have flashing red white or blue colors or strobes looking like a cop car or an emergency vehicle it is legal in all states except New Jersey & if you go to court & cite the 2002 ammenment that superceeds all state statuates they will toss it out of court.
England appears to have different laws than the U.S. I looked for the Thailand statuates & could not find anything relating to the use of LEDS only the headlight, brakelight & the turn indicators.

Other countries:

We have researched and found that most states, these LED Accent Lights are legal to have them on while riding. We have also researched web links to most states on the use of lighting of motor vehicles.
We have even spoken to the police, state troopers, and other law enforcement officers on the issue and they think that it is a better advantage to see a motorcyclist at night with the accent lights on than to respond to an accident because the other driver didn't see them. We have even sold LED Accent Light packages to some police officers own personal motorcycles.
If the state law provides the use of accent lighting use it, as it does add safety of being more visible while riding at night.
Here is an update of what we found recently about the law in Texas and what they think.
As we said before about accent lighting adding safety, look what we have found about what the Texas Department of Public Safety has to say about motorcycles standing out and being more visibly by adding lights so other motorists on the road can see you. Here is the link to their website: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/msb/standout.htm


2002 Amendment. Act 229 added section 4309. See section 21 of Act 229 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to promulgation of guidelines to implement Act 229.
§ 4310. Motorcycle lighting.
Auxiliary lighting may be added to a motorcycle to protect the driver, including blue dot illumination, standard bulb running lights and light-emitting diode (LED) pods and strips.
(June 29, 2006, P.L.205, No.50, eff. 60 days)

And here's where the entire Chapter is located:

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms.../chapter43.pdf

Edited May 2, 2013 by Beardog

[BSJ]

You have to go to Australia to get the full load of BS. On my ST1100 I had one row of LEDS (12) under the topbox that worked in conjunction with the brake light plus flashing amber (3) each side of that and 2 WHITE (3 Led) and 2 AMBER (3 LED) behind the screen that worked off a seperate switchbox. I wanted them as hazzard warning flashers.

When I sold the bike the new owner had to get a Road Worthy Certificate before he could transfer the ownership. The prick garage guy that did the RWC told him to take em off or he wouldn't give him a RWC! What an a$$hole!

[RubberSideDown]

I'm not a big fan of LED decorative lighting, but I do like the 'Back Off' brake modulator (~1800 baht shipped to Thailand) which will flash your brake light in a very noticeable and varied pattern when the brake is applied: