Rear brake light problem?

philattersall · Post by **philattersall** » 16 years ago

I'm having a slight issue with my brake lights.
Though whilst I wait for a new switch for the front brake.
I'm having to use the rear brake more, so the brake light comes on!
I'm not using my bike much as under heavy braking with the front brake the light doesn't appear. But I do need to use my bike this weekend
So is there any way to make the rear brake light come on a little quicker? As I need to press the pedal quite away before the light appears

Regards

Philip

Coose · Post by **Coose** » 16 years ago

Assuming you're in the UK, there is no legal requirement for the brake light to come on with the front brake - only the rear one! I wouldn't worry too much about it...

Coose · Post by **Coose** » 16 years ago

Oh, and you can't adjust the rear brake light switch as it's a pressure switch.

philattersall · Post by **philattersall** » 16 years ago

Cheers
So there's no way of adjusting it, so you don't need as much pressure on the rear pedal, for when the brake light comes on?

Coose · Post by **Coose** » 16 years ago

Nope, I'm afraid there isn't!

RaptorMan · Post by **RaptorMan** » 16 years ago

Sorry to disagree coose but under construction and use regs if the vehicle is fitted with it as standard it must either,work or be removed completely including all associated wiring.
I had this a while ago when having a bike tested after I had removed the indicators.The inspector told me to remove all wiring and switches relating to the indicators completely before he would pass it.

zorro · Post by **zorro** » 16 years ago

Raptorman, just out of interest am I understanding this correctly, you don't require indicators on a bike in the UK, I've seen pics of Italian registered bikes without indicators and without mirrors also.
Over here there would be a hefty fine and an unroadworthy notice thrown in.

Regards, zorro

RaptorMan · Post by **RaptorMan** » 16 years ago

It is easier to do on an older bike,you just remove the lot wires included.However on more modern bikes the best way to get away with it is to say that you have completely rebuilt the bike IE turned it into a streetfighter,but you still have to remove any associated switches and wiring

shebee · Post by **shebee** » 16 years ago

We have just got stitched up for fixing a mates 'bargain'

Part of the extensive MOT fail list was "no indicators" - everything including the switches and wiring has been removed and is now having to be reinstated cos the MOT computer says it has to have indicators. (despite being MOT-ed for the last few years exactlhy as it stands.

It is registered on a T plate I think but was possibly re registered in 2001 as it was built from bits, Im not sure that the computer is correct but removing indicators needs checking with your local mot place first

AZ · Post by AZ » 16 years ago

I have built a lot of chops and street fighters etc over the years and up untill a couple of years back the mot manual said that anything post 87 that left the factory with indicators had to have indicators regardless of wether or not the switches were removed,but the manual gets additions every year

so the present situation may be different.Just ask your local MOT man to have a look at his manual for you,i`m sure he wont mind.Strangely enough ,if you had a daytime MOT then you didn`t need any lights at all and no reflectors as i was considering boning down my cbr400 to make it as light as poss to use as a track bike at oulton park which isn`t far from me,another project that never came into being.

Coose · Post by **Coose** » 16 years ago

RaptorMan wrote:Sorry to disagree coose but under construction and use regs if the vehicle is fitted with it as standard it must either,work or be removed completely including all associated wiring.
I had this a while ago when having a bike tested after I had removed the indicators.The inspector told me to remove all wiring and switches relating to the indicators completely before he would pass it.

What I said was that you need the brake light to operate only off the rear brake. I think you've got the wrong and of the stick there old chap as there was no mention of indicators! The brake light would still exist and operate, just not off the front brake.