Neon lighting on motorcycles may not be illegal in the UK, but it is certainly frowned upon. Motorcycles are a popular form of transportation, and as such, they need to abide by specific laws and regulations.
Before you install any neon lights onto your motorcycle, you should always ensure that they abide by the UK’s laws for this type of lighting.
This blog post will explore why neon lights on motorcycles might be illegal in the UK and what you can do to avoid violating these rules.
The UK’s laws on neon lighting
The UK’s laws on neon lighting are somewhat loose, but they still need to be followed. Neon lighting can be used on motorcycles, but it must adhere to specific rules and regulations.
Firstly, the lights must not change colour or flash faster than four times per second. This is because flashing neon lights may cause seizures in some people who have epilepsy, which would make their motorcycle ride more dangerous for them.
Secondly, the lights must not be more than four centimetres apart. This is to prevent them from distracting oncoming drivers and other road users.
Finally, neon lighting should only illuminate your number plate or reflectors, so it does not become too bright for you to see clearly at night-time.
- You aren’t allowed to see the neon tube, just the glow
- There must be an independent on/off switch
- They can’t distract other drivers
Colours
In the UK, it’s a legal requirement for all front headlights to be white or yellow. Rear tail lights must always be red. In short, neon lights or other lighting systems must not cause a distraction to yourself or other road users or cause your vehicle to be mistaken for an emergency vehicle.
- You can’t see another colour except for white at the vehicle’s front, such as headlights.
- You can’t see another colour but red at the back, such as tail lights.
- You can’t use the colour green at all
How does this affect bikers riding at night?
Neon lighting on motorcycles can be dangerous for riders at night-time, as it could distract other road users and cause a collision. Neon lights may even give the impression that your motorcycle is an emergency vehicle if they are too bright or change colour quickly.
This would result in people taking more notice of you than necessary, making them behave dangerously around you. Neon lighting may also make your motorcycle harder to see at night, which could cause it to be hit by other road users.
For these reasons, riders should only use low key neons or just white or yellow headlights that illuminate their number plate clearly for safety purposes.
Creative ways to get around the law and still have fun on your bike?
You can still have lights on your helmet and body because this is not on a vehicle. But anything that distracts a driver could still be found illegal.
You can still get kits for shows or events and change to white light for on the road. Here is a popular kit found on Amazon.
Note: We are not lawyers, and you shouldn’t take this article as legal advice. Please do your research on the matter.