Front licence plate and HID issues.

[Lexanez]

Alright, I've heard many stories about this and that. Whether or not it is legal, how this and that. I got kinda confused and decided to ask the big man himself! (Themselves.)

 

Anyway, my queries are with regards to "where and how can the front licence plate be mounted on?" as well as "Are HID Lamps legal for Motorcycles?"

 

This is the reply that I received from the deputy Director for the Vehicle Engineering Division, Land Transport Authority, replied on the behalf of by Mr Wong Poh Lum, Higher Engineering Officer, Vehicle Technology and Standards Section

 

Dear Mr Ang

 

HID Lamps on Motorcycles

FEEDBACK NUMBER: 20101116-1683

 

We refer to your enquiry dated 16 Nov 10.

 

We would like to inform you that we require every motor vehicle to comply with the Road Traffic Act and among other rules, the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) rules, the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Lighting) rules, etc before they are allowed to be used on public roads.

 

 

As you may know, we have allowed vehicles (i.e. cars) to be fitted with High Intensity Discharge Headlamps (HID) that are originally installed by the manufacturer. The HID system must also be installed with an automatic-levelling device to ensure that the lights would not cause glare or distraction to other road users.

 

 

 

If you intend to install HID headlamps on your motorcycle, we would appreciate if you can provide the following documents for our evaluation:

 

a) Make and Model of your motorcycle (including its vehicle registration numbers if it has been registered);

b) Evidence or test reports issued by an overseas accredited testing laboratory (i.e. TUV, VCA) to show that the aftermarket HID system have been manufactured and tested according to international recognised standards for motorcycle.

c) Installation details (including pictures); and

d) Certification from the vehicle manufacturer that they have no objection for the after-market HID system to be installed on the Make and Model of the motorcycle.

 

 

 

Under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) rules, we require every licence plates on vehicles to be easily distinguishable at all times. Every identification marks of a licence plate must be clearly exhibited to the front and back of the vehicle.

 

In the case where the front licence plate is fitted on the mudguard of the motorcycle, it shall have duplicate faces so that from whichever side the motorcycle is viewed, the identification markings on one or other face of the plate can be easily distinguishable, although the orientation of the plate may not be distinguishable when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

 

If you intend to place your front licence plate other than on the mudguard of the motorcycle, the identification marks must be easily viewed from front of the vehicle and the location of the licence plate must not exceed the height of 1 metre from the ground.

 

 

We hope the above addresses your queries.

 

We thank you for your enquiry.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

(SIGNED IN LOTUS NOTES)

 

 

WONG POH LUM

 

 

for DEPUTY DIRECTOR

 

 

VEHICLE ENGINEERING DIVISION

 

 

LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

 

In a nutshell,

 

High Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlamps are allowed for use on Singapore roads due to their wide coverage and a marked lower wattage. However, they might be blinding to road users hence these are the requirements before you are able to install HID Headlamps.

 

To be submitted to LTA for verification.

 

1. Vehicle registration number cum make and model.

 

2. Evidence that the said HID kit is approved for use in Motorcycles by a recognized institution

 

3. Installation pictures and details

 

4. Approval from the vehicle manufacturer (i.e Honda, Ducati, Aprilla) that HID kits can be installed. (This can be obtained from Authorized Dealers, in my opinion)

 

Next, as to where the front licence plate can be mounted on, are these 2 places and orientation required,

 

1. On the mud guard.

Licence plate number must be mounted horizontally along the mud guard, easily seen from the sides even though may not be visible from the front. (Reminds me of some ah pek bikes with the front plate number mounted above and along the mud guard!)

 

2. Anywhere beside the mud guard. (I.e Windshield)

It must be oriented to the front and placed in such a position that the height from the ground must not exceed 1 metre. (Big Windshield anyone?)

 

Of course, the wordings and size of number plate must still conform to that required and legalized by LTA!

 

This is just for sharing so people could know what to do when they wish to install HID and on where to mount the front licence plate number.

Edited November 30, 2010 by Lexanez

[feriosi]

It's not easy to get approval, and the procedures are too much a hassle. Getting the agent's certification might not be easy even if yours was bought from them, and even worse especially for those who bought their bike from parallel importers.

 

Thanks for sharing the info.

[kimmeng]

do anything you want, just dont get caught.

[Demon]

for the HID, the biggest issue is that there isn't an aftermarket HID with auto-leveling for motorbikes.

[CMYRS]

demon, why would u need levelling for the hid?

[Suede]

So cumbersome....sigh~~~

[aRcHeR]

Mr Wong Poh Lum is not the Deputy Director for VEHICLE ENGINEERING DIVISION in LTA.

 

He is replying on behalf.

[Lexanez]

Triple post!

Edited November 30, 2010 by Lexanez

[Lexanez]

Triple Post!

Edited November 30, 2010 by Lexanez

[Lexanez]

Mr Wong Poh Lum is not the Deputy Director for VEHICLE ENGINEERING DIVISION in LTA.

 

He is replying on behalf.

 

Right, thanks for the clarification. He's a Higher Engineering Officer from the Vehicle Technology and Standards section. The DP Director, Vehicle Engineering Division is Long Say Jee. However, the information is still technically correct, from the DP Director of Vehicle Engineering Division, LTA.

 

Yeah, too much glare on the road will cause discomfort on the road, to the rider and to the rest of the road users.

 

Well, from what I gather, there isn't a necessity for motorcycles to install a Auto-leveling feature. From one motoring

[dragonforce]

the documents for them to approve the HID on bikes = near impossible.

 

1) recognized institution (testing labs) are mostly from europe and japan. HID kits that are widely available, that most pple would buy here are from china, maybe taiwan. writing a letter to the testing labs to approve the HID kit for the particular bike? how much are you prepared to pay?

 

2) certification from vehicle manufacturer that they have no objection for HID kit to be installed on the bike? lol. i dont think they will put their heads on the chopping board.

Edited November 30, 2010 by dragonforce

[Demon]

demon, why would u need levelling for the hid?

 

because LTA said so :lol:

[QuaXum]

because LTA said so :lol:

 

*like*

 

 

but then again, HID is very glaring without the projector headlamps, kindly spare a thought for other road users. HID on normal headlights will just reflect all over the place, therefore causing glare and temp. blindness to other road users. which is very dangerous.

[Demon]

*like*

 

 

but then again, HID is very glaring without the projector headlamps, kindly spare a thought for other road users. HID on normal headlights will just reflect all over the place, therefore causing glare and temp. blindness to other road users. which is very dangerous.

 

from what it seems, HID users are not the nuisance. LEDs are the latest irritation on the road.

[wait4me]

*like*

 

 

but then again, HID is very glaring without the projector headlamps, kindly spare a thought for other road users. HID on normal headlights will just reflect all over the place, therefore causing glare and temp. blindness to other road users. which is very dangerous.

 

all same same wan ..

bikes also shine all over the place..

[dragonforce]

*like*

 

 

but then again, HID is very glaring without the projector headlamps, kindly spare a thought for other road users. HID on normal headlights will just reflect all over the place, therefore causing glare and temp. blindness to other road users. which is very dangerous.

 

i wont want to spare a thought for those drivers who put 4x HID or 2x HID + switching on foglights, shining their lights everywhere as if the road condition is really very dark. as if they spare a thought for other road users here.