Question: Is there a certain distance apart the front and rear signal lights have to be apart on a motorcycle? Is there also a distance for how high off the ground they should be? I believe the signals have to be two separate units apart from the head lamps, or tail lamps correct?
This is a difficult question to answer as the technical standards involved are complex and not easily read. You are correct, there are standards for height, spacing and the size of the lens.
Where to Start
Perhaps the simplest way is to compare with the OEM lights on the same make and model if the motorcycle has been modified. If they don't look the same, chances are good that the standards are not being met.
General Lighting Requirements in BC
The BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations require that the lighting system installed at the time of manufacture must still be present and functional when the vehicle is operated on BC highways.
4.02 (2) A vehicle on a highway must be equipped with lamps equivalent to those provided by the original manufacturer in accordance with the requirements that applied under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada), or a predecessor to that Act, at the time of vehicle manufacture.
Federal Standards in Canada
The federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1038) Lighting System and Retroreflective Devices (Standard 108) controls how motor vehicles are equipped at the time of manufacture.
Technical Standards Document 108 is a long read, but it tells you how many, how high or low, how big or small and how bright lights have to be. It also includes the separation distances that you asked about.
Motorcycle Signal Lights
- Each turn signal lamp on a motorcycle shall have an effective projected luminous
lens area of not less than 2,258 mm 2 (3.5 square inches) - Mounted not less than 380 mm (15 inches), nor more than 2 110 mm (83 inches) above the road surface
- At or near the front - 1 amber on each side of the vertical centerline at the same height, and having a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline of lamps) of 400 mm
(16 inches). Minimum edge to edge separation distance between lamp and headlamp is 100 mm (4 inches) - At or near the rear - 1 red or amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height and having a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of
lamps) of 230 mm (9 inches). Minimum edge to edge separation distance between lamp and tail or stop lamp is 100 mm (4 inches), when a single stop and tail lamp is installed on the vertical centerline and the turn signal lamps are red
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