Interpretation ID: aiam4354
40 East Stillforest
Houston
Texas 77024;
Dear Mr. Roberts: This is in reply to your letter of June 9, 1987, with respect to a aftermarket motorcycle lamp that you wish to produce. You refer to the lamp as a 'motorcycle safety light' that would supplement other motorcycle lighting and 'would be a rear facing or all direction light with an amber colored lens that would flash'. You have asked if there are any restrictions or guidelines for such a lamp.; Your letter does not indicate the size, flash rate, or intensity of th light, nor whether you intend it so be installed by motorcycle dealers prior to the first sale, or available only for installation on motorcycles already in use. However, I can give you some general guidelines.; Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, *Lamp, Reflectiv Devices, and Associated Equipment* contains the requirements that apply to motorcycles and must be met at the time of sale and delivery to their first owner. Generally, except as provided in the standard (*e.g* motorcycle headlamp modulating devices) all lamps must be steady burning in use. Your lamp, however, would flash, and therefore appears precluded as an item of original equipment. Further, vehicle equipment must not impair the effectiveness of lighting equipment required by the standard. Although in the absence of specifications of your lamp we cannot say whether it would impair the effectiveness of required motorcycle lighting equipment, we note that an(sic) rearward facing amber flashing lamp could create confusion with a rearward facing amber turn signal lamp.; As an aftermarket device intended for vehicles in use, your lamp i subject only to the Federal restriction that its installation by a dealer, distributor, or motor vehicle repair business shall not render inoperative in whole or in part other required lighting equipment. Should your device place an excessive drain on a motorcycle battery affecting the operability of other lighting equipment it could be viewed as violative of the Federal restriction. However, even if this question is answered in the negative, the question of the acceptability of the supplemental lamp is determined by the laws of the State in which the device is sold or used. We are unable to advise you on these laws, and suggest that you write American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, 1301 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016, for further information.; Sincerely, Erika Z. Jones, Chief Counsel