Interpretation ID: aiam2816
Director
Motor Vehicle Division
State of Delaware
P.O. Box 698
Dover
DE 19901;
Dear Mr. Voshell: This is in reply to your letter of May 18, 1978 which asks th following questions:; >>>'Is there a Motor Vehicle Safety Standard which requires al motorcycles to be equipped with turn signals, other than those expressly exempted under FMVSS 108 (whose speed attainable in 1 mile is 30 mph or less) S4.1.1.26?'<<<; Yes. Paragraph S4.1.1 of Standard No. 108 requires, in part, that moto vehicles be equipped with the lamps specified in Table III. Turn signal lamps are required for motorcycles under Table III.; >>>'Does the standard apply to only highway-use vehicles wit trail-bikes exempted?'<<<; Yes. The motorcycles covered by Standard No. 108 must be 'moto vehicles' in the first instance, in order to be subject to the regulatory authority of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. A 'motor vehicle' is one 'manufactured primarily for use on the public streets, roads and highways'. This would exclude a trail bike unless its manufacturer had certified it to meet all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, indicating his intent that it be used on-road as well as off-road.; We are enclosing a copy of Standard No. 108 as you requested. Sincerely, Joseph J. Levin, Jr., Chief Counsel