Interpretation ID: nht70-2.35

DATE: 11/12/70

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; R. H. Compton; NHTSA

TO: Department of California Highway Patrol

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in reply to your letter of October 21, 1970, to the National Highway Safety Bureau, concerning environmental tests for sealed beam headlamps used on motocycles and motor-driven cycles.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 requires that motorcycle and motor-driven cycle headlamps conform to SAE Standard J584. This SAE Standard, in turn, permits optional use of "one 7-in. sealed beam unit or one 5 3/4-in. Type 1 and one 5 3/4-in. Type 2 sealed beau units meeting the requirements of SAE J579".

Therefore, unsealed motorcycle and motor-driven cycle headlamps must conform to the vibration, moisture, dust and corrosion test requirements of SAE J584. Glass sealed beau motocycle and motor-driven cycle headlamps, which are designed specifically to conform to the requirements of SAE J584 (including photometric values), and which are not intended for use on other vehicles, must conform to the vibration, moisture and corrosion test requirement of SAE J584. Such test requirements would not, however, be applicable if a manufacturer elected to provide optional headlamps meeting the requirements of SAE J579a.