Rear Red Reflector

[peteGSX]

So I was pondering how to go about neatly getting a rear red reflector on my Kat the other day to meet our nanny state laws and came to the realisation that with my home made rear mudguard there was just no neat way to go about it without attaching it to the bottom of my number plate like I've done on the wee beastie.

I wasn't real happy about that, so I figured I might as well research it given the Kats have the built in reflector in the tail light lens. End result was I could only find two statements in legislation that defined requirements for motorcycles in 1984:

Division 14 Reflectors Generally
92 General requirements for reflectors
(1) A reflector fitted to a vehicle must show a red, yellow or white reflection of light when light is projected directly onto the reflector at night by a low-beam headlight that—
(a) is 45m from the reflector; and
(b) complies with these standards.
(2) The reflection must be clearly visible from the position of the headlight.

Division 15 Rear reflectors
93 Rear reflectors
(2) A motorbike, a sidecar attached to a motorbike, and a motortrike, must have a rear-facing red reflector.

Quoted from "Transport Operations(Road Use Management-Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 2010 (TORUMS)" here: https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2010-0192#sch.1-pt.7

Our bikes need to comply with second edition ADR's which have no provision for rear reflectors on motorcycles, therefore we in Queensland need to comply with the above.

Not wanting to rely on my own research/potential interpretation I did the dreaded Qld Transport contact me form so I could get their answer in writing.

Long story short, providing the build in red reflector in the tail light lens meets the TORUMS requirements, no separate rear reflector required.

Here's what I got back:

Dear Mr Cole


Thank you for contacting the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) about reflectors on a motorcycle.


The Vehicle Safety Standards Branch of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, in Canberra, administers the Motor Vehicle Standards Act that requires all vehicles, when first supplied to the market, comply with all applicable Australian Design Rules (ADRs). The ADRs set the minimum safety and emission standards for vehicles. However, Queensland legislation requires that vehicles continue to comply with the ADRs applicable when the vehicle was first supplied to the market in order for them to be registered.


A motorcycle manufactured in 1984 must comply to the requirements of the Second Edition ADRs. The Second Edition ADRs do not specify requirements for rear reflectors for motorcycles. Therefore the requirements for motorcycle reflectors in the Transport Operations(Road Use Management-Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 2010 (TORUMS) which you have mentioned, must be met. Irrespective of whether the reflector is built into the light or not, the reflector must meet the requirements in the Transport Operations (Road Use Management-Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 2010.


Please find attached links which may assist.


https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2010-0192#sch.1-pt.7 - TORUMS


https://infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/design/second_edition_adrs.aspx - Second Edition ADRs


I trust this information is of assistance.


Kind regards,
Peter
Vehicle Standards | Standards and Accreditation
Transport Regulation Branch | Department of Transport and Main Roads
Floor 9 | 61 Mary Street Brisbane 4000
PO Box 673 | Fortitude Valley Qld 4006
P: 13 23 80
E: vehiclestandards@tmr.qld.gov.au
W: www.tmr.qld.gov.au

I'll be printing that and the relevant section of the TORUMS along with my written reply around idiot light lack of requirements and will keep them in my little storage compartment under the "pillion" seat for those difficult side-of-the-road conversations that will likely ensue...

 

[gtboy]

I've had a good look at this myself, and the conclusion I come to is that no other reflector is required on the rear of a Katana fitted with the stock taillight.


The stock Kat taillight lens has an integral reflector which completely satisfies the 'must have a rear-facing red reflector' rule.

I will NOT be retro-fitting any other reflector to the rear of any of my bikes with integral reflectors in their taillights (all the old shitboxes) and I will argue this vociferously with The Filth or if it comes to it, a Court.

If you're using a stock Kat taillight, Pete, you are not required to fit another reflector.

Fuck.
Them.

 

[peteGSX]

Spot on Paul, if you want the extra backup there's a reference number EN201810040600456642 as part of my enquiry. I won't be adding any other reflectors on the Kat... was happy to on the wee beastie though because my LED tail light has none.