Question about swapping turn signals/brake lights

[niccolai]

I want to get a clear alternative rear brake light lese and flushmount front turn signals on my bike.

I live in the US, is it legal to change the color of the turn signals/ blinkers? I want to put some blue led bulbs in.

[Turd Ferguson]

Dear God, no.  Blue signals would not be legal in any of the 50 states and doubtfully anywhere in the World.

Technically speaking, it is illegal to change/modify your turn signals or tail lamps in most states.

-Turd.

[niccolai]

But what about the clear alternatives tail lights?

their brakes and blinkers still hsine red and yellow but the lenses have a colored tint.

it said all their stuff is DOT approved.

[The Antibody]

Nic. You need to have red or amber on the rear, and amber on the front. I'm not sure if you can have clear on the front or not. No blue, green, purple. You may get away with pink though.  

The signal inside of the brake light may be ok. I don't know the regs on that.

 -Anti  

[niccolai]

I'm pretty sure thats the one I want. The bulbs will still be red and amber in that, but would it be ok to tint the plastic lense that goes over them a soft, slight shade of blue? The tint shouldn't alter the red or amber LEDs in any way, and are just for visuals for when the bike is turned off. Even while the running lights are on, you shouldn't be able to notice the blue tint.





If I can't get the colored ones, I'll just go with the clear rear lense with red/amber bulbs. That should be legal, right? sence it still glows red for braking and running? I believe one of the members here has the clear lense.

[The Antibody]

Those are the ones on Ebay right? I don't think there is a reg (at least in PA. I don't know where you are) dealing with how far the signals must be apart. If not, you will be fine. The slight blue color is iffy. while the bike is in opperation, the rear light MUST be red in color. If it looks at all bluish or purple (blue and red) YOu may get stopped or not pass inspection. The clear lens is perfectly fine if you have a red bulb.

  -Anti 

[niccolai]

Those are the ones on Ebay right? I don't think there is a reg (at least in PA. I don't know where you are) dealing with how far the signals must be apart. If not, you will be fine. The slight blue color is iffy. while the bike is in opperation, the rear light MUST be red in color. If it looks at all bluish or purple (blue and red) YOu may get stopped or not pass inspection. The clear lens is perfectly fine if you have a red bulb.

  -Anti 

Yea, these are on ebay all the time.

The LEDs are supposed to glow through the tint and the tint color isn't supposed to effect the bulb color, so I should be in the clear on that aspect. They don't seem to make a blue lense for the GS500 (only clear and smoke) so I'll haveto just buy the clear one.

I didn't even take in to consideration a turn signal distance law.  I hope there isn't one.

I'm in massachusetts by the way. During the winter though I'll be staying with my father and probably doing most of my riding down at his place in florida.

Thanks for the help 

[MrDan]

For Mass, you can skim through http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/gl-90-toc.htm and see what it says.  That's the Mass General Laws.  I believe you want Section 7 for general, and 7E for red and blue lights

For the record - those are the hardest laws to read I've ever seen.  It's one big long paragraph - ugh.

Also interesting to note ... "Every motor vehicle registered in the commonwealth shall be equipped with a device to permit the front and rear directional signals to flash simultaneously, said device to be operated only when the vehicle is disabled or stopped in the event of emergency on or at the side of any way".  My GS can't do that .. haha can yours?

For Florida, check out http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Index&Title_Request=XXIII#TitleXXIII with Chapter 316.221 of special interest (Taillamps), 316.222 (Turn Signals), and 316.224 (Colors).  These are MUCH easier to read than Mass - you should move haha

And I have way too much time on my hands today. 

[dgyver]

Best to check the laws for your state.

In SC you do not have to have turn signals. But if you do, they must work.

[niccolai]

There doesn't seem to be any law against tinting the lense over my brake lights as long as they are still clearly red

sence clear alternatives doen't seem to have blue gs5f tail lights, i'll haveto find out how to tint them on my own.


Does anyone know of a sortof blue spray on tint?

[dgyver]

Blue lights are illegal....except for police.

[niccolai]

The lights will still very clearly shine red, but when the bike is turned off and parked, the housing will have a blue tint.

[MrDan]

They make spray paint that will do it.  I did my turn signals in green on my old camry (couldnt see them till i used them).  Keep in mind that any color you use WILL affect the color of the light.  It's just a matter of how much you want to risk it.  I never got in trouble for my green lights - but you only inspect cars in MD when you buy/sell so it was never an issue.

As for the paint, go to a decent craft store and look for the transparent paint.  I'll see if I can find more detail but I know that Michaels and AC Moore used to carry it.

[MarkusN]

Transparent is not the way to go. It will take a lot until it's noticeable and that will tint the light going through.

Best are iridescent colors. Second best metallic effect. Use them thinly and you get the desired effect.

[The Antibody]

Blue Saran wrap 

kidding, that won't work.

  -Anti 

[niccolai]

This is the tint I'm going for:




Like I said, pretty soft. Think the blue tint on the top of a car windshield.

[blue05twin]

YOu can tint if you want to we tinted Boss's 500 tail like to light smoke.  Used plastic model tint spray.  Got it from the local hobby store.  About tinting it blue, doesn't matter if it's light blue, dark blue or any shade of blue.  If a cop wants to he can pull you over and give you a ticket.  My nephew got pulled over because his fog lights on his car of all things had a blue tint to them.
Here's what a clear atlernatives will look like on a blue bike