§ 175.146. Lighting and electrical systems.
(a) Condition of lamps and switches. Every required lamp or switch shall be in safe operating condition as described in § 175.160 (relating to inspection procedure).
(b) Lighting standards. Lamps shall comply with the vehicle lighting equipment requirements of Tables II, IV and V; Chapter 153; and 75 Pa.C.S. § 4301.
(c) Headlamp system. A motorcycle driven on a highway shall have at least one and no more than two headlamps. See 75 Pa.C.S. § 4303(a) (relating to general lighting requirements).
(1) Lamps in the headlamp system shall be of Type I or Type II construction. On one-lamp system, the lamp shall be located in the center of the vehicle. On a two-lamp system, the lamps shall be symetrically located on each side of the vehicle’s vertical centerline.
(2) The headlamp low beam minimum candlepower shall not be less than 7,500.
(3) The headlamp high beam minimum candlepower shall not be less than 10,000.
(4) Every headlamp shall be aimed to comply with inspection procedure of this subchapter.
(5) Approved SAE modulating lamps are legal.
(6) A motorcycle shall be equipped with a manual dimmer switch conveniently located for use by the driver while in a normal operating position. An automatic dimming device may be used in addition to a manual switch.
(7) A motorcycle shall be equipped with a beam indicator which shall be lighted whenever the high beam of light from the headlamp is in use and shall not otherwise be lighted. The indicator shall be so located that when lighted it is readily visible without glare to the operator of the vehicle.
(d) Total candlepower. Total candlepower for headlamps and auxiliary lamps shall not exceed 150,000.
(e) Other required lamps. A motorcycle shall have at least one red stop lamp and no more than two—one on each side—on the rear of the vehicle, which shall be illuminated immediately upon application of the service brake.
(f) Illumination except headlamps, fog lamps and auxiliary driving lamps. A motorcycle shall have a stop lamp and tail lamp which, under normal atmospheric conditions, shall be capable of being seen and distinguished during nighttime operation at a distance of 500 feet. See 75 Pa.C.S. § 4303(b) and (d).
(1) Rear lamps shall be lighted whenever headlamps, fog lamps or auxiliary driving lamps are in operation.
(2) A vehicle specified under this subchapter may be equipped with turn signals.
(3) The turn signals shall have a frequency of flash between 60—120 flashes per minute.
(4) The stop lamps shall be operated through a switching arrangement so that any motion of brake towards applied position immediately illuminates the stop lamp.
(5) The stop lamps shall not be combined with turn signal lamps unless arrangement of switches or other parts are such that the stop lamp is extinguished when the turn signal is in use.
(6) The stop lamps shall be visible for 100 feet in normal sunlight.
(7) A motorcycle manufactured after 1978 shall be equipped with an alternator, generator or electrical energy storage source, capable of providing lighting in compliance with Chapter 153 (relating to lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment) and SAE J392—Appendix B (relating to motorcycle and motor vehicle cycle electrical system (maintenance of design voltage)—SAE J392)—Maintenance of Design Voltage.
(8) A motorcycle shall be equipped with at least one red reflector to the rear.
(9) A motorcycle shall have at least one tail lamp if it was manufactured after 1973 or if originally so equipped.
(g) Condition and position of lamps. Lamps shall be properly fastened; direct light properly; be of a color not contrary to Tables II, IV and V; and not be so obstructed by a screen, bar, auxiliary equipment or a device as to obscure, change the color of or obstruct the beam.
(h) Ornamental lamps. A lamp not enumerated in this section, and not located as described in Tables III—V of this chapter, is prohibited unless it is available as original equipment or is auxiliary lighting added to a motorcycle to protect the driver as permitted by 75 Pa.C.S. § 4310 (relating to motorcycle lighting). An illuminated sign is prohibited. Flashing or revolving lights are not ornamental lamps. Provisions relating to flashing or revolving lights are located in Chapters 15 and 173 (relating to authorized vehicles and special operating privileges; and flashing or revolving lights on emergency and authorized vehicles).
(i) [Reserved].
(j) Registration plate lamp. A registration plate lamp, if originally equipped, shall emit white light and make the registration plate visible from a distance of 50 feet to the rear of the vehicle.
(k) Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps. Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps may be installed on a motorcycle if they comply with the following requirements:
(1) Fog lamps shall not be substituted for headlamps except under conditions of rain or fog. Fog lamps may be used with lower headlamp beams.
(2) Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps shall be mounted on front at a height not less than 12 inches nor more than 42 inches above level surface upon which the vehicle stands. Rear fog lamps, if originally installed or offered as optional equipment, are acceptable.
(3) Auxiliary lamps and fog lamps shall be aimed when the vehicle and lamp assembly are in the straight ahead position with the beam not above the horizontal centerline of the lamp at 25 feet.
(4) A motorcycle may have one and no more than two approved auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps.
(5) Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps shall not be placed in front of any required lamp.
(6) A vehicle equipped with headlamps, auxiliary driving lamps or fog lamps may not have more than four forward projecting lamps illuminated at the same time.
(l) Antique vehicle lighting exemption. An antique vehicle, if operated exclusively between the hours of sunrise to sunset and not during periods of reduced visibility or insufficient illumination, is exempt from requirements of this section, except requirements pertaining to stop lamps.
(m) Battery fastening. A vehicle specified under this subchapter shall be equipped with a system which is specifically designed for the secure fastening of the battery.
Authority The provisions of this § 175.146 amended under the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § § 4103, 4301, 4501, 4521 and 6103.
Source The provisions of this § 175.146 adopted October 29, 1982, effective February 1, 1983, 12 Pa.B. 3862; corrected November 12, 1982, effective February 1, 1983, 12 Pa.B. 3947; readopted December 2, 1988, effective December 3, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 5362; amended November 13, 1998, effective May 13, 1999, 28 Pa.B. 5670; amended October 25, 2013, effective October 26, 2013, 43 Pa.B. 6349. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (250407) to (250410).
No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.
This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Code full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.
