LED light legality question.

[spookycooky]

Have I missed a trick? I've been agonising over the legalities/insurance/mot issues regarding non filament, non 'E' marked leds' for the constantly revised rear light setup on my 76 550f.  And I stumbled across this :

Filament lamps14.—(1) Where a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1986 or any trailer manufactured on or after 1st October 1985 is equipped with any lamp of a type that is required by any Schedule to these Regulations to be marked with an approval mark, no filament lamp other than a filament lamp referred to in the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations in–
(a)regulation 4 and Schedule 2, items 2 or 2A, 8, 20, 37 or 37A; or
(b)regulation 5 and Schedule 4, item 18,
shall be fitted to any such lamp.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/made

and this from the BMF 'Know your rights':

'Headlights must show a white light or yellow tint, any other colour is illegal. The headlight bulb must not be above 55 watts but there is no limit to the number of headlamps on bikes constructed or registered after 1984. Before 1985 there is no limit and there is no requirement for it to have an E stamp on it. '
http://www.bmf.co.uk/pages/bmf_main_pages.php?main_page_id=156

It says headlights etc but you know what I mean. I would value your opinions.
Nick

[Bryanj]

The link below will take you to the on line testers manual. As an ex tester I would only have looke for emarkings or BS markings on a test without registration number for registering an import.

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/bl/mottestingmanualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm

[spookycooky]

Cheers Bryan. I'm wading through it now. 

[Bryanj]

I remember a TV program where two southern polite people were telling a young gent that he had to disconnect his static blue lights(not flashing) as there were not legal, unfortunately according to construction and use it is only illegal to show red to the front and white to the rear (excepting a licence plate lamp) and have flashing blue lights.

A fine example of enforcing the law they would like instead of the law that exists

[Seamus]

I would not fail a bike with LED indicators as long as they flashed correctly, were clearly visible and did not cause or suffer interferance with other lighting or horn circuits as prescribed in the testing manual.

[spookycooky]

Thanks gents, I seem to have discovered I'm a latent OCD, this build thing has become all consuming and sometimes I get blinded by unnecessary minutiae before the 'if it ain't broke' fairy of commonsense pops in for a cuppa.  I did get hold of a plug and play led affair from an e marked unit that I thought would do the job but on install the lens pattern of the stock taillight cancelled out any visible enhancement. I have had a chat with the chap on matchlessclueless and he seems keen to fab up some plug and play led boards with new type leds for sohc if enough interest exists, he's doing some for modern 'Bonnie's' that do seem to work well. However, saner minds and all that, I'll probably just stick with the standard filament bulb. Once again. thanks for taking the time. Nick.