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Led bulb conversion for my 1998 5th generation


zanshen

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I read the regs as removing the MOT tester's ability to fail a Class 1 or 2 motorcycle (which means?) simply for incompatibility.  So it is no longer an automatic fail if HID or LED light sources are fitted to the bike.  

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

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16 hours ago, JZH said:

I read the regs as removing the MOT tester's ability to fail a Class 1 or 2 motorcycle (which means?) simply for incompatibility.  So it is no longer an automatic fail if HID or LED light sources are fitted to the bike.  

 

Thanks.  So, my understanding was based on the January 2021 update which stated (my emphasis):

 

"Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp."

 

But you're correct that a subsequent Special Notice in March 2021:

 

"From March 22 2021, not all motorcycles and vehicles will fail the MOT test if their halogen headlamp units have been converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs."

 

I had misread this (missed the "not").  Confirmation bias at work fuelled by never having seen a government change anything for the positive in 3 months 🙂 .

 

The MOT manual for motorcycle testing has since been updated to reflect this change.  After reading, it's now the case that the type of light source/bulb is now irrelevant as long as it meets the usual aiming requirements. 

 

Of course, that still leaves uncertainty given that LED bulbs (even from the major manufacturers) are not E-marked and typically marketed as for off-road use only.  But in an uncommon turn of events, common sense seems to have prevailed.

 

Osram do now have what they claim are street legal H4 LEDs, but you need to check compatibility with their online tool.  This does not include the UK so in practice there's no change.  The German version of the tool has no Honda (car or motorcycle) coverage yet.  I also don't think they are on sale officially in the UK.

 

Stuart

 

 

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That is quite interesting, if Osram has developed an LED conversion product I would expect that they have done the R&D to make it work properly.  And despite what Osram's lawyers say, if the UK's MOT regs allow LED conversions (for motorcycles) which meet the standard beam/scatter specs, then it would be legal to use them in the UK--whether e-marked or not.

 

I watched the video on Osram's website, showing how to replace the H4 headlights on a VW T5 van, but couldn't help notice that they did not replace the rubber dust cap on the back of the headlamp unit--thus leaving the headlamp fully exposed to the elements!  

 

Well... It appears they're available on Amazon.co.uk for £75.80/pr.  (And £50 on eBay...)

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

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I bought the Beamtech “fanless” ones off Amazon, broke off the the lower tabs, and stuck ‘em in WITH the factory housing caps. They work perfect. I put them in my SV, as well. No problems there, either. 
 

 

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