General requirements - part 3

Lighting requirements

For good visibility of the motorcycle and to have a good view on the road yourself, certain lighting is required to be present on the motorcycle. Which lighting this is, you read in this section.

Rear light

Light that, seen from the rear, makes the vehicle recognisable and, in case of two rear lights, indicates the width of the vehicle.

Dipped headlight

Light which illuminates the road in front of the vehicle without blinding or hindering other road users.

Full-beam headlight

Light which illuminates the road in front of the vehicle over a greater distance.

Brake light

Light that is used to show road users behind the vehicle that the vehicle is intentionally slowing down, i.e. brakes.

Indicator

Light that is meant to show other road users that the driver is intends to turn, or move, left or right.

Side light

Light that, seen from the front, indicates the presence of the vehicle and, in case of two lights, indicates the width of the vehicle.

Number plate lighting rear side

Lighting that makes the number plate legible in the dark. This light may not radiate backwards, but only on the number plate.

Retroreflector rear side

A retroreflector itself does not emit light but reflects the light beam (from for example the dipped headlight of a different vehicle) which shines upon it. With this, stationary vehicles also stand out when they are not using any lighting. Nowadays, most retroreflectors are integrated in the light fixtures.

Colour lighting

With most vehicles you will only come across the lighting colours red, amber yellow (orange) and white. Some lighting may also have a slightly different colour. Thus, some lights on the front side may be yellow instead of white and some lights on the rear side may be amber yellow (orange) instead of red.

Required lighting motorcycles

Required lighting sidecar

Allowed lighting

Besides the required lighting, other lights are allowed on the motorcycle. For example, the motorcycle may also have bend lighting and work lights. But this may not just be any lighting and they must have the same colour as the regulations of the required lighting.

You are not allowed to simply change lighting for a different type of lighting. The light fixtures of the lighting are made for halogen, xenon, or LED lighting. These are not easily interchangeable.

Hazard light (same colour as the indicators)

Simultaneous operation of all indicators, meant to show that the vehicle temporarily poses a special danger for other road users.

Bend lighting (white)

Lighting function on the front side for better lighting through bends.

Daytime running lights (white)

Forward facing light used to make the vehicle more visible for oncoming road users during daytime driving. May only be run when dipped headlight is not mandatory.

Fog light front side (white or yellow)

Light that serves for better lighting of the road during fog or a similar condition of limited visibility.

Fog light rear side (red)

Light that makes the vehicle more visible on the rear side during thick fog.

Parking lights (front white, rear red)

Light that is meant to indicate the presence of a parked car. Usually this is the same lighting as the side lights.

Additional lighting and reflectors

Additional allowed lighting is:

• one extra full-beam headlight;
• one extra dipped headlight;
• one extra side light (if you have two then they may also be amber yellow);
• one or two front fog lights;
• one or two rear fog lights;
• hazard lights;
• one or two parking lights on the front side;
• one or two parking lights on the rear side;
• one or two extra brake lights on the rear side;
• one or two daytime running lights on the front side;
• one or two bend lights;
• extra retroreflectors on the front, side, and rear.

Retroreflectors must be white on the front side, red on the rear side and amber yellow (orange) on the side. The rear lateral retroreflectors may also be red.

Other requirements lighting

Besides the presence and the required colour of lighting on the motorcycle, the lighting must meet other requirements as well:

• The required lighting must work properly, and the required retroreflectors must reflect the light properly.
• The light fixtures must be properly mounted to the vehicle and may not be too degraded.
• The glass of the fixtures may not be damaged or removed, they must also let the light through properly.
• Lights and retroreflectors with the same function must by placed symmetrically and the lights must have the same brightness and size.
• The translucent sections of the required lights may be shielded up to 25%.
• The brake lights must work when using both using both front and rear wheel brakes.

Control light fog light

When a rear fog light is present on the motorcycle, it should be clear that this light is switched on by the switch on the handlebar, or a control light on the dashboard.

Non-allowed lighting and reflectors

In addition to the previously mentioned required and allowed lighting and reflectors, no other lighting and reflectors may be mounted to motorcycles.

Additionally, the lighting present may:

• not be blinding, except for the full-beam headlight;
• not blink, except for the indicator lights and hazard lights.

All other lighting, such as the special blue lighting present on vehicles of emergency services, may not be present on normal motorcycles. It does not matter whether this lighting is turned on or not. The point is that your vehicle may not look like a service vehicle of a particular emergency service when it is not.

Extra sound

A motorcycle must have a horn. It must have a fixed pitch. A horn with a melody is therefore not allowed. In addition, in terms of additional sound, the motorcycle may only be fitted with:

• an antitheft system (alarm);
• a warning system that emits a sound up to the driving speed of 25 km/h when a hybrid or electric motorcycle is involved.

Other extra sounds are not allowed.