I never noticed this before, but I guess the 1980 and later XS650s didn't have dedicated rear-facing red reflectors???
I was looking at Jim's SG Restoration thread. He has replaced the above plate with a very nice Missouri Gulf War Veteran plate. But, what I wasn't seeing was a rear-facing red reflector. I am pretty sure that every single state requires one. I checked Missouri law:
https://www.lawserver.com/law/state/missouri/mo-laws/missouri_laws_307-075
Scroll down to item 2, and the first sentence says that it's okay for the reflector to be "part of the rear lamp."
Does anyone definitively know if the reflective area of the later year tail lights that I have circled above in green counts? Is that the only reflector that came on the bike from the factory?
Every bike in Texas that I have ever seen that doesn't have factory rear-facing red reflectors uses the above "license plate mount" reflectors, found in a little bucket next to the cash register of every motorcycle shop for 1$ each. That's why license plates have four mounting holes -- two to hang the tag, a third for the license plate reflector, and a fourth for an extra reflector to be symmetrical. Even if the reflective area in the first picture counts, this is cheap insurance against getting pulled over by a cop looking for an excuse.
I was looking at Jim's SG Restoration thread. He has replaced the above plate with a very nice Missouri Gulf War Veteran plate. But, what I wasn't seeing was a rear-facing red reflector. I am pretty sure that every single state requires one. I checked Missouri law:
https://www.lawserver.com/law/state/missouri/mo-laws/missouri_laws_307-075
Scroll down to item 2, and the first sentence says that it's okay for the reflector to be "part of the rear lamp."
Does anyone definitively know if the reflective area of the later year tail lights that I have circled above in green counts? Is that the only reflector that came on the bike from the factory?
Every bike in Texas that I have ever seen that doesn't have factory rear-facing red reflectors uses the above "license plate mount" reflectors, found in a little bucket next to the cash register of every motorcycle shop for 1$ each. That's why license plates have four mounting holes -- two to hang the tag, a third for the license plate reflector, and a fourth for an extra reflector to be symmetrical. Even if the reflective area in the first picture counts, this is cheap insurance against getting pulled over by a cop looking for an excuse.