Reflections on reflectors

[rick1956]

You know, one of the first things that annoy me about a new motorcycle project I pick up are the factory reflectors. I know they were required by the DOT for whatever year they were installed, but those are the kinds of things that I am quick to dispose of (well, put into a box for storage anyway). Depending on the year, motorcycles have had a lot of variation in reflectors, varying from small to obscene, and from none to several. The ones that trouble me are those that face out from the sides and are constructed as part of the frame, as my 81 has.

My question: How do you all feel about them? How many of you out there grind them off the clean up the look of their machines?

I'm one of those guys that usually never removes anything permanent that might diminish resale or keep someone putting a bike back into stock form if they so desire, but I'm on the fence about including ugly-ass factory safety reflectors in that rule. I'm a "clean & neat" sort of person, preferring almost stock, but cleaned up with extras removed.

What are your thoughts on those factory permanent reflectors?

 

[upthemaiden]

I always pull reflectors and toss them in a box. If I want to put them back on later just stick some double sided tape on them and stick them back on. The only time I'd really consider keeping them is if I had a bike I parked on the street at night, and wanted passing cars to not park on top of it. Otherwise, my headlight and tail light should be plenty sufficient.

There's a few things that are required that I don't care for, and that's the main thing that really keeps me from being interested in projects where people just want to refurbish a bike back to showroom condition. Manufactures don't even want to put all of that stuff on the bike, but they have to for legal reasons. I like seeing old bikes cleaned up, but when people go as far as tracking down reflectors and the bulky plastic rear fenders that license plates come on, I think the bikes lose a little appeal. I agree with you that I like things neat and uncluttered. All that being said, if people get enjoyment out of tracking down oem reflectors and light bulbs, I'm just glad they're enjoying their motorcycle. I only threw that out there because you asked and wasn't looking to pick on any refurbishing projects. The main goal is to enjoy your bike, and there's more ways to do that than just riding it.

 

[xjwmx]

If you mean the two yellow reflectors on the side of the front, they're beautiful! When you're pulling out of a parking lot they keep the guy arguing with his wife on the phone from running over you as he's right-turning into the lot.

The cool thing to do to those particular reflectors is unscrew them and remove the black plastic piece and screw the reflectors back on. Does look better, and increases air flow to the motor a smidge. You can put them back on upside down if it makes you happier

 

[mrtwowheel]

I'm not too sure about these reflectors being DOT required as long as you have a tail light and headlight on, I think that is all that is required. I don't mind the small round reflectors on the sides of the frame. I think the large rectangle ones are damn ugly and bad taste, even more so when they have a chromed plastic border/frame. On the rear of a bike I think red reflectors should be tastefully used, like plate fasteners etc. More than half of the red on the back of my GoldWing is reflectors and show the rear of my bike very well at night.

Scott

 

[timbeck]

I do the double-sided tape deal once a year to get my inspection sticker .................
tim

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Loosely relevant. Down here we have annual safety inspections, with varying degrees of compliance getting passed. Last year they started enforcing trailer inspections, and I had to look up state regs to ensure my trailer would pass. A mind-boggling matrix of lighting/reflector to trailer size/configs. Finally figured it out, and it passed.

While grinding thru those regs, saw some concerning motorcycles. What a mess. Going by the letter of the law, I guess that we all could be written up.

Enforcement for non-commercial stuff seems almost non-existant, except maybe as an excuse to get pulled over and hassled...

 

[rick1956]

I wasn't really concerned with the legality of reflectors (I'm a rule-bender anyway), but rather, just how fellow wrenchers addressed their own bikes. "To remove, or not to remove..." There is no question when it comes to the variety you can just unscrew or whatever--those are easy. I was mostly talking about the ones that require a little more in-depth removal of a mount, like a grinding it off or cutting it with a welder. Sometimes they're just screw holes, other times a whole welded bracket.

I do the double-sided tape deal once a year to get my inspection sticker .................
tim

Luckily, Washington State doesn't require us to go the inspection sticker route, but we have several other things that they get us on. Mostly FEE$!

 

[aldo5468]

You know, one of the first things that annoy me about a new motorcycle project I pick up are the factory reflectors. I know they were required by the DOT for whatever year they were installed, but those are the kinds of things that I am quick to dispose of (well, put into a box for storage anyway). Depending on the year, motorcycles have had a lot of variation in reflectors, varying from small to obscene, and from none to several. The ones that trouble me are those that face out from the sides and are constructed as part of the frame, as my 81 has.

My question: How do you all feel about them? How many of you out there grind them off the clean up the look of their machines?

I'm one of those guys that usually never removes anything permanent that might diminish resale or keep someone putting a bike back into stock form if they so desire, but I'm on the fence about including ugly-ass factory safety reflectors in that rule. I'm a "clean & neat" sort of person, preferring almost stock, but cleaned up with extras removed.

What are your thoughts on those factory permanent reflectors?

I don't have side reflectors on my '82 now but did a few years back in the front. I removed the OEM ones from the down tubes and got a pair of the brackets used on 535 Viragos that mount to the lower fork tubes. Fairly inconspicuous on the bike and farther forward that the OEM ones. If I do go back to using front reflectors, I'd go this way again - I believe there is some safety benefit in having them.

 

[xjwmx]

An XS650 has to work hard. If the same reflectors were on a Triumph they'd be iconic and repros would be $50.

 

[Guss80special]

Here in Alberta, both front and back reflectors are required to pass an inspection. Only need an inspection when bike is brought in from another province. I imagine they can come off now. Ugly - yes. But I’m leaving mine on. I do like what aldo has done. That looks much better IMO and as you swing the bars around the rejectors move as well and just might catch someone’s eye and prevent a mis hap I’m going to move mine!!! Thanks.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi rick,
my Heritage Special still has all but one of it's factory reflectors because every little thing helps in keeping me safe, eh?
Although the rightside front reflector was carefully saved I removed it's support bracket to make room for a sidecar mount.
Now the bike is a solo again I'll have to do something with an aluminum strip and hose clamps to regain reflector symmetry.
Or perhaps incorporate the reflector attachment into the support my formerly sidecar-mounted Stebel-Nautilus air horn
will need. Now there's a 129dB safety feature that's far more effective than mere reflectors.