lights for france.
- Thread starter warmshed
- Start date
Pip_UK
Registered user
I've never fiddled with the headlight, and never had a problem abroad. With passenger and luggage, I wind the rear preload all the way up, a bit less for luggage only.
You probably already know, but always worth a mention: you need to carry spare bulbs for all your lights when riding in France.
Have a great trip!
You probably already know, but always worth a mention: you need to carry spare bulbs for all your lights when riding in France.
Have a great trip!
I've been carrying the same little box of bulbs to france since i had my old Ford Granada more than 20 years ago..
I'll be taking them when i go to france on my harley in may, feck knows if the bulbs fit, or even if they still work.
motobiker
Registered user
Ive found that carrying spare bulbs + a puncture repair kit and pump, is an excellent way to guarantee you'll never need either.
Ive never bothered setting the headlamp for riding on the right - never been flashed at by oncoming drivers or stopped by the police.
But.. having said all that - I don't ride after dark - by which time i tend to be investigating the local beers.
Ive never bothered setting the headlamp for riding on the right - never been flashed at by oncoming drivers or stopped by the police.
But.. having said all that - I don't ride after dark - by which time i tend to be investigating the local beers.
kennyc
Registered user
are bike lights biased nowadays? I thought they weren't
All lights are biased to the side of the road you ride on. If you look you can see the shape of the dipped beam pattern which forms a 'v' shape with the horizontal part of the 'v' across the right so oncomming traffic are not dazzled.
For driving on the right you rotate the low beam light unit so that the horizontal part of the 'v' is on the left.
You will also need to have the correct size fluorescent stickers fitted to your helmet, or you will get fined. France needs all the money it can get and fining foreign drivers/riders is an easy way to get money.
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2013/03/16/france-compulsory-reflective-stickers-on-all-helmets/
For driving on the right you rotate the low beam light unit so that the horizontal part of the 'v' is on the left.
You will also need to have the correct size fluorescent stickers fitted to your helmet, or you will get fined. France needs all the money it can get and fining foreign drivers/riders is an easy way to get money.
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2013/03/16/france-compulsory-reflective-stickers-on-all-helmets/
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Re the helmet stickers..unashamed cut'npaste from Mike Werners site....
'1. Yes it is a real and actual law. For those that don't believe me, the actual law number is: R431-1 of the rules of the road, Item 22-05. The description of the law can be found by clicking here (in French).
2. The law has been in existence since 1975, so it's been here for a long while.
3. The law is applied to helmets sold in France, so if you come from abroad, you're fine. So don't go and start buying stickers if you're coming to France.
4. The cops when they stop you very rarely will ticket you for this. It's used maybe as a last resort weapon.'
'1. Yes it is a real and actual law. For those that don't believe me, the actual law number is: R431-1 of the rules of the road, Item 22-05. The description of the law can be found by clicking here (in French).
2. The law has been in existence since 1975, so it's been here for a long while.
3. The law is applied to helmets sold in France, so if you come from abroad, you're fine. So don't go and start buying stickers if you're coming to France.
4. The cops when they stop you very rarely will ticket you for this. It's used maybe as a last resort weapon.'
ghiribizzo
Registered user
Always wondered quite what you're supposed to do if the bike has LED rear lamps, indicators, front parking lamp and HID lamps in dip, main and fog lamps. Not a filament bulb anywhere.
Still carry my little Halfords blue box of bulbs?
littleredrooster
Registered user
Not on a bike you don't - they're exempt from carrying all of the crap that cars have to.
littleredrooster
Registered user
The 1150 dipped beam can be rotated in its housing to comply with continental roads. Do a search on here - it's been covered many times.
kennyc
Registered user
turns out that a lot of bike lights especially the more modern ones are neutral biased, and do not normally require converters, apparently the offence is dazzling oncoming vehicles rather than having a incorrectly biased dip beam, I have even found some indication that 2 wheel vehicles are excluded from the converter rule, have to admit I haven't used converters on bikes ever. YMMV
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