Topic: Texas safety inspection and Hi-beam indicator

[budman]

Just took my v-twin to a m/c shop to have it inspected and was told it wouldn't pass because it doesn't have a hi-beam indicator.  Never heard that before and have passed all prior inspections.

I looked it up on-line and the law states:  20.01 Beam Indicator. Every new motor vehicle registered in this state after January 1, 1948, other than a motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle, which has multiple beam road lighting equipment, shall be equipped with a beam indicator (no certain color required) which shall be lighted whenever the uppermost distribution of light from the head lamp is in use, and shall not be otherwise lighted. Said indicator shall be so designed and located that when lighted it will be readily visible without glare to the driver of the vehicle so equipped.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/inspection/inspectionCriteria.aspx

The shop is owned by a friend of mine and they only recently started doing inspections.  Obviously the dude he's got doing inspections doesn't know the law.  Hate to take somewhere else.  I try to give my friend some business when I can.  It's pretty awkward in these situations when you prove someone wrong who's supposed to know what they're doing.

[dusterdude]

Did you show him the law?

[Xnavylfr]

I would pull the owner aside and tell him /show him the law ,then ask to have the bike re-inspected.  If the man is in business and part of that is to inspect according to the LAW ,he needs to be aware of the law!!
OR, have the person that inspected the bike show you the law, then HE will realize he was wrong!!!

Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[budman]

I'm going back up there today.  I emailed the shop owner/friend.  I've printed out the code from the TXDPS website and I'm taking it with me.  The dude also told me the indicator had to be blue and the law says that an indicator doesn't have to be of any certain color.  He was trying to get me to run down to Autozone, pick up a blue light of some kind and drill a hole in my headlight.  Sure glad I checked it out.  My bike is stripped down to the bare essentials and I want to keep it that way.  I don't ride at night much anyway and when I do I never use the hi-beam.

[budman]

All's good.  Passed the inspection.  They were very apologetic.