Many riders enjoy adding custom modifications to personalize their bikes. These customizations involve making the motorcycle reflect the rider’s style or increase comfort, functionality, or performance. However, federal and state regulations impose various safety requirements for motorcycles. Some modifications may cause a motorcycle to be out of compliance with these safety rules.
As a result, riders who install illegal modifications on their bikes may face consequences such as fines or the non-renewal of their registration due to non-conformance. Perhaps a bigger issue though, modifications that adversely affect a motorcycle’s safety may have a big impact on the outcome of an injury case if you are hurt in an accident.
Key Aspects of Legal Compliance in Safety
When customizing a motorcycle, an owner must ensure that all modifications comply with federal and state requirements for motorcycles. Many of these requirements ensure that riders can safely operate their motorcycles. Regulations typically affect motorcycle parts commonly modified by owners, such as:
- Handlebars
- Windscreens
- Headlights
- Taillights
- Turn signals
- Reflectors
- Horns
- Brakes
- Mufflers and exhaust systems
Before installing modifications, riders should ensure that the custom part will meet applicable safety standards under state and federal regulations. In some cases, registering or renewing the registration of a customized motorcycle will require an owner to obtain a specialized inspection to confirm that the motorcycle still meets safety standards.
Understanding Regulatory Bodies and Standards
At the federal level, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues regulations for motorcycle safety standards. These regulations primarily apply to motorcycle manufacturers to ensure that manufacturers and dealers sell safe-to-ride motorcycles.
However, each state’s transportation or highway department will also issue safety regulations for motorcycles registered there. State regulatory bodies will set specific safety rules and requirements for motorcycles, such as maximum handlebar height, braking requirements, lighting requirements, or decibel levels for motorcycle exhausts. State regulatory agencies can also set special requirements for customized motorcycles, such as requiring a specialized inspection after installing modifications or requiring owners to carry insurance that expressly covers the modifications.
When Do Custom Motorcycles Break Compliance?
Custom motorcycles may violate state and federal safety regulations by exceeding the limits or not following the requirements for motorcycle parts. Custom motorcycle part manufacturers may manufacture parts that are legal in some states but not in others. Some manufacturers sell parts that are not permitted in any state, placing the consequences of purchasing and installing those parts on the motorcycle owner. Typical situations of custom motorcycles breaking compliance with state and federal rules include:
- Installing “ape hanger” or other types of handlebars that exceed height restrictions
- Installing front or rear lights in non-standard colors (e.g., non-white headlights or non-red or amber rear lights)
- Installing excessively loud exhaust systems or removing the motorcycle’s muffler
- Installing spikes or other protrusions on the side of the motorcycle
- Installing an aftermarket passenger seat (safety rules often only permit manufacturer-installed passenger seats)
Does this mean that installing aftermarket ape hanger bars on your motorcycle makes you somehow partially at fault if you are involved in an accident? No, not necessarily. But if those 20” ape hanger bars, or perhaps the 350mm custom wide tire kit you installed had such a negative effect on your bike’s handling that you could not avoid the accident, an insurance company may very well try to blame you for some (maybe all) of the fault for the crash. This is especially the case if the modifications violate state or federal safety standards as mentioned above.
Contact Our Phoenix Motorcycle Accident Attorney to Learn More
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you need an experienced attorney to protect your rights and interests. Contact Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer today for a free consultation with a Phoenix motorcycle accident lawyer. We’ll discuss your options for seeking compensation for your injuries and other losses through a motorcycle crash accident settlement.
