Motorcycle WOF manual
An issue has come up recently for people trying to get WOF’s – VTNZ insisting that the front brake must operate a rear brake light (as well as the rear brake operating the brake light).
Check section 4-10-2 to see the relevant section:
Mandatory and permitted equipment
1. A motorcycle first registered in New Zealand before 1 January 1978 may be fitted with one or two stop lamps.
2. A motorcycle first registered in New Zealand on or after 1 January 1978 must be fitted with one or two stop lamps.
This would seem to mean that you can just have one brake light, i.e. operated by one brake.
Lighting section of WOF Manual (PDF)
Posted on May 6, 2010, in Central Govt, Legislation & Bylaws. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Also, Note 3 (or 4 in some versions) states
“A vehicle originally manufactured with a stop lamp arrangement that differs from what is required or permitted in this
section may retain the original stop lamps provided they remain fitted in their original position and perform as intended by
the vehicle manufacturer.”
NZTA advised me this means if your scoot was not factory kitted with a front brake stop light switch, it will not need one for the WOF.
I’m a wof inspector and a scooterist and can vouch for this passage as i verified it when i sat my last inspector evaluation.
If anyone questions it during an inspection, tell them to get their VIRM (Vehicle Inspection Requirements Manual, every WOF inspector must have one in their workshop by law) and you can prove it.
Otherwise come and see me, although i’ll probably get you for your dim lights and dodgy front brake instead.
Mike