HEADLIGHTS
UPDATE TO HEADLIGHT INFORMATION 4rth JULY 2026
The following update is offered for clarification on what is acceptable to be used as a headlight.
Any light used for the main high/low beam Headlight, must be ADR on-road approved as a Headlight with driving beam (high beam) and passing beam (low beam) with C and R marked on the lens along with the ECE ‘E’ mark in the circle.
A main headlight cannot be solely a driving light, auxiliary light, fog light, flood light, spot light, daytime running light, work light, light bar, etc.
The following image shows an example of a driving light that is an exception as it is ECE (ADR) approved with C and R.
The following light is a light bar with a high/low function, but it is not a Headlight and does not have ECE approval or markings. It can be used as an auxiliary light in addition to a main Headlight high beam.
The description of this light bar also states that the low output function is not to be used along with low beam headlights, confirming that it is not approved as a headlight low beam.
Images sourced from https://ultra-vision.com.au
If a light that is not a headlight is used as a high/low headlight during the trial, penalty points may be applied at safety checks by officials in accordance with the supplementary regulations
The following link contains other examples of ADR approved Headlights https://www.stedi.com.au/led-conversion-kits/7-inch-headlight-units.html
The links and images have been provided as examples only and with no endorsement. It is the responsibility of the rider to ensure that their machine is compliant with road rules.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE ON HEADLIGHTS
Headlights have been a hot topic for Reliability Trials in the last couple of years, ‘what lights can be used?” and “how many can I run?” are some of the questions continually being raised as the 24 Hour Trial approaches every season.
The 24 Hour Trial and all other Reliability Trials incorporate the use of public roads as a part of the course riders must follow, and riders must still comply with the road rules when riding. Machines used in Reliability Trials and the 24 Hour Trial, must comply with the Road Traffic Act along with all other registered vehicles on the road, this means that a headlight must contain the high beam, and an effective short-range low beam behind the one lens. It must be a minimum of 25 watts and can only be fitted to the Motorcycle, (in the case of a sidecar).
Halogen, HID or or Light Emitting Diode (LED) with an (E) standard, which can be switched from high to low beam is acceptable. Lights that dim only, as a method of switching to low beam, or simply having a headlight pointing at a lower angle as low beam is not acceptable.
Where a combination of headlights are fitted (Maximum 2), Halogen, High-Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED with an (E) standard is acceptable for either headlight as the illumination. At least one headlight must contain the high beam, and an effective short-range low beam behind the one lens.
If two headlights are fitted and only one of the two headlights has the low beam, the second light is considered to be an auxiliary light, and therefore must be simultaneously switched off by means of the main headlight high/low-beam switch only, when lights are dipped to low-beam.
AUXILIARY LIGHT (second light) – NON (E) STANDARD Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights will be accepted only for the auxiliary driving second headlight. Only one auxiliary light is allowed along with the main light, and any amount of individual LED’s can be used in the LED array, as long as they are in the one housing.
Auxiliary driving light maybe isolated by a separate switch, but the high-beam or auxiliary driving light must not be operating when lights are switched to low-beam, and must be simultaneously switched off by means of the main headlight high/low-beam switch only, when lights are dipped to low-beam.
More information about bike setup and ruling can be found in the current Supplementary Regulations found at Competitor Specifications