Purchased bike with Fender eliminator kit - should I be worried?

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CriticalCore

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The 300 Ninja I had bought has a fender eliminator kit where the turn signals are integrated into the taillight, I gave it a test when I was there and it's real tight, pasted image from google is about accurate.

I called the dealership and asked if there would be any problems getting the bike certified and safety so its ready to drive and they said no, if the lights didn't work then they'd add em.

Should I be worried about getting pulled over, are there any relatively inexpensive options to fix this if necessary?


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If your plate is located where that bracket is and properly illuminated you shouldn't have any issues. If you`re really worried im sure you could score some turn signals for $40ish and they would mount in the holes on the licence plate bracket.
 
CriticalCore said:
The 300 Ninja I had bought has a fender eliminator kit where the turn signals are integrated into the taillight, I gave it a test when I was there and it's real tight, pasted image from google is about accurate.

I called the dealership and asked if there would be any problems getting the bike certified and safety so its ready to drive and they said no, if the lights didn't work then they'd add em.

Should I be worried about getting pulled over, are there any relatively inexpensive options to fix this if necessary?


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As far as fender eliminators go, assuming you have a reasonable plate light, that one is about as law enforcement friendly as they get. I don't like integrated turn signals, I would try and find signals on stalks to put on (not sure of safety requirements, you may be able to lean on the dealership to put these on).
 
Does the previous owner have the original parts ? If so, ask for them - just in case....
 
The rest of us are missing some critical information here.

Did you buy the bike from a dealer? If so, generally they include the safety inspection as part of the deal. Very frequently (not always) they'll fix anything that's wrong. If this is the situation then they'll take care of it and you don't have to worry about it.

I will caution you one thing about "dealer" safety inspections and it's one I've encountered myself. Do you know what "conflict of interest" means? In this situation, right now, with the dealer themselves doing the inspection, they have an interest in getting the vehicle through inspection as cheaply as possible (because anything that has to be fixed costs THEM money).

Here's the real world situation that happened to me, with my first bike (30 years ago ... ugh). Bought it used and certified from a dealer. Rode it for a year. Sold it, and being that I was a noob back then, took it to the SAME dealer to get it certified. They made me buy a new taillight assembly because the lens had a hole in the side of it.

I know for a fact, that the hole in the side of that taillight was there from day one ... I noticed it the first time I washed the bike and I sure never put that hole there ... in other words, when the repair cost was on THEIR nickel, they passed it, but when it was on MY nickel, they failed it ...
 
Motorcycle safety requirements, in specific to the fender, specifies:

1. (1) The motorcycle shall have,
(a) where they were originally installed, securely mounted fenders, mudguards and operative footrests;

So, yes, technically....the full factory fender should be there.

Signals are a grey area - from what I can see they still aren't even legally required on a motorcycle (Hand signals are still legal), but there must be a brake light. In short, what's there is probably more than legal. Now, many, including myself, will suggest that the "all in one" stop/signal setups are much less safe vs proper lighting, but accepting the additional risk of having weird lighting is up to you.

The fender eliminator in the end is highly unlikely to be a show stopper for the safety, especially (as Brian mentioned) if the selling dealer is doing the safety.
 
Integrated turns are the worst. I would recommend changing that out anyway if for no other reasons than visibility/safety. You can get fender eliminators that preserve the original signals, leave the plate visible and well-lit but rid the bike of the ugly hangy-down bit...

A safety certificate now doesn't necessarily mean you'll never be pulled over for it or told to "fix" it.
 
Blackfin said:
Integrated turns are the worst. I would recommend changing that out anyway if for no other reasons than visibility/safety. You can get fender eliminators that preserve the original signals, leave the plate visible and well-lit but rid the bike of the ugly hangy-down bit...

A safety certificate now doesn't necessarily mean you'll never be pulled over for it or told to "fix" it.
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Think I'll keep it for now unless I get told it has to be changed since it looks like a grey area.
 
CriticalCore said:
Think I'll keep it for now unless I get told it has to be changed since it looks like a grey area.
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If a bike came with signals, they legal must be there. Same with the mud guard. If I was you I'd tell the dealer I want real signals and a mud flap. It will make recertification easier (cheaper) when you want to sell. And if anyone rides in the rain without a mud flap you continuously get dirt water raining on you from your back tire.
 
So much depends on the dealer.Most of the time they are just into a money grab.A dealer i know won't safety a bike with worn footpeg feelers.But everyone has to make a living.And in this economy...every dollar counts.
 
The safety certification stuff has pretty much been covered but I'll add that I would have no reservations riding a bike with the plate in that location and have many times including directly in front of cops. If it's at the back of the bike and easy to read you shouldn't have any problems at all.

I'm not crazy about integrated lights and would probably have real signals added on though.
 
I agree that ultimately the licence plate placement has the biggest effect on your heat score, and that one is perfectly fine. Just don't try to jam it up under the fender or hinge it or anything - after the last few years and all the "ride of the 6ix" BS that's a quick recipe for getting stopped regularly.
 
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