Do I have to have a working brake light on a bike never fitted with one in the first place?
MOT test that is!
Edit/PS: on reflection realised that this might have been a little ābriefā in terms of a reply - but I hope that it is useful. My personal view is, with any MOT query: start with the regs (see linked document) and then to confirm / or if still in doubt, visit your MOT place and ask the question BEFORE you take the bike along. End of the day, the MOT inspector is working from the regs, and is accountable. He/she will know if it will pass or not. And thereās no arguing with that, not if you want another MOT there next year (o;
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Why bother with the MOT? Doesnāt need it as a historic vehicle. Personally, I would never ride around on public roads without a brake light though.
Ah, my bad, the test is the IOM import test! You are correct, why indeed and once through the test we commence indicators etc etc.
The original MG book says Galletto had no stop light in 55, we think that fact overides ātestā laws!!!
good luck with that!
Hi all, I am a bit surprised you have no brake light fitted to your 1955 Galletto. I have an early 160cc version which may be a little older than that and it had a brake light. My understanding is that the Italian authorities introduced the mandatory fitment of brake lights in the early 1960ās and this law was made retrospective. This resulted in all vehicles without brake lights having them retrofitted. From the old Moto Guzzis I have restored it looks like ākitsā of hardware and instructions were available to upgrade non compliant vehicles. My old Galletto has a very professional looking arrangement installed. The real challenge was fitting a brake light system to the very low powered electrical systems on the battery less āmopedsā such as the Cardellinos etc. I can photograph the installation on my Galletto if it will help. I certainly would not ride a bike on the road without a brake light, whether it is legal or not. Hope this helps. Cheers Phil
Confusuion arises because NOT an English MOT, but the far tighter IOM Import test. Purity rules over here where what was officially on the vehicle at manufacture is all that is required! On passing the test, a full blown 6v LED direct from battery indicator system is going on, not for good reason am I known as the Lollipop Man, white helmet, yellow dayglow riding suit and full beam on all-day. Still get the odd driver conflicting with my travel direction on their way to a Specsavers appointment!
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that might have been a useful opening statement 
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Even my 1937 Rudge has a stop light! No speedometer though.
Ian
Hi Phil. Rereading these posts, I saw you mentioned fitting a brake system to the battery-less Guzzi moped, Cardellino etc. Is this something you managed to do? I ask as Iām working on a friendās 1959 Bianchi Gardena 75 that heās owned since 1961 (!), and I need to do the same thing. Heās decided at the age of 83 he wants to ride it again! Thanks, Adam.
Hi Adam. Think you have sent this to someone who cannot help - sorry!
Hugh.
Hi Adam, it took me a long while to get the solution to the problem on my Cardellino 73cc. As you probably know, the Italian Authorities made the fitting of brake lights mandatory in 1963 and the law was made retrospective, hence upgrade kits had to be developed for all the existing vehicles that did not have brake lights as standard. The clue to how this was achieved was in the Owners Manual that warned you not to operate the rear brake when stopping the motor by earthing the points. This told me that the brake light was being powered from the ignition coil and not the lighting coil. This had to be done because the lighting coil could not supply sufficient current to operate the headlight, rear light AND brake light. I eventually took the plunge and added a power feed wire from the ignition coil to the brake light switch and everything works fine. So this may be appropriate for friendās motorcycle. Having said all of that, your original question got me thinking. What you could do is add a small 6 volt rechargeable battery to your friendās motorcycle and just use it for the brake light. Obviously, he will have to charge the battery every now and then, but assuming the battery can be hidden away ( in the tool box ?) it would provide a quick and simple solution with no risk. The brake light will also be bright no matter what the engine revs are. Hope this helps. Phil
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Hi Phil - I really appreciate the information, thank you. I think the small 6v battery may be the way to go, just a case of finding something on Ebay. Or, with a LED tail/stop bulb, it may also work well with a power feed from the coil. For clarification, do you mean the coil on the flywheel magneto or the actual coil with HT lead etc.?
Hi, in the case of the Moto Guzzi Cardelino 73 I took the power from the ignition coil under the flywheel. I was nervous about doing it as it involved disturbing the coil windings. However all went well. But, although it was the way the factory recommended it as the way to meet the stop light legal requirement it really was doing something a bit sketchy.
I really believe the Six volt battery idea is the safest and most reliable way of going. Cheers Phil
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Apologies if this is a repeat but original question from myself was based on a previous owner āhidingā the earth wire when attaching the rear number plate, without earthing it! After putting in a new wire from the pedal, we found it and all is well!
A good eBay supplier has made up a complete indicator kit which is based on coming straight off the battery! People might not have to guess which way The Cockerel is escaping!
I spoke to my mate and weāre going to go the battery route. However we canāt work out how to fit a brake switch, I have fitted these before to my other old Guzzis and always used a universal switch with a spring. I bought one, and we tried to see how to fit it, but, this brake is enclosed in a cable all the way to the brake drum and lever. Other brakes I have fitted had a brake rod, so it was possible to attach the spring to the rod, so the rod then pulled/actuated the switch spring. We donāt have a rod in this case. Any ideas?
Could you fit it behind the rear shock and rear foot peg mounts and operate it from the lever or the end of the cable?
Or you could use a cable switch like this click here I had one of these on my Triumph front brake, you might have to alter the cable, but with an adjuster you could make it work and adjust the tension of the brake.
Have fun!
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Similar on eBay with assembly picture click here
PS here is another one in the UK click here
Thanks Chris. I think currently running something to the actual brake lever itself is the only option, but would look messy, itād have to run along and be attached to the back of the swing arm. The inline switch could work but then it means getting a new cable made, and then running the power to the switch. Basically, itās a bike, 75cc, that was never meant to have a brake light, but having owned it since 1960, the owner, at 83 years old, has decided he wants to ride it on the road this year for the first time since 1961!
I was going to suggest a cable switch, Venhill sell them. Maybe get them to make a new cable made with one built in.
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