The Place

Dave Davis, Chief Technical Officer CRMC, has contacted me to inform me that classic sidecars are now required, by the ACU, to run with rain lights.

I appreciate that my 16" Dunlop is probably narrower than a lot of solo rear tyres but sadly the ACU seem to believe ALL sidecars have tyres 10" plus wide, throwing thousands of gallons of water into the air, making the task of the following pilot impossible without crashing.

I have been in touch with John Chandler of Borealis Rain Lights who will supply me with 20 lights to take to Lydden Hill at a "proper" price and of course no postage to you.

PLEASE do not go and buy a fandabbydosy bicycle rear light as although they are very good they will not meet ACU regs, and all your efforts and bracketry will be a waste of your precious time.

What next? Mirrors and indicators? Guess I had better ask if you could sort one for us then.

Ian you shouldn't call them pilots they are called drivers,but check with the ACU first.

What are the ACU regs and how would a person check that an approved rain light is in fact within the regs?

SlowPhil wrote:What are the ACU regs and how would a person check that an approved rain light is in fact within the regs?

Phil, unlike my solo light which has been tested and approved by the FIM, there isn't an approved light for the ACU, it just has to meet their regs which are in the hand book. I can't remember exactly what it states about positioning on the bike, but it must be a minimum of 30cm2 and 1500 mcd. Mine are 35cm2 and depending on the leds I can get when I build between 4800 and 6200 mcd. Also assuming the battery is in good nick.

How you check that is with a ruler and light meter

Anyone can make their own light or buy one of a sub standard as long as its within the regs

One thing to point out to those people with the round one's from demon freaks or ebay is they are too small at something like 18cm2.

John.

NOW I'M REALLY CONFUSED!!

The conversation we had at the Road Race Committee just 2 weeks ago agreed that Classic & Vintage outfits did not need rain lights as long as they were only racing at Classic / Vintage events. If they entered a modern or mixed grid, they would then need a rain light to the usual regs.

John (Smithy the now hairless one), where are you when I need confirmation that I am not going mad ????

Sally Russell was at that meeting too, so she will have the notes.

Regs for reference

http://www.acu.org.uk/ridersmembers/acu-handbook.aspx

Bell Ends in Rugby wrote: "Red lights must be turned on when a wet race is declared.

Surely, as Classic and Vintage bikes don't run slicks, we don't have to declare a race "Wet".

No declaration...........No requirement for lights!

Or is that too simple?

Nick, I believe there is another reason we shouldn't be asked by the ACU to fit rain lights, our club obviously does not come under ACU rules!!. They have already chosen to ignore the ACU and (fIM) rules concerning fuel,therefor we can ignore this directive. We either run by all of ACU rules or none of them

I didn't think anybody could over ride the ACU rules

will we have to have them at the pre-tt meeting?

Now I happened to be at Jurby this morning with Jo and mentioned it to Willy Clucas who said he didn't think so. I did say if you needed any I knew a field about 10 miles up the road that has a load

Having read the regs for the Pre TT Classic and the supplementary regs,there is no mention of rain lights being a requirement

.

So it was agreed at the ACU meeting that classics didnt have to use rain lights.

In the ACU book it says light to be turned on, when a "Wet Race" is declared. We dont runs slicks so dont worry about wet race etc.


So is it just a case of the CRMC commitee making up there own rules , What next i wonder. They have already changed the fuel rules to allow people to run there tuned engines to run on what was illlegal fuel. The engine external silhouette rule , dosnt come into play anymore.