scope:

SUMMARY: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) requested a modification to the motorcycle headlighting system location requirements for a single headlamp with multiple light sources. The current standard requires that the light sources contained in a single motorcycle headlamp containing multiple light sources be located on the vertical centerline of the vehicle or horizontally disposed about the vertical centerline and mounted at the same height. BMW requested that the location requirements be based on the axes of reference instead of the light sources.

For compliance testing purposes, the agency utilizes the manufacturer's specified optical axis marking. As NHTSA explained in a letter of interpretation to Mr. Kiminori,1 the optical axis is determined by the manufacturer in the certification process. Our lighting standard does not currently have requirements to specify where the optical axis marking must be located and we note that a modification of the standard, as requested by BMW, would effectively remove the location requirements for a single motorcycle headlamp with multiple light sources. Therefore, NHTSA is denying BMW's petition.