§ 381. Motorcycle equipment. 1. (a) Every motorcycle, driven upon the\npublic highways of this state, shall be provided with adequate brakes in\ngood working order and sufficient to control such motorcycle at all\ntimes, when the same is in use, a suitable and adequate bell, horn or\nother device for signaling, one red to amber stop lamp and shall,\nwhenever such motorcycle is being operated upon the public highways of\nthe state, display one lighted lamp in front and one on the rear, or,\nwhen such motorcycle is operated with a passenger or other truck\nattached to the side or front two such lamps on the front and one on the\nrear; and in all cases the lamps on a motorcycle shall include a red\nlight visible from the rear. The rays of such rear lamp shall shine upon\nthe number plate carried on the rear of such motorcycle in such manner\nas to render the numerals thereon visible for at least fifty feet in the\ndirection from which the motorcycle is proceeding. The light of the\nfront lamp or lamps shall be visible at least two hundred feet in the\ndirection in which the motorcycle is proceeding. Every such motorcycle\nshall have a suitable muffler or device to prevent unnecessary noise\nfrom exhaust gases, and the use of so-called "cut-outs" is prohibited.\n (b) Driving a motorcycle without the display of one lighted lamp in\nfront and one on the rear, during a period other than from one-half hour\nafter sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, shall not be deemed to\nconstitute negligence or contributory negligence in any action or\nproceeding arising out of the operation of such motorcycle.\n (c) The provisions of this subdivision relating to the display of one\nlighted lamp in front and one on the rear during a period other than\nfrom one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise shall\nnot apply to a motorcycle, driven at a speed of less than twenty miles\nper hour, owned by a municipality and used for the collection of parking\nfees or the enforcement of parking regulations.\n 1-a. Every motorcycle registered in this state and manufactured or\nassembled after January first, nineteen hundred seventy-one and\ndesignated as a nineteen hundred seventy-one or subsequent year model\nshall be equipped with brakes acting on the front as well as the rear\nwheel.\n 2. No head lamp shall be used upon any motorcycle operated upon the\npublic highways of the state, unless such lamp is approved by the\ncommissioner or is equipped with a lens or other device approved by the\ncommissioner. Every such head lamp, lens or other device shall be\napplied and adjusted in accordance with the requirements of the\ncertificate approving the use thereof. Every such head lamp shall be\nfirmly and substantially mounted on the motorcycle in such manner as to\nallow the lamp to be properly and readily adjusted. Each reflector which\nis used as a part of such head lamp shall have a polished silver or\nglass reflecting surface, or a reflecting surface which gives candle\npower intensity meeting the requirements of rules and regulations\nestablished by the commissioner, and shall be substantially free from\ndents, rust and other imperfections. The operator of every motorcycle\nshall permit any police officer or other person exercising police powers\nto inspect the equipment of such motorcycle and make such tests as may\nbe necessary to determine whether the provisions of this section are\nbeing complied with. The commissioner may make reasonable rules and\nregulations relative to lights on motorcycles and the approval of the\nsame which may be necessary to effectuate the foregoing provisions of\nthis section.\n 2-a. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the public\nhighways of the state any motorcycle manufactured or assembled after\nOctober first, nineteen hundred sixty-eight and designated as a nineteen\nhundred sixty-nine or subsequent year model unless such motorcycle is\nequipped with the lamps required by this section,
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