CHAPTER 347
EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLES
347.09 Headlamps on motor vehicles.
347.09(1)
(1) No person shall operate a motor vehicle on a highway during hours of darkness unless such vehicle is equipped as follows:
347.09(1)
Every motor bicycle or vehicle registered under s. 341.067 and operated by a person licensed under s. 343.075 or 343.135 shall be equipped with at least one and not more than 2 headlamps, which headlamps shall comply with the requirements and limitations set forth in sub. (2) and s. 347.11.
347.09(2)
(2) Every headlamp on a motor vehicle shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 24 inches.
347.11 Headlamp specifications for mopeds and motor bicycles.
The headlamps on mopeds or motor bicycles may be of the single–beam or multiple–beam type but in either event shall comply with the following requirements and limitations:
347.11(1)
(1) The headlamp shall be an electric headlamp and the current shall be supplied by a wet battery and electric generator, by a current–generating coil incorporated into the magneto or by a generator driven directly by the motor by means of gears, friction wheel, chain or belt.
347.11(2)
(2) The headlamp shall display a white light of sufficient illuminating power to reveal any person, vehicle or substantial object at a distance of 200 feet ahead and shall be so adjusted or operated that the glaring light rays therefrom are not directed into the eyes of the driver of any oncoming vehicle. No headlamp shall have any type of decorative covering that restricts the amount of light emitted when the headlamp is in use. This subsection does not apply to any type of decorative covering originally equipped on the vehicle at the time of manufacture and sale.
347.11(3)
(3) If the moped or motor bicycle is equipped with a multiple–beam headlamp, the upper beam shall meet the minimum requirements set forth in sub. (2) and the lowermost beam shall meet the requirements applicable to a lowermost distribution of light as set forth in s. 347.10 (2) (b).
347.11(4)
(4) If the moped or motor bicycle is equipped with a single–beam lamp, such lamp shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is loaded none of the high–intensity portion of light, at a distance of 25 feet ahead, projects higher than the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes.
History: 1983 a. 243; 1995 a. 346.
347.115 Modulating headlamps for motorcycles, motor bicycles or mopeds.
A motorcycle, motor bicycle or moped may be equipped with and use a means of modulating the upper beam of the headlamp between a high and a lower brightness at a rate of 200 to 280 changes per minute. A headlamp may not be modulated during hours of darkness.
History: 1981 c. 52; 1983 a. 243.
347.145 Deceleration warning lights for motorcycles, motor bicycles, mopeds or motor buses.
347.145(1)
(1) A motorcycle, motor bicycle or moped may be equipped with and use a system in which an amber light which pulses in a controlled fashion at a rate which varies exponentially with deceleration is center mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
347.39 Mufflers.
347.39(1)
(1) No person shall operate on a highway any motor vehicle subject to registration unless such motor vehicle is equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise or annoying smoke. This subsection also applies to motor bicycles.
347.39(2)
(2) No muffler or exhaust system on any vehicle mentioned in sub. (1) shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device nor shall there be installed in the exhaust system of any such vehicle any device to ignite exhaust gases so as to produce flame within or without the exhaust system. No person shall modify the exhaust system of any such motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall comply with all the requirements of this section.
347.39(3)
(3) In this section, “muffler” means a device consisting of a series of chambers of baffle plates or other mechanical design for receiving exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine and which is effective in reducing noise.
History: 1983 a. 243.
Cross Reference: See also ss. Trans 305.20 and 305.39, Wis. adm. code
347.489 Lamps and other equipment on bicycles, motor bicycles, and electric personal assistive mobility devices
347.489(1)
(1) No person may operate a bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device upon a highway, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bicycle way during hours of darkness unless the bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device is equipped with or, with respect to a bicycle or motor bicycle, the operator is wearing, a lamp emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front of the bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device. A bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device shall also be equipped with a red reflector that has a diameter of at least 2 inches of surface area or, with respect to an electric personal assistive mobility device, that is a strip of reflective tape that has at least 2 square inches of surface area, on the rear so mounted and maintained as to be visible from all distances from 50 to 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red or flashing amber light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to but not in lieu of the red reflector.
347.489(2)
(2) No person may operate a bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device upon a highway, bicycle lane, or bicycle way unless it is equipped with a brake in good working condition, adequate to control the movement of and to stop the bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device whenever necessary.
347.489(3)
(3) No bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device may be equipped with nor may any person riding upon a bicycle, motor bicycle, or electric personal assistive mobility device use any siren or compression whistle.
History: 1973 c. 182, 333; 1977 c. 208; 1983 a. 243 s. 39; Stats. 1983 s. 347.489;
1995 a. 138; 2001 a. 90.
CHAPTER 349
VEHICLES — POWERS OF STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES
349.18 Additional traffic–control authority of counties and municipalities.
349.18(1)
(1) Any city, village or town, by ordinance, may:
349.18(1)(a)
(a) Designate the number of persons that may ride on a motor bicycle at any one time and the highways upon which a motor bicycle or moped may or may not be operated.
349.18(2)
(2) Any city, town or village may by ordinance enacted pursuant to s. 349.06 regulate the operation of bicycles and motor bicycles and may by ordinance require registration of any bicycle or motor bicycle owned by a resident of the city, town or village, including the payment of a registration fee.
349.18(3)
(3) Any county, by ordinance, may require the registration of any bicycle or motor bicycle owned by a resident of the county if the bicycle or motor bicycle is not subject to registration under sub. (2). Such ordinance does not apply to any bicycle or motor bicycle subject to registration under sub. (2), even if the effective date of the ordinance under sub. (2) is later than the effective date of the county ordinance. A county may charge a fee for the registration.
History: 1977 c. 116, 288; 1983 a. 243, 288, 343, 538; 1985 a. 135, 197, 298, 332;
1989 a. 167; 1993 a. 246; 1995 a. 138; 1997 a. 27.
349.18 - ANNOT.
Cities and villages cannot license bicyclists, create bicycle courts, or impound bicycles in the absence of express legislative authorization. 66 Atty. Gen. 99.
