Reflective Tape

So I was thinking about adding reflective tape to my side bags, just to add a little more visibility. Are there legal or safety issues with using red vs white? I've seen both, but mostly white. I'm only talking about the rear of the bags. I've seen a couple of you on here with black tape, reflecting white and it looks good, blending right in.

I'm mostly worried that reflective red might detract from my tail light or confuse drivers, which I don't want to do.

Check Streetglo.net and/or Tapeworks.com for lots of motorcycle-specific retro-reflective tapes and stickers. Streetglo has some of the brightest/whitest black tape I happen to be aware of. One or the other of them also has DOT-approved red tape.
The police around here use a blue and white alternating stripe reflective tape. Haven't ever seen it before. Myself, I'd have no hesitation using a red tape, but you might want to check your local laws (not just federal or national) on the topic before proceeding.

I've used Streetglo before on two bikes. The customer service is great and like MZ5 wrote, their black tape shines a bright white in the dark when light hits it.

I went for more than the OP is thinking about. I live in Seattle where it rains a lot and the commute can easily be in the dark each way. When it is raining, the road is gray, the cars are gray, the sky is gray and the air in between is gray with road spray. Anything you can do to be seen is a good thing.

I put the pin-striping width along the front, sides and rear. I didn't do anything special, I just followed the lines of the bike and tried to place it on vertical surfaces where it would have the most reflectivity. On the wheels, I used white reflective tape cut into short lengths and put it on the rim. When the wheel is moving, it shows up as a full circle.

Besides helping to make the bike more visible when riding, it also helps it to show up when parked at night.

The pictures below were taken first without the flash, and then using the flash to make the reflective tape show up.






After these pictures were taken, I added some large red patches of reflective tape to the rear of the pannier lids.

Chris

Daboo said:

I've used Streetglo before on two bikes. The customer service is great and like MZ5 wrote, their black tape shines a bright white in the dark when light hits it.

I went for more than the OP is thinking about. I live in Seattle where it rains a lot and the commute can easily be in the dark each way. When it is raining, the road is gray, the cars are gray, the sky is gray and the air in between is gray with road spray. Anything you can do to be seen is a good thing.

I put the pin-striping width along the front, sides and rear. I didn't do anything special, I just followed the lines of the bike and tried to place it on vertical surfaces where it would have the most reflectivity. On the wheels, I used white reflective tape cut into short lengths and put it on the rim. When the wheel is moving, it shows up as a full circle.

Besides helping to make the bike more visible when riding, it also helps it to show up when parked at night.

The pictures below were taken first without the flash, and then using the flash to make the reflective tape show up.

After these pictures were taken, I added some large red patches of reflective tape to the rear of the pannier lids.

Chris

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Another option that was recommended on another thread. 3M Reflective Black Tape Type 680. It tooks black but shines white.

3M Black 680 Scotchlite Reflective Vinyl Tape 2 Sheets 2" x 9" Long | eBay

Your comment about the weather made me laugh. I grew up in Washington. Lived there until I was 24. From the age of 18 until I moved my primary tranportation was a motorcycle. Sometimes all I had. Lived in Tacoma but my parents lived in Everett. Decided to ride home for Christmas one year on my CBR500. Had to peel myself off the bike when I arrived. Traffic is much worse now that when I rode in that state.

I made my own alternating fluorescent dayglo green and red design from reflective 3M tapes purchased at REI. It was in the bicycle department. Reds and white is easy to find, the yellow/green less so. The red and white on the top case is stocked at Home Depot for marking sign posts or mailboxes. I want the presentation to stand out and catch the attention of approaching drivers and mark my outline.

dduelin said:

I made my own alternating fluorescent dayglo green and red design from reflective 3M tapes purchased at REI. It was in the bicycle department. Reds and white is easy to find, the yellow/green less so. The red and white on the top case is stocked at Home Depot for marking sign posts or mailboxes. I want the presentation to stand out and catch the attention of approaching drivers and mark my outline.

Click to expand...

This looks good. Maybe something I need to think about. A little Ford Ranger locked his brakes up to avoid rear ending me last night. It was at a very well known stop sign too. People don't pay attention.

Generally 50 state legal is red on the back and orange on the front. That is way the stock reflectors are and the way automotive side running lights are. To my knowledge white reflectors can be used anywhere. I added an Admore flashing rear tail light from twistedthrottle. It gets attention.