Will modifying handlebar mirrors on a motorcycle result in penalty points?
3 Answers
Modifying handlebar mirrors on a motorcycle will not result in penalty points, but it is subject to fines as it constitutes a violation. Here are the relevant details: Motorcycle Components: The engine is a two-stroke or four-stroke gasoline engine, cooled either by natural or forced air cooling. The transmission system of a motorcycle includes primary reduction, clutch, gearbox, and secondary reduction. The function of the running system is to support the weight of the entire vehicle and its load, ensuring stable handling and comfortable riding. The running system mainly consists of the frame, front fork, front shock absorber, rear shock absorber, wheels, etc. Modification Scope: Motorcycle modifications must comply with national or local laws to be legal. Accessories such as phone mounts for the rider's convenience, safety crash protectors, engine guards, etc., are within reasonable and legal limits. However, any modifications involving changes to the motorcycle's mechanical structure are not permitted.
I just talked with Officer Wang from the traffic police about this. He said modifying motorcycle mirrors is one of the common illegal modifications. According to the Road Traffic Safety Law, vehicle modifications must be done without altering safety parameters. The position and size of OEM mirrors have undergone safety testing. If your handlebar-mounted mirrors have less than 90-degree visibility or distorted edges, police can issue on-the-spot penalties. Especially when operating with thick winter gloves, awkward body positions will extend observation time. I've personally seen a delivery rider get 3 points deducted for dangerous lane changes caused by mirror blind spots. Officer Wang suggests choosing E-mark certified aftermarket parts if you must modify, otherwise you'll definitely need to remove them and reinstall OEM mirrors during inspection.
I know exactly how this feels! Last year during a motorcycle trip on the Yunnan-Tibet route, a fellow rider replaced his mirrors with cool oval-shaped ones, only to get stopped at the Markam checkpoint. The traffic police said the new mirrors didn't provide enough visibility and issued a warning on the spot. Traffic regulations require that both left and right motorcycle mirrors must cover a rear view of at least 70 meters. I looked it up specifically—if the curvature error of modified mirrors exceeds 15%, it's considered a violation, and ordinary conical handlebar mirrors easily exceed this standard. However, some friends at the DMV told me that in daily enforcement, they focus more on whether the modification has actually caused accidents. But just to be safe, it's best to keep the original mirrors as backups.
