How to Install a Bike Rack Light Board in Under 10 Minutes
Installing a supplementary light board doesn't have to be complicated. This step-by-step how-to guide shows you how to mount your light board panel quickly and securely, ensuring your number plate and lights remain visible while carrying bikes, keeping you both safe and compliant on the road. Whether you're heading off for a weekend of mountain biking or loading up for a family trip, a properly fitted Safelite Panel takes the stress out of towbar safety.
Why You Need a Bike Rack Light Board
Under NZTA rules, it's illegal to drive with your number plate or vehicle lights obscured. If your bike rack or bikes block your brake lights, indicators, or plate, you're required to fit a supplementary light bar. Get it wrong and you could be looking at 20 to 25 demerit points and a hefty fine, not to mention the very real risk of a rear-end collision if drivers behind can't see you braking.
The Good News
The Safelite Panel is designed specifically to solve this problem, and it's built to go from boot to bumper in minutes, not hours.
What You'll Need
- Your Safelite bike rack light board
- The two heavy-duty bungee cords with easy-lock toggles (included)
- Your NZTA supplementary number plate (bolts and pre-drilled holes are supplied on the panel)
- A standard flat 7-pin trailer socket on your towbar
No tools required. That's the beauty of this setup.
Step-by-Step Installation
1. Position the Panel on Your Rack
The Safelite Panel is a universal fit, with mounting holes suiting inner and outer distances from 31 cm to 52 cm. Slot it straight onto virtually any bike rack sold in New Zealand.
2. Secure It with the Bungee Cords
Loop the two heavy-duty bungee cords through the mounting points and clip the easy-lock toggles into place. No fiddling, no tools, and no drama even if it's raining.
3. Plug In the Wiring
Run the 1.4 m cable to your towbar and plug the standard flat 7-pin connector straight into your vehicle's socket. It's genuinely plug-and-play, with no adapters or wiring needed.
4. Fit Your Number Plate
Attach your official NZTA supplementary number plate using the pre-drilled holes and bolts supplied. Remember, homemade plates or cardboard signs aren't legal, and your plate needs to be fixed to a hard, flat surface and illuminated at night.
5. Test Your Lights
Before you hit the road, check your indicators and brake lights are working and visible from at least 200 metres, as required by law.
Built to Last
The panel itself is made from UV-stable, waterproof aluminium composite, so it shrugs off rain, dust, salt spray, and the everyday knocks of Kiwi roads. It's designed and built right here in New Zealand, and every Safelite Panel comes with a full two-year warranty, so you can buy once and buy right.
Ready to Roll
That's it. In under 10 minutes, you've protected your bikes, your family, and your wallet from fines and rear-end risks. If you haven't got your Safelite Panel yet, now's the time to sort your bike rack lights and stay 100% road legal on your next adventure.