Safelite vs Torpedo7 Bike Rack Light Board

Safelite vs Torpedo7 Bike Rack Light Board: Which is Best for NZ?

Every year, thousands of New Zealand cyclists hit the road with bikes loaded on the back of their car without realising they are breaking the law. Under NZTA regulations, if your bike rack obscures your tail lights, brake lights, indicators, or number plate, you are required to fit a supplementary light board and a supplementary number plate. The penalty for non-compliance is 25 demerit points plus a fine.

Two of the most searched light board options in New Zealand are the Safelite Light Bar and the Torpedo7 Bike Rack Number Plate Light Board. Both products aim to solve the same legal compliance problem, but they differ significantly in build quality, attachment system, warranty, and overall value. This page gives you the full picture so you can make an informed decision.

At a Glance

Build Quality: Aluminium vs Flexible Plastic

The Torpedo7 light board is made from flexible plastic. This flexibility allows it to bend around different rack shapes, but flexible plastic has real limitations. Exposed to New Zealand's intense UV radiation, road vibration, and temperature extremes, plastic can become brittle, fade, and eventually crack. At highway speeds, a flexible board can also vibrate and shift, which is not ideal when you need your brake lights and indicators to be clearly visible to the driver behind you.

The Safelite Light Bar is engineered from UVP waterproof aluminium composite. This is a rigid, purpose-built material that holds its shape at speed, resists UV degradation, and shrugs off rain, mud, and road grime. When you are carrying bikes that cost $3,000 to $15,000 or more, the board protecting your legal compliance should be built to last.

Attachment: Safe Clips vs Velcro Straps

The Torpedo7 board attaches using Velcro straps. The only customer review for the Torpedo7 light board on their website gives it 3 out of 5 stars, with the reviewer noting that one Velcro strap tore off the very first time they used it. Velcro loses its grip when wet, muddy, or clogged with dust, and repeated use wears it down quickly. The reviewer's advice: "Make sure you have some bungees for attachment, I wouldn't advise you rely on the included straps."

Safelite's attachment system is fundamentally different. The Safelite Light Bar uses high-quality bungee cords paired with our proprietary Safe Clips. The Safe Clips are designed to lock securely onto your bike rack or bike frame and release quickly when you need to remove the board. The bungee cords maintain constant, even tension across the board, preventing bounce and shift at speed. The whole process takes approximately 30 seconds, and the system works just as well in cold, wet conditions as it does on a sunny day.

The Supplementary Plate Problem

Both boards provide a mounting surface for your legally required NZTA supplementary number plate. However, there is a critical difference in how each product handles this requirement.

With Torpedo7, you purchase the board and then navigate the NZTA (Waka Kotahi) website yourself to order a supplementary plate, or visit a VTNZ branch. This is an additional step that many buyers do not anticipate, and it means you cannot legally drive with your bikes until the plate arrives.

Safelite offers thePanel with Supplementary Plate bundle at $210. When you choose this option, we handle the entire NZTA plate ordering process on your behalf. Your Safelite arrives with the official supplementary plate already mounted using our pre-positioned bolt holes. You are 100% legal and road-ready from the moment it arrives.

Warranty: 2 Years vs Unspecified

Torpedo7 does not prominently state a warranty period for this product. Safelite backs the Light Bar with a full 2-year warranty. If anything goes wrong, you are dealing directly with the New Zealand team who designed and built the product, not a large retailer's generic returns process.

The Verdict

The Torpedo7 light board is an adequate budget option. If you carry bikes once or twice a year and are comfortable replacing the Velcro straps with bungee cords yourself, it will keep you legally compliant at a low upfront cost.

If you carry bikes regularly, if you value durability and ease of use, or if you want the peace of mind that comes with a 2-year warranty and a product designed and made in New Zealand, the Safelite Light Bar is the clear choice. And if you want to handle everything in one purchase, the Safelite Panel with Supplementary Plate bundle is the only product in New Zealand that sorts your NZTA plate for you.

Shop the Safelite Light Bar →

Torpedo7 product specifications and pricing based on publicly available information as at April 2026. Torpedo7 is a registered trademark of Tahua Group. Safelite is not affiliated with Torpedo7.