People in the UK, what have you done with your license plate?!

[TomGravelle]

Lots of the bikes I've seen on here are from the US, where it seems the laws around license plates are not as strict as they are here in the UK.

The problem I've run into is where to mount my number plate. If I shorten my frame it will not be able to stay where it is, and having it flatter is illegal. Having it moved up will look stupid.

So people of the UK, where have you put your license plates? And people from other places, where would you suggest putting it?

 

[SONICJK]

Can you mount sideways?
I made a sideways mount for mine off the rear axle.

 

[SteveG]

Due to the law I had to put mine where it was on the original bike. Side mounting on UK bikes would look stupid because of the size of the plate, unless you went for an illegal smaller plate, but then you would probably only be told to replace it by the fuzz.

 

[SONICJK]

I hate how a license plate ruins the look of a nice bike. It's like tossing an oversize hoodie on a hottie.

 

[johngofast]

Mount it on my kitchen table, I'll eat dinner on that thing. Seriously, why are they so large?

 

[ako]

. Seriously, why are they so large?

Government plot to slow bikers by enforcing massive air brakes

 

[johngofast]

ha!

 

[notlob]

I mounted mine at quite an acute angle on the CB750, also did the same with my supermoto and never had a problem with plod or MOT testers. I looked at the law a while ago and from what I remember all it said was that the plate was to be mounted as vertical as possible. Now if you have a bracket and let on thats how it came with the mudguard or as on the supermoto used a off the shelf light fitting and built in plate hanger, then its a vertical as possible.

 

[TomGravelle]

Thanks for all the answers. Who knows why they are so large!!

I mounted mine at quite an acute angle on the CB750, also did the same with my supermoto and never had a problem with plod or MOT testers.

Any pics to show what this acute angle is? I want to see what levels are acceptable

 

[yorkie350]

Hi fella ive side mounted mine on the rear swing arm, can loosen bolt to change angle also could mount on pavement side not sure of any rule bout that , even going for black /silver plate its a '72 model so watch this space ha hope this gives ya some ideas i wanted a bit U.S. caferacer look with a clean backend

 

[notlob]

Heres the CCM

and the CB750

 

[Green199]

Plan on doing the same as yorkie and sonicjk, with the whole shock mounted plate. Not sure on the legality yet, but it can always be changed after.

 

[notlob]

OK found this here
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/regulation/5/made

text in bold below. I'd say thats open to interpretation by whoever pulls you over.


Fixing of rear registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date

5.—(1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.

(2) A registration plate must be fixed on the rear of—

(a)the vehicle, or
(b)where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer, or
(c)where the vehicle is towing more than one trailer, the rearmost trailer.
(3) Where a vehicle (or, in a case where the plate is required to be fixed on a trailer, that trailer) has been constructed so as to satisfy the requirements of the relevant type-approval directive, whether or not it is required by law to satisfy them, the plate may be fixed in the space provided in accordance with those requirements but if it is not so fixed it must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).

(4) Except as provided in paragraph (3) the plate must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).

(5) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—

(a)vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable, and
(b)in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (6).
(6) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—

(a)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is at least 57 millimetres, 22 metres,
(b)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,
(c)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.

 

[notlob]

Yorkie, yours is ok in black and white as its pre 73 but it should be on two lines not 3.

 

[yorkie350]

sweet was'nt sure of the legal side just know the look i wanted made the plate myself will get a proper classic plate made

 

[teazer]

The side mount look is NOT a Cafe racer look. It's a chopper look created by people who lacked sufficient imagination to put the plate where it belongs - above the wheel.

Notlob has done a pretty good job of getting his "almost vertical".. They were never vertical back in the day but were always center mounted where they are easy for cops to read an less likely to get you pulled over. Once they stop you they can ticket you for anything else they dislike including mufflers and fenders (mudguards) or size of the lights and so it goes on.

Part of the fun of dancing around the rules is doing what you need to do without getting caught. Getting stopped for excess noise or plate issues is an instant fail for a custom builder.

That's also why chopping off teh rear end of the bike is bad. Stylistically it looks ghetto and it draws cops attention to the bike because it looks like it probably breaks some Construction and Use laws.

Yorkie's plate is really well made - a nice piece of work but likely to get him pulled and it looks like an afterthought rather than a conscious design decision.

 

[johnu]

The side mount look is NOT a Cafe racer look. It's a chopper look created by people who lacked sufficient imagination to put the plate where it belongs - above the wheel.

Haha, don't hold back Teazer let em know how you really feel about side mounts!! I agree I think they look terrible, sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[yorkie350]

HAHA i agree too, its shite, but it's my shite and its shiney ile let ya know if i ever get pulled by the style police ! :-*

 

[teazer]

HAHA i agree too, its shite, but it's my shite and its shiney ile let ya know if i ever get pulled by the style police ! :-*

And they say that you can't polish a turd I'm just kidding with you. Your bike is really nice but as you managed to ascertain, I really don't like side mount plates. Not wild about UK mega Plates either but that's another story.

Carry On

And keep smiling

 

[SONICJK]

No one said anyone was trying to be a "cafe racer" with the side mounts haha.
It's just a simple out of the way place to put the plate. And it looks fine when the plays is small like a US plate imho.