painting licenses plates

[chris73cb175]

i know guys out here in California paint their car plates to represent the year of the car even though it has new plates. I was wondering would i be able to paint it orange and black. I'm keeping the tank the original color and want the plates to match.

base color black and the letters a reflective orange.

does anyone know if i can do this without it being a problem?

 

[VonYinzer]

Call your local State Police barracks. They'll tell ya. And keep the number. Those guys can be really helpful with questionable mods if you get the right guy on the phone.

 

[Big R]

+1

And if whoever you talk to makes it sound even a little bit "iffy", I'd say forget it. It's not fun getting pulled over even if he wants to congrat you on the bike.

 

[chris73cb175]

i'll give them a call sometime today hopefully. let you guys know whats up.

thanks

 

[killerdwarf]

NOT legal in Ontario. Even if you come pretty close to the original colours. A buddy of mine actually got charged with it! They want you to buy new plates, so they make more money. Live in Ontario, and get rawdogged by the taxman

 

[bobjohnson]

Makes all the difference where you live. Like the guy above said, it is NOT legal in ontario and you definately will get pulled over, because thats like the easiest ticket a cop can give you next to expired tags.

Its actually not even legal in California, and im pretty sure its not done too often anymore now that they actually are issuing personalized collector plates. The whole deal was that they didnt used to be able to get you a collector plate (black plate) AND have it personalized. Now they can, so that trend of painting regular personalized plates kinda died off. There was an article that glossed over this in the christmas issue of Motorcycle Classics.

I just reread your post and it seems like you are in California. The only flaw to your plan is that cali collector plates are Black/Yellow, which you could probably get away with painting (or you could just buy one...). You want to do black/orange, which will stick out like a sore thumb and probably make you an easy target for cops looking to fill their quota. I dont live in Cali, so maybe the cops there dont really care, but i probably wouldnt do it because itd just end up being a hassle.

 

[brainrush]

I'd only do it if you plan to familiarize youself with the local LEO's in your area

 

[Staffy]

Can't do anything of the sort here in aus. It's gaotta have a reflective backing and regulation size lettering....wankers.

 

[callmenames]

a buddy of mine painted his plates to match the custom paint job on his car, we got pulled over the first day we put em on, and we're in los angeles. so i'd say no dice on the paint unless you want a fix it ticket, or maybe worse, we got let go with a warning, the cop was pretty cool about it.

 

[HuckFarley]

I doubt that painting a license plate is legal anywhere, but I've seen rat rod guys try to get away with something cool in my state. They get a license plate from a flea market from the year their car was made. They then apply for a vanity plate with the old plate's numbers and put the new registration sticker on the old plate. They carry the new plate with them if they get pulled over. Probably not legal but they're only driving the old cars to cruise nights and car shows.

 

[Aetsh]

I doubt that painting a license plate is legal anywhere, but I've seen rat rod guys try to get away with something cool in my state. They get a license plate from a flea market from the year their car was made. They then apply for a vanity plate with the old plate's numbers and put the new registration sticker on the old plate. They carry the new plate with them if they get pulled over. Probably not legal but they're only driving the old cars to cruise nights and car shows.

 

[lingo]

I doubt that painting a license plate is legal anywhere, but I've seen rat rod guys try to get away with something cool in my state. They get a license plate from a flea market from the year their car was made. They then apply for a vanity plate with the old plate's numbers and put the new registration sticker on the old plate. They carry the new plate with them if they get pulled over. Probably not legal but they're only driving the old cars to cruise nights and car shows.

Actually in GA you can put a YOM (year of manufacture) plate on any thing that is at least 40 years old. You have to register the YOM plate at the tag office and the current/modern tag has to be in the vehicle at all times. I am planning on doing this once my bike is on the road.

 

[Rider52]

Saw a guy get a ticket in Little Rock yesterday for having chromed his license plate. The Officer was not amused at all and proceded to write him up for many other violations...most still in the vehicle code, but seldom enforced. This was followed by having the bike impounded for the violations and hauled to a storage yard. At least, he had them bring a ramp truck instead of hooking it on a wrecker.
Rider