Licence plate question.

[DillHD]

So, I have a supermoto but the licence plate is around 3-4 inches from the back wheel(with a passenger the licence plate touches the wheel easy), and my question is can I cut around the licence plate and take the excess of, is it legal? I included a pic to help.

I don't see why not the letters will be the same size but I don't want to risk it.

Or should I decrease the suspension sag of the bike?

http://i.imgur.com/KJWXHFJ.png

[Stu]

doing this is illegal

whether you get pulled and fined for it is a different story

I have an 8X6 plate on mine and been ok so far!!

[Bogof]

So, I have a supermoto but the licence plate is around 3-4 inches from the back wheel(with a passenger the licence plate touches the wheel easy), and my question is can I cut around the licence plate and take the excess of, is it legal? I included a pic to help.

I don't see why not the letters will be the same size but I don't want to risk it.

Or should I decrease the suspension sag of the bike?

http://i.imgur.com/KJWXHFJ.png

 

It's illegal - Leaflet INF104 tells you all you need to know

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_067666.pdf

[mealexme]

unfortunately its not legal, however I have a 7x5 plate on mine. I've been pulled over with it on as well as been in front of police in the past and had a long chat with a cop whilst behind the bike (hes a friend of a friend and I wasn't being pulled over on that occasion) and noone has mentioned it. I think its because its a sport bike and the rear is quite narrow, so it doesn't look out of place, but instead flows with the lines of the bike so doesn't look out of place

t

I would imagine it would be the same on a supermoto. The bike is fairly small, and cops will presume its used for a lot of off road adventures, in which case you'd probably get away with it as you can claim larger ones snap if you drop the bike.

I'm not condoning riding with a small plate, I'm just saying its an option.

IMO, if you want to go down that route though, don't get something stupidly small. Buy another plate rather than trimming down the original too. Getting something that is smaller, but with everything in proportion tends to look more natural than a plate with no borders, but can potentially come with a HUGE fine of up to £1,000 if you decide to take it to court, but usually its a fine of £60. It is also an MoT failure (depending on the tester...)

[fq-craigus]

Like already said its illigal but I have a chopped sticker number pkate on the front of my evo, have a bracket and plate to put on soon but I havnt had any probs with the sticky plate for the last 18 months attending meets ect where police are hot on it.

[littlecat]

your choice...yes its illegal...yes you may well get fined( factor in if the advantage gained is worth the potential cost of the fines) and can you actually afford to pay them.

if the answer is yes or maybe then you have to make your own decision....but don't be fooled that no one bothers...I have been out on bank holidays with riders who have been spot fined for plates on the way to meet up...it does happen, and if you take the risk of doing something you already know is blatantly illegal, then you should accept that it might cost you if you get caught

[fq-craigus]

Main thing is if u dont change the font or spacing most police wont bother about the edges of the plate

[Joeman]

Do the crime, pay the fine.

Small plates look cool, and let's face it, there are virtually no cops on the roads these days anyway.

I was even tempted to go with a black and white rear plate. It would look so cool on my all black bike.

Was thinking of making it reversible, so standard yellow on one side, black and white on the other... After all, if you're gonna get busted, you may as well get busted for being too cool.

[Stu]

my thoughts exactly joeman

[eastanglianbiker]

if you decide on smaller plate get new one made up and keep the original size one for the mot unless u have a very friendly mot tester they are meant to fail small plates,some get away with it others dont i have a small one fitted with standard size one i can put in front of it for the mot

[cyberwolf]

why don't you adjust suspension most bikes you need to adjust it for passenger

[Chrissb6]

unfortunately its not legal, however I have a 7x5 plate on mine. I've been pulled over with it on as well as been in front of police in the past and had a long chat with a cop whilst behind the bike (hes a friend of a friend and I wasn't being pulled over on that occasion) and noone has mentioned it. I think its because its a sport bike and the rear is quite narrow, so it doesn't look out of place, but instead flows with the lines of the bike so doesn't look out of place

t

I would imagine it would be the same on a supermoto. The bike is fairly small, and cops will presume its used for a lot of off road adventures, in which case you'd probably get away with it as you can claim larger ones snap if you drop the bike.

I'm not condoning riding with a small plate, I'm just saying its an option.

IMO, if you want to go down that route though, don't get something stupidly small. Buy another plate rather than trimming down the original too. Getting something that is smaller, but with everything in proportion tends to look more natural than a plate with no borders, but can potentially come with a HUGE fine of up to £1,000 if you decide to take it to court, but usually its a fine of £60. It is also an MoT failure (depending on the tester...)

You try telling this to the Lincolnshire police biker who nicked our kid on the spot for £60 his plate was and still is the same size as Stu's. It's all down to the copper on the day! If he's sticking to the book your nicked.

[Thinkbiker]

If it touches the back wheel removing the border will only give you another 22mm of clearance is that really worth a £60 fine?

You need to increase the rear preload wrongly adjusted suspension can seriously effect the bikes handling.

[Joeman]

It's all down to the copper on the day!

 

And the attitude of the person getting pulled over... you sure your lad didnt get lippy with the copper?

[Chrissb6]

It's all down to the copper on the day!

 

And the attitude of the person getting pulled over... you sure your lad didnt get lippy with the copper?

Err Nope! My brother is 50yrs old and a truck driver. He just told him that he was checked over the week before by the Notts police and they commended him on keeping a nice and tidy bike and that they even gave him a biker aware package. The copper response was "they were not doing there Job"

This same copper then got on his hands and knees to check my bike over a done me for a none standard pipes Yoshi R7's which everybody and is dog has on a Busa! My partner Sue who was riding with me is a lawyer said, that it was totally uncalled for. As said it's down to the copper on the day!!

PS needless to say, neither one of us have altered our bikes and we have been all over Europe since.

[Ricky]

While we're on the subject of registration plates, my TZR has a metal reg plate, is that legal or do I have to get a plastic one made?

[Stu]

as long as its the right colour and size and spacing its legal

[Ricky]

as long as its the right colour and size and spacing its legal

 

Thanks stu!

[DreamytimeEscorts]

I think you have to have 11mm as a margin of yellow round the edge.

As long as you use the proper font, you should be OK with a 7x5

[DreamytimeEscorts]

as long as its the right colour and size and spacing its legal

It has to be reflective.

[Joeman]

as long as its the right colour and size and spacing its legal

It has to be reflective.

 

Think thats only if first registered after 2001.

[Bogof]

as long as its the right colour and size and spacing its legal

It has to be reflective.

 

Think thats only if first registered after 2001.

 

You think wrong, unless you mean where 2001 = 1st January 1973

Number plate design specification

Vehicles manufactured after 1 January 1973, must display

number plates of:

reflex-reflecting material;

white background at the front of the vehicle and a

yellow background at the rear of the vehicle; and

the characters must be black.

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_067666.pdf

[OhJay]

You think wrong, unless you mean where 2001 = 1st January 1973

 

I can see how you could easily confuse the two