Where's Your Plate?

Shift518 Automotive
1

I’ve been stopped twice in the past two weeks for having an “illegally mounted plate” after having it in the same place for the past 3 years. Where do you guys mount your plates, particularly those of you with undertail exhausts? I noticed from other pics such as Gen. Patton’s that our’s in similar spots, I’m just looking to avoid future hassle if I can. During the second stop by Albany PD they told me they would be cracking down on this this summer.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q90/UpstateCivic/Plate.jpg

2

Have you been ticketed or just warned? I had the plate in the same spot on my ZX6R 636 as well. Yoshi does sell a fender eliminator for the RS-5 that wraps around the exhaust, but it was pretty gaudy.

As you can see, same on my ZX6R:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/ASNYPatton/6364.jpg
6364.jpg800×600

and now also on my R6:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f247/ASNYPatton/HDR5-1.jpg
HDR5-1.jpg799×532

I guess time will tell if they hassle me. My dad who I ride with said he can barely see my plate when he is following me. x_x

3

First time stopped by a Trooper on 87 was a warning (thank you, get out of jail free card); second time on Central by APD he ticketed me for overdue inspection rather than the plate. The Trooper told me he couldn’t see my plate at all when I’d hit a bump, and I’ve heard that from others. APD told me it couldn’t be in front of the wheel, has to come after it.

4

N.Y. VAT. LAW § 381 : NY Code - Section 381: Motorcycle equipment

  1. (a) Every motorcycle, driven upon the
    public highways of this state, shall be provided with adequate brakes in
    good working order and sufficient to control such motorcycle at all
    times, when the same is in use, a suitable and adequate bell, horn or
    other device for signaling, one red to amber stop lamp and shall,
    whenever such motorcycle is being operated upon the public highways of
    the state, display one lighted lamp in front and one on the rear, or,
    when such motorcycle is operated with a passenger or other truck
    attached to the side or front two such lamps on the front and one on the
    rear; and in all cases the lamps on a motorcycle shall include a red
    light visible from the rear. The rays of such rear lamp shall shine upon
    the number plate carried on the rear of such motorcycle in such manner
    as to render the numerals thereon visible for at least fifty feet in the
    direction from which the motorcycle is proceeding.     The light of the
    front lamp or lamps shall be visible at least two hundred feet in the
    direction in which the motorcycle is proceeding. Every such motorcycle
    shall have a suitable muffler or device to prevent unnecessary noise
    from exhaust gases, and the use of so-called “cut-outs” is prohibited.

…

<b>13.  A  violation  of  any  of the provisions of this section shall be

punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or by
imprisonment for not exceeding thirty days, or by both such fine and
imprisonment.

AND: Section 402

  1. (a) No
    person shall operate, drive or park a motor vehicle on the public
    highways of this state unless such vehicle shall have a distinctive
    number assigned to it by the commissioner and a set of number plates
    issued by the commissioner with a number and other identification matter
    if any, corresponding to that of the certificate of registration
    conspicuously displayed, one on the front and one on the rear of such
    vehicle, each securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging
    and placed, whenever reasonably possible, not higher than forty-eight
    inches and not lower than twelve inches from the ground;     provided,
    however, that in any registration year for which only one number plate
    is issued, such number plate shall constitute a set of number plates for
    the time in which such use is authorized, shall be displayed on the rear
    of the vehicle     and none shall be displayed on its front, except in case
    of a tractor, when such number plate shall be displayed on the front of
    the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its rear.
    (b) Number plates shall be kept clean and in a condition so as to be
    easily readable and shall not be covered by glass or any plastic
    material, and shall not be knowingly covered or coated with any
    artificial or synthetic material or substance that conceals or obscures
    such number plates or that distorts a recorded or photographic image of
    such number plates, and the view of such number plates shall not be
    obstructed by any part of the vehicle or by anything carried thereon,
    except for a receiver-transmitter issued by a publicly owned tolling
    facility in connection with electronic toll collection when such
    receiver-transmitter is affixed to the exterior of a vehicle in
    accordance with mounting instructions provided by the tolling facility.

…

8.  The violation of this section shall be punishable by a<b> fine of not

less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars.

The first one is placement on vehicle, second on is more so for not having plates on the vechicle, or having stolen plates, plates off another car, covered or modified plates, etc.

5

So, more or less it has to be visible from 50 feet BEHIND the bike. Lit up with a light. Cant be swinging, or able to swing. Cant be covered with anything. Has to be in the rear. (not necessarily behind the rear tire like that one cop said). And cant be less than 12" off the ground… IE swing arm mounts might not fly if they are too low.

Print these out and keep them in your wallet for the next time you get yanked!

6

So when they say rear of the motorcycle they mean in the middle (aka in front of the rear wheel’s hub)?

7

its up to interpretation I guess. Could also assume anything less than the very point on the tail would be less than the “rear” too.

Rear within reason, so if there are no other fixture points that would put the plate facing the back of the bike, under tail but visible from 50 feet behind it should be considers “rear” enough. the law sure as shit doesnt say anything about “behind the rear tire” thats for sure.

8

Yup, but not ours… the governments

9

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/41577_214635996312_5395408_n.jpg

10

right where it is supposed to be.

11

/\ Still behind the counter at DMV? LOL

12

I mount it under the tailight away from the swing arm, because I like suspension travel. :rofl

All road legal motorcycle sold CAME with a DOT approved license plate mounting spot, can’t blame the gov’ for enforcing the law because we choose to modify the OEM mounting location.

Just saying.

*FYI, my R6 also had an aftermarket (read DIY) plate mount that came with the bike. It is under the taillight near the end of the tail, never had an issue with the 5-0’s.

13

oh no, i got one of the last white and blue plates a few years back :excited

14

Bought mine from the dealer with the plate hanging in front of the wheel same as fist post, so I moved it back under the taillight. Some creative bending, grinding and drilling allowed to keep the light for it as well. Haven’t been pulled over yet.

15

Nailed it on the head.

Its the same with modifying cars, tint, exhausts, etc. are all things that can be illegal its just whether or not police are busting down on those things. Gotta pay to play!

But most aftermarket undertail kits that come with a new bracket are basically in the same place as the stock one just a lot less gaudy.

Another thing is people that bend there plate because they directly mount it to the undertail, which I believe it is also illegal to bend a plate.

To the OP, where have you been getting stopped? Same area? Just wondering as I have a good friend who has his plate mounted in the same spot and hasn’t been pulled over in the 3 years he has had it there.

16

in the legal spot to avoid hassle.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg51/scaled.php?server=51&filename=dsc0021ze.jpg&res=landing

17

mine is in the same spot right by the shock. i think legally it needs to be within 12" of the tail, but it looks way better tucked lol

18

lol here’s mine

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h135/jacobennis/62ef9ffb.jpg
62ef9ffb.jpg800×600

19

Agreed. I won’t be changing it unless I start getting hassled by the police for it.

20

I’ve had mine in the same spot for three years and it was never a problem until April. Wasn’t the same area either. One was north of Clifton Park on 87 and the other was on Central near Westgate.

It looks to me like everyone pretty much has there’s in the same spot, so unless I get hassled again I won’t be changing it.