South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

Boo whinge and piffle. I got a tug from the old bill last night.

They didn't take too kindly to my small number plate. My plate isn't too bad, it's on two lines, but certainly smaller than the regulation shovel. The coppers were pleasant enough (so they should be when relieving me of £30! ) and did say that normally they might not have bothered to pull me. But somthing of a crackdown is underway on what's deemed to be minor traffic offences. Illegal plates and tinted windows were the two he specifically mentioned.

So, if you're sporting a diddy plate - steer clear of the rozzers!

I'm off to get a standard plate now. Damn, that's gonna ruin the look of my ar5e end.

I use an 8"x6" plate with legal size letters & numbers squeezed up and the excess trimmed away. Last year when we got pulled on the way to Paignton , they had a go at layne for both number plate and speed, but completely ignored me even though I was riding at the same pace 50yds behind him

Apparently their camera thingy couldn't read his plate ...... even though they new his details by the time they were talking to us

Been going for a little bit now mate. You're no longer allowed to even buy illegal plates for show. I'm suprised you weren't asked where you got them.

They are definately having a purge round Exeter, they got me for no seatbelt today but the copper said they had a special on this week so just a £30 fine and no points, so i asked if i could have two for one and keep it on account but he said no but apparently they are doing all the lesser offences with a £30 fine and a talking to so be careful out there peoples

P!$$e$ me off....

When I got pulled (and fined) for small plate he said the cameras can't read them...

testicles... I got done by a camera 2 weeks ago...

Mines a 7" x 6". I will have to be on the lookout

When we were stopped as above, the cop talking to me (whilst Layne was in the car ) said if the font is normal size and shape, they don't usually bother ...... it's when the font size is smaller or an obviously different style that they get bothered

as long as you've got the correct registration in the correct font etc.. and it's just that the actual plate is too small.. is the worst they can do to you is £30? no points or any sh!t like tht? also, is it £30 on the spot, or are you sent a fine or somthin?

An illegal plate is an illegal plate if they stop you ....... the point is the likelihood of being stopped is reduced if using as near a stock size as possible.

Dunno about the fine, as I've never actually had one

7x5.5 here guess the standard cut down plates going back on.

I put my full sized palte on when i bought the bike, swapped the lovelly little 6x4 that was on there ! Looked so much better before !

O well, if it keeps them off by back its a small price to pay really !

Best get me £30 ready cos if I put the proper plate back on no one will see the indicators

I wonder if that would work as a defence

Well, here's the plate that got the pull...



As you can see, it's the right font, right format, just too small. A 7x5 I think. Like I say, the coppers admitted that in previous times they (claim) to have used a bit of leeway. And only took real exception to ridiculous plates like one-liners. Now however, if it ain't bang-on legal they're gonna give you a tug. Or so they say.

Blue wrote:Best get me £30 ready cos if I put the proper plate back on no one will see the indicators

Yeah, I might have that problem. I'll have to get a decent hanger or something.

Ahh well, at least they ignored the open carbon pipes. Once they were following me, you should've seen me trying to keep it quiet under 3k rpm! "Shhhh, bikey. Shhhh. There's a policeman behind us..."

just go so small they cant see it and keep on riding works for me

I still cannot find the part in the law says the number plate has to be 7x5 as i read it as long as you have the correct font, correct spacings, and correct size letters with 11mm around the side that is all that is required

Taken from V796 on the DVLA website
http://www.dvla.gov.uk/media/pdf/leaflets/v796.pdf.

Motorcycles and Tricycles
There are separate provisions for motorcycles and tricycles. Basically motorcycles
registered after 1.9.2001 must only display a number plate at the rear of the vehicle.
Motorcycles registered before 1.9.2001 can display a number plate at the front but are
not required to.
Tricycles derived from four wheeled bodies i.e. saloon cars must meet the normal
requirements above whereas tricycles derived from motorcycles must meet the
requirements for motorcycles.
Character height 64 mm
Character width (except the figure 1 or letter I) 44 mm
Character stroke 10 mm
Space between characters 10 mm
Space between groups 30 mm
Top, bottom and side margins (minimum) 11 mm
Space between vertical lines 13 mm