American Style

[Conquistador]

As long as the spacing and font size is legal and correct, you can have whatever shape front and rear plate you like.

Lots of cars can come with different shape rear plate from new - Jaguar, Lexus, Bentley, Land Rovers etc. you can have a great big star-shaped plate if you like, just as long as the letters are legal.

[ScottD3]

I understand what the law says about plates.
But I was just wondering why cars have to have them and bikes don't.
Bikes did have them on their front mud guards, so why did it change?
I guess that's a question for a different thread.

[Conquistador]

Originally Posted by ScottB5

I understand what the law says about plates.
But I was just wondering why cars have to have them and bikes don't.

I attended a speed awareness course a few years go and I actually asked that question to one of the guys who was talking there and also asked what are the police doing about the bikes that speed through the forward-facing average speed cameras aka. the yellow vultures. He was an ex-traffic cop and advanced driver blah blah blah.

Was a bit like the House of Commons when I asked the question - others were goading me on and muttering in agreement and the best answer he could come up with was that if the same bike is speeding through every day then members of the public will report said bike and they will assume that biker travels through that stretch of cameras at the same time each day and they will be waiting to intercept him when they expect him to be there!

[ScottD3]

I've always found it odd.
Only had a front plate on the past vehicles cause I could not find a method that I was happy with with removing it, until now.

DVLA says this for bikes.

Motorcycles and motor tricycles registered on or after 1 September 2001 must only display a number plate at the rear of the vehicle.

If you ride a motorbike or motor tricycle registered before 1 September 2001 you can also display a number plate at the front, but you don’t have to.

Motorcycle and motor tricycle number plate numbers should be on 2 lines.

I've never found a decent answer from anyone with in the law about it.

EDIT:
This is a new line to me

Characters on a number plate can be 3D

[Conquistador]

Originally Posted by ScottB5

This is a new line to me:
Characters on a number plate can be 3D

That's right, 3D effect lettering is somehow allowed. Looks a bit tacky and boy racer-ish imo. A honeycomb background is also legal I believe.

[sarg]

Originally Posted by ScottB5

I've never found a decent answer from anyone with in the law about it.

A quick goole search revealed:

Manufactures spend millions on getting the aerodynamics right on a bike. With only two wheels, in line, the slightest change to the frontal area can have significant effect on the stability of the machine, even at speeds of 70mph. Adding an old blade style plate, especially a flexible one, would alter the dynamics in an unimaginable way. And what about the poor old pedestrian, (or wanabe biker as I like to think of them,)being sliced open before being thrown a few hundred yards is just going to make them more upset.

Sounds like common sense to me.

Plus, in the future, number plates will include RFID technology, so a camera being able to 'see' the plate will be totally unnecessary anyway.

[ScottD3]

When its put like that it does make sense.

RFID chip, no need for plates.
Amazing!!

[ainarssems]

Originally Posted by ScottB5

When its put like that it does make sense.

RFID chip, no need for plates.
Amazing!!

Soon you will have RFID chip in yourself and face recognitiongood enough so that cameras will pick up the driver

[Dezzy]

Why do you think the BCG injection leaves such a scar

[daviesbike]

In some states in america a front number plate is not required and audi sell A8 and S8 with just a grill .. no blanking plate just straight chrome slats and it looks lovely

Further to the motorbike argument .. I myself am a biker and always wandered how a brand new bike at £8000 is allowed no front plate and yet a £250000 ferrari 458 italia with aero dynamics that are costing ferrari 17 million a year just to perfect are made to display a front number plate

My friend removed his from his 458 quite rightly it was awfull

We got stopped and he was given a telling off and a producer to show he had gone and fitted one ...
After 3 days we fit a show plate much smaller ...

He then got a fine for incorrectly sized characters on the number plate

Twisted ..and makes me angry when I had points for the aaverage speed zone and had I have been on my bike I would have had non at all because of no front plate