Number Plate Sizes

[Shandy]

Following on from another thread and not wishing to hijack it i have a question on number plate sizes.

The road legal size is 9" x 7" which lets face it looks like someones stuck an advertising hoarding on the bike of your bike :toilet:

I was just wondering what size everyone runs around with and how much smaller you can go below the standard size before attracting undue attention from the local sheriff.

Ta in advance,

Shandy

[dazzi-b]

I've got a 8 X 6 on the back with the legal sized letters. I think it looks a lot better

[tommo]

7 x 3 with 25mm high lettering, no prob's yet.

[dazzi-b]

7 x 3 with 25mm high lettering, no prob's yet.

I didn't want to risk that around here.......it's a good enough reason to get pulled over and have the bike checked out.......mind you it's gone quiet these days, the blitz is dying down a bit :D

The bit No No around here is the letters & numbers all in a line :thumbsdown:

[DesmoDog]

kni small, but not a 7x3, that's an oblong right? Mines a square, and the new version I put on I had ot put a yellow tape over the "Not for Road Use" bit on the bottom. What will get into trouble is the angle the plate is at. You could almost sit a cuppa on there. No problems yet.

But, as my spanner monkey says: "if the coppers are going to pull you over, it's because they hate bikers, and then you're nicked no matter." Wise words, unless of course you ride a BMW, Harley, or Pan European.

[eonan]

7 x 5.5

I don't know about other areas but up here they seem to be really clamping down on plate sizes. The 7 x 5.5 with standard lettering doesn't look as if it's taking the p*ss, so fingers crossed eh.

[im_Jimmy84]

i've got a 6"x4" number plate with 35mm letters/numbers and i've never had any problems! I've had alot of looks from the police but i thing they're admiring the bike!! :mand:

[CK & AK]

std sizes only: Thames Valley, Surrey and Hants finest disapprove otherwise, and Wilts are downright nasty about it:(

[stuartg]

I've got a 6 x 4 plate with non standard font.

I got pulled on the way to the trackday but not for the plate, didn't think he was going to mention it but he did in the end, but only after giving Madhatter and I a bit of a roasting. He just told me to get it sorted then let us on our way.

[Stafford]

But where is a good place to get a non standard plate made up?
Q

[Shandy]

But where is a good place to get a non standard plate made up?
Q

Roberto posted this earlier for me on another thread thats what started this one all off, looks like they do some good stuff,

http://www.design-a-cover.com/

std sizes only: Thames Valley, Surrey and Hants finest disapprove otherwise, and Wilts are downright nasty about it:(

As i ride mainly in wiltshire and thames valley it looks like the advertising hoarding may be staying on the bike after all :cry:

Cheers,

Shandy

[Zimbo]

www.malplates.co.uk

go to show signs. They've a great online design tool too.

[markus]

i used demonplates for mine - you get to design it on line and can have funky raised carbon lettering like mine and lots of other custom features like borders and slogans. I've never run a legal (or for that matter close to legal) sized plate on any bike and not been pulled once, could be just luck - but i've always found that if it's on two lines and readable they don't care too much. it's the miniscule single line plates that get up their noses.

[bigredduke]

I have a 7" x 6" plate, looks much neater but doesn't look ridiculously small. I went deep into enemy territory recently on a bikesafe course and there was not a single comment from any of the police riders present.

I think the way you ride and your attitude is more likely to attract unwanted attention.

[neilbaldry]

ive just ordered one from malplates.co.uk. put a slogan on the bottom too - 'www.ukmonster.co.uk'.

when it arrives, i will get a photo and post it up here if anyone would like to see it?

[hammy]

Mine's 7 inches (oh err missus) x 5! Doesn't look rediculously small & had no unwanted attention from the sherriffs... yet!

[Yorkie]

7x5, the feds up here tell you when they are cracking down and what they are looking for! (Which is nice!!)

I just ordered mine from one of the Ad's in MCN!

Yorkie.

[Guzzirider]

If anybody in the Yorkshire area wants a custom plate made while you wait, DC motorcycles in Huddersfield have got a new machine and can produce a plate to your spec in about 10 mins.

Guy

[DesmoDog]

but aviod the sticker shop on the hill in Newcastle. Twat took the plate and finished it with a not for road use slogan on the bottom.

[adstone]

Just ordered a plate off malplates.co.uk, size 7x5.
Will post pic when I receive it...

[Shandy]

Just ordered a plate off malplates.co.uk, size 7x5.
Will post pic when I receive it...

ive just ordered one from malplates.co.uk. put a slogan on the bottom too - 'www.ukmonster.co.uk'.

when it arrives, i will get a photo and post it up here if anyone would like to see it?

Pictures would be good chaps, what size did you go for in the end Neil??

[adstone]

Looks much better now...:cool:
Rgds
Andy

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h194/adstone/NewPlateRear.jpg

[S4Mal]

Its a matter of aesthetics, a standard plate just wouldn't look right. The police know that as well and it is a ducati after all they know we have taste. (Just remember keep the original for Mr MOT man):tgoe:

[Wolfey]

Fellas, being a local sherrif I can tell ya that if someone wants to be a twat that day they will take issue with anything they can find wrong with your machine. Speaking from experience, there are those of us that are sensible, then there are those that don't have a clue. However if your plate is the size of a postage stamp something may be said. There is also the ANPR hit squads to worry about as well.

[Yorkie]

ANPR??

Cheers Yorkie

[dazzi-b]

ANPR??

Cheers Yorkie


I was just about to ask the same thing :chuckle:

[Yorkie]

Is it a railway club??

Yorkie.

[Yorkie]

Its either this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_number_plate_recognition

or this:

http://www.anpr.org/


I hope its the second one!!

Yorkie.

[Gilps]

It's the former, obvioulsy. This is why the old bill are tightening up on number plates, as the ANPR systems cannot read plates with incorrect spacing, unusual fonts, wrong sizes etc.

[Wolfey]

Yeah you're right Gilps ANPR is Automatic Number Plate Recognition. The system can read number plates at eye watering speed. It is a very good tool against travelling crims, which is why they are getting a sad on with plate sizes, but not just on bikes i might add. :thumbsdown: :Furious:
The team in my area have managed to stop thounds of pounds worth of drugs and nick guys who thought they were safe driving the back water roads of Cornwall.:fou:

[Stafford]

Apart from malplates who else does show plates? I got one somewhere which came with a black back which is better for hiding chain flick. i think Nat had recommeded it.

[JMo]

I think as long as you keep the proportions similar to a standard plate (ie width vs. height) and the font the same as standard (or Ariel looks ok too), the you should get much trouble with a 8x6 like Big Fat Duke or even a 7x5.5...

But whatever you do, keep it on a standard two line (rectangular) format - otherwise it stands out like a sore thumb...

Interestingly, you are allowed a slightly smaller plate if you only have a 5 or 6 figure (or less) registration number - my five figure reg (2 on the top, 3 on the bottom) looks fine on a 6.5x5.5 plate, although that is technically smaller than they allow... (I think 7x6 is the mimimum approved size? - some google nerd will probably confirm shortly... x)

xxx

[moony]

I've just had an 8x6 from http://www.impactshowplates.co.uk/ and it has a black back. I've had 2 previous from there and they had white backs so perhaps best to ask. Decent quality though.
(If you use Wurth or Profi you don't get the problem with chain flick)

[buzzbomb]

2 weeks ago i was pulled by plod with a 8x6,standard font and border with a slogan.
Plod gets out of volvo,measures the no's and gives me a ticket for 30quid because no's are 6mm to small[correct size 64mm] so be warned if riding in northwest.

[StevieB]

I always use 9"x7" A bit neater than standard , but not obviously illegal . It has to be borne in mind that fining a motorcyclist for a slightly smaller plate is comparitively easy whereas nicking someone who steals bikes is somewhat more time consuming and more difficult for the police . I imagine both count as one conviction and make their figures look better !

[faulkss]

http://fnfphotos.com/personal/posts/20080414/25.jpg

Mine is about that big :)

[Capo]

Better hurry up, the sale of non standard plates will soon be illegal