Wots the laws on number plates???
 

Does anyone know the law and what you can get away with, i made my own relocator with a 10 inch gap between the indys, and idealy i want a 10X3 plate, with legal font lettering, will i get away with just a warning if they can be arsed to stop me? Or do they issue points

i was told by a northampton police officer that you won't get done just for having a illegal plate as long as it's not taking the p*ss e.g that it is readable at a distance.he did also say that if you comited a majour offence things like number plates and pipes would then be used

thats northampton though

I ride sometimes with a guy from the ministry and he was saying that they wont just do you if it is the number plate alone, he also said that they wont bother with the cans aslong as it isnt stamped with not for road use because some cars have bigger and noisier pipes than some bikes.

On the other hand my mate just got done for his plate for not using the right font and dark visor.

For the law...go here DVLA FAQ
As for practicality...
As Glyn says,that's Northampton though...pretty much the same here in Notts, however go into, say, Lincs and it would be Goodnight Vienna, a colleague at work got done in that fine County for digits 4mm too small ( height ) but the slightly better news is it does not carry points.
If your bike is a 51 reg or newer then the single line plate on a bike is illegal anyway, from 1.9.01 all bike plates must be two lines.
Getting stopped for a plate just allows closer inspection of various bits.... pipes & visors spring to mind!
Have fun anyway...
Andy

A single line plate is ilegal no matter when the vehicle was first registered

" Motorcycles registered on or after 1 September 2001 must display a two-line number plate number plate. Motorcycles registered prior to the 1 September 2001 may display a three-line plate, but one-line plates are illegal, irrespective of the date of registration of the motorcycle. "

No points but a maximum of a £1000 fine. If they repeatedly stop you they can withdraw the number which means you have to get a Q plate.

Why give them a reason to stop you and find something more serious wrong?

[Edited on 2-1-2005 by rockhopper]

Sorry Andy, i overlapped with you.

The last update I had was that the Q plate idea has been challenged and the DVLA can't actually do it.
Q plates are solely for vehicles whose year of manufacture / first use in the UK are not verifiable.
You know the year of registration otherwise it would have a Q plate already, wouldn't it?.
They can take a cherished number from you or remove your current number & issue you with another one but it would still be the same year as the original.

quote "why give them a reason to stop you and find something more serious wrong?"

What serious faults are you riding around with then?:o
Or is this just another misconception?

Thats what i thought as well. Maybe the Q plate idea was an attempt at punishment becasue it effects the resale value of the vehicle and makes insurance difficult.

The DVLA web site dosent actually mention a Q plate, just that the original number may be withdrawn.

Personally? Non that i know of but i wouldn't want my time wasted at the side of the road while they attempt to find something.



[Edited on 2-1-2005 by rockhopper]