Replacement number plate hangar

[Ned]

Looking at tidying up the back end of my 749. Has anyone put one of these aftermarket brackets on? Any probs? Does it look better?

http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/30/1921

Thanks for any advice
Ned

[clint]

I put the same number plate holder on my duke. 20" minute job.
Looks much better.

[dickieducati]

quite agree looks miles better without all the ironwork at the back. quick and easy to do.

[Gill]

Have a look at this thread, Ned.

http://ducatisportingclub.com/control/boards/viewthread.php?tid=6774

Very prompt service from Nelly!

[bazzer sps]

I did mine as well can't believe the difference in looks the rear end less cluttered.The only problem i found was locating some one who had 1 in stock,but Nelly came to the rescue.

[robracenut]

Do any of you reckon that doing this devalues the bike at all? (My understanding is that you have to drill a hole in the tail light assembly). Can it easily be reverted to stock for resale purposes?

Rob

[dickieducati]

dont bother with the light they give you there is enough light from the rear light anyway. although this isnt strictly legal, but then who's ducati is ???

[everton]

Got mine from Casoli and looks 1,000% better. Drilling the hole for the plate light was no problem at all as the Casoli unit came with a pilot hole anyway.

I'll take a picture and post it up later today.

[robracenut]

Yep, mine's a Casoli (Evoluzione) one -- haven't fitted it yet. Don't like the idea of drilling the tail light assembly. Not sure what you mean by pilot hole, Everton cos we're talking about the standard Ducati fitting being drilled aren't we? Why would there be a pilot hole?

Look forward to the piccie anyway..

Cheers,
Rob

[KeefyB]

Ive got one on my 999.
I drilled the origional light unit and fitted the tail light.I figure that if I ever need to put it back to standard I could fit a small blind grommet in the hole.Most car accessory shops sell then for a few pence.

[everton]

Not sure what you mean by pilot hole, Everton cos we're talking about the standard Ducati fitting being drilled aren't we? Why would there be a pilot hole?


You're right..............you do have to drill out the standard Ducati fitting..........but there was a pilot hole already on mine and all I had to do was drill it out slightly.

Hope to get some pics up tomorrow.

[everton]

Here's a couple of pictures as promised.............

[everton]

Close up of the drilled & fitted light.............

[robracenut]

Thanks for the pics m8 -- looks a very neat job. Definitely a big improvement over all the girderwork on the original!

Rob

[Ned]

Does look great Everton!

But can't see if you included a reflector. These are MOT-required.

"Statutory reflectors
Mopeds and motor bicycles require one unobscured red reflector which is aligned to the vehicles longitudinal centre line and is positioned to reflect squarely to the rear. "

There should be another place we could fix it, I guess...

Ned

[Edited on 14-4-2004 by Ned]

[everton]

Ned,

Yes I did keep the reflector and it is just bolted to the bottom the number plate although the picture doesn't show it.

[Ned]

Cheers Everton. I'm going to use your pics as my Haynes manual on this one!

I ordered mine from Cornerspeed yesterday. First time I've dealt with them, but I was very impressed. They guy there didn't want to sell me any bits for the 749 that he couldn't personally vouch for the quality of. Instant trust factor = 10

Ned

[robracenut]

Sorry Everton -- another question. Re. the reflector, did you use the one from the standard tail light kit and can it be unbolted? Or can you just cannibalize a Halfords bicycle reflector kit maybe?

Sounding a bit more complicated now..

Rob

[everton]

Rob,

The reflector is the original one from the original 999 plate hanger unit. It is a separate piece bolted through the hanger and the plate.

With the Casoli hanger on the reflector is simply bolted to the plate itself now.

[Ned]

All fitted now. Not hard at all, although the instructions (Evoluzione) did differ a bit from the layout of brackets/nuts etc on my new 749. Also a couple of fairly obvious things were missed out - but all pretty easy in the end.

Now looks much tidier, even with the reflector bolted onto the bottom of the plate.

Ned

[everton]

Good on yer.....................post some new piccies soon.

[Loz]

Just fitted an Evoluzione hanger I bought from Nelly a while back. I'm a hopeless mechanic, but managed this job OK! Looks good too, at least until ...
... I've bolted a reflector to the plate, but
a) it ain't very pretty and
b) I used far too big a pair of bolts, so it looks silly as well as not very pretty.

What did folks do to get around this - what sort of reflector and fittings? Any pix?? Cheers!

[dickieducati]

Originally posted by Loz
I've bolted a reflector to the plate, but
a) it ain't very pretty and
b) I used far too big a pair of bolts, so it looks silly as well as not very pretty.

What did folks do to get around this - what sort of reflector and fittings? Any pix?? Cheers!

simple dont fit a reflector as you say they look rubbish

[Loz]

Originally posted by dickieducati
simple dont fit a reflector as you say they look rubbish

I nearly didn't! I was reminded of the legal requirement to fit a reflector when I re-read this thread. Being an unflaggingly law-abiding road-user, I didn't want to be caught doing anything illegal.

(That's right, isn't it - if you're not caught, it isn't illegal?)

[Edited on 24-8-2004 by Loz]

[iang]

I made a small bracket that fits behind the centre bolt of the rear light fixing then stuck the Italian flag reflector to it.
It hides some of the gap between the exhaust and the light

[Loz]

That looks pretty good! Love the flag reflector.
I'll put my thinking cap on, assuming I remember where I put it.

[Triple Nine]

Got a stick on reflector from Snells, to just stick on the number plate, did I say one, meant two, put one in the tool bag in case the other one fell off, sorry officer, hasn't fallen off again has it, I always carry a spare:lol:

[Rally]

I bought the motrax kit (which looks like the same one that Casoli sell) some time ago but haven't fitted it yet... I don't like the bulb mod, I'm guessing that I'll need a new plate to get the holes right and I don't 'get' how the bracket fit's the back end!

I'll see if I can find a 999 with this mod at Popham on Monday before I regect the idea completly ;)

I had in mind that I would make up my own hanger that bolts onto the original mounting points under the can and use the standard plate carrier. That way I can keep the original number plate lamp and get the thing up and out of the way. If I ever get round to it...

BTW, I had to remove the reflector on mine because the bracket ended up being bent completly round the back of the plate so it pointed forwards! It looks like the rear tyre has smacked it whilst on a very bumpy road in the Massif Central.

[iang]

I got the motrax kit which is the casoli one but £10 cheaper.
It fits in10 minutes all you do is bolt the bit that the number plate goes on to the bit with the two holes in, then take the 2 bolts out of the bottom of the light unit and put them through the motrax bracket and back in the original holes.
For the rear number plate light, all i did was to remove the rubber grommet that the original wires went through and put the bulb in the hole, the entire job must have taken about 10 mins max and tidys the back end up no end.
Of course you have to take that big metal ugly hangy bracket thing off the silencer first !!!!!! then fit a reflector like i did between the exhaust and the light,( see previous post )

[Rally]

Ah, so the new bracket is sandwiched between the rear lamp unit and the its mounting, right?

Still going to need a new plate though...

[yellowisfriedegg]

If you were really clever (like me :sing: ) you would have noticed that there is a small slide out cover in the bottom of the black plastic housing under the rear light.

There is an identical clear plastic slide out part in the underside of the original number plate light at the top of the number plate mount.

Swap the black plastic part for the clear one.

Now , remove the festoon bulb and it's holders from the original light housing and fit inside the space under the rear light (you need to bend the terminals a bit to make them fit) and connect the spades.

You now have a proper number plate light within the original rear light housing :D

Photo's to follow................

[Edited on 26-8-2004 by yellowisfriedegg]

[regular 72]

I've done the same, looks like 'original'..

[Rally]

Aaah, now that's what I call a top tip. Cheers.

[guest1]

Originally posted by yellowisfriedegg
....Photo's to follow................

[Edited on 26-8-2004 by yellowisfriedegg]

and ...?
Impatient git that I am

[yellowisfriedegg]

It will be monday now (maybe) , just look at the stuff you got with the bike and all will be clear :roll:

[KeefyB]

Keep yer eye on the number plate if you have one of these hangers fitted.Its possible for the rear tyre to touch the plate when riding down bumpy roads.I have lost two number plates so far!:mad:

[yellowisfriedegg]

Right then here are the photo's :


here , you can see the bulb in the fitting at the top of the number plate mount , remove this and fit it in the coresponding space under the rear light.

The cover on the left has the black plastic insert from under the rear light , the cover on the right has the clear insert , swap these over.

[Edited on 28-8-2004 by yellowisfriedegg]

[yellowisfriedegg]

Here you can see the clear cover in place under the rear light :

[yellowisfriedegg]

Here is another view :

[Loz]

Mr Friedegg, where did you get the cute Italian flag reflector from? Thanks!

[yellowisfriedegg]

I made it , it's scotchlite sheet used for making stickers or signwriting , self adhesive , 10 minutes with a steel ruler and a stanley knife :smug:

[Loz]

Excellent! Just need some chainmail gloves for when I use the stanley knife.
:bouncy:

Cheers!

[KeefyB]

Originally posted by yellowisfriedegg
If you were really clever (like me :sing: ) you would have noticed that there is a small slide out cover in the bottom of the black plastic housing under the rear light.

[Edited on 26-8-2004 by yellowisfriedegg]

Not on the early models there is'nt!Its just a plain plastic cover.
The mod you describe is exactly the same set up as a Multistrada.

[kwikbitch]

Originally posted by KeefyB
Keep yer eye on the number plate if you have one of these hangers fitted.Its possible for the rear tyre to touch the plate when riding down bumpy roads.I have lost two number plates so far!:mad:

I know it's not clever OR big...but what about a smaller...only just illegal number plate?...I have one. It doesn't look that illegal!... You can see it from miles off and it tidys the back end up Luverlee...:D

[Loz]

Lisa, that small numberplate ... is this the one?


http://www.kwikbitch.co.uk/track1/track08.jpg

Looks good! Where'dya get it? :)

[kwikbitch]

Numberplate and hanger (evoluzione)
From Nelly at Cornerspeed...
Wont say it's easy to fit...AND numberplate light bulb has just gone and facing taking off the whole seat unit to replace it but hey...Some women like maybelline eye mascara...me...I like a tidy back end!:P

[Loz]

I've got the Evoluzione hanger, I was interested in a slightly smaller (but not easily identifiably so) plate.

[Rally]

I spent today sorting out various bits on the bike including this hanger thing. I must have an 'earlier' bike like KeefyB says 'cos I couldn't do the clear panel swap that YiFE did but used the supplied lamp instead.

I'm not too happy with the plate bracket being attached with a single bolt to the under-rear-lamp bracket though. Just begging to come loose...

[KeefyB]

Originally posted by kwikbitch

I know it's not clever OR big...but what about a smaller...only just illegal number plate?...I have one. It doesn't look that illegal!... You can see it from miles off and it tidys the back end up Luverlee...:D

Ive already got (had?!) a small plate,I guess I'll just have to get a smaller one!;):D
RedSeb says I need to give up the gutbuster breakfasts or wind the rear ride height up,................the ride height it is then!;):D:P
My bikes not the only one,.......I saw another 999 in Italia this week where the rear tyre was chewing the plate.
Try Mal for "show number plates",easy online ordering,loads of options and fast service.
www.malplates.co.uk

[yellowisfriedegg]

My '03 , 999S was the same as my 749R , it had the interchangeable panels too , it must be really early bikes that are different :(

Anyone who has an early model 749 / 999 can go to a dealer and buy the cover with the clear panel in it and retro fit it to their bike , the parts are probably only a few quid :eureka:

[KeefyB]

Yep,the earlier bikes had a slightly differant number plate light too.It had just a push on cover that was prone to falling off.Most were replaced with the newer type cover with a screw in the side.
My bikes an 02 model on a '52' plate.

[Anito]

There is a simple option that costs nothing and takes only a few minutes. Unscrew the black part of the number plate holder, attach the number plate to the remaining section.

That's what i've done and it looks much better.

[iang]

Yeh, but you still have all the ugly metal bracket attached to the underside of the exhaust, when this is removed it transforms the back end of the bike.

[yellowisfriedegg]

I still have the stainless bracket (original) with the number plate mounted directly on it and the light modified as shown , I think this is better than some of the brackets I have seen for mounting under the rear light as they look pretty flimsy.

Also , if you remove the original mount you are left with the mounting studs protruding from the standard silencer , not pretty :(

If you have a termi silencer fitted you are left with open threaded inserts , or I suppose you could put bolts in them , either way is a dirt / corrosion trap.

[Rally]

The kit comes with dome nuts to put onto the studs - didn't know what they were for as I have the Termis but if the standard can has studs then that makes sence. I put the bolts back into the inserts... don't think it will be more of a dirt trap than the original bracketry :D

Did over a hundred miles today to Popham and back and it hasn't fallen off yet so I guess my fears of the single bolt being a problem are unfounded as yet.

Talking of which - anyone see/own the 999 with no rear lamp unit that was at Popham? It had a tiny tiny plate and an LED tail/brake light sandwhiched between the seat cowl & exhaust. Very neat but I wondered whether da Law took a dim view...