Mk 1 rear number plate

Bigalfaekirky · 9 March 2012 18:36

I have been told that my rear number plate is not legal.

It has the legal size letters but the plate has been trimmed to the absolute minimum to fit the Eunos rear panel.

I was wondering if anyone else had been pulled for this and how they got round it.

mal_jones · 9 March 2012 19:58

I have a square one on mine. Is it just cars they have a go at, I see loads of Bikes with tiny number plates and numbers so small you can not see them.

Phil_H · 9 March 2012 20:00

Registered Number plate suppliers ie Jepsons will supply an import size plate for a Eunos which is perfectly legal.

ast · 9 March 2012 21:54

I got pulled a couple of years ago in Watford, and was issued a fixed penalty for this plate:

When I changed the red 91 Roadster (above) for the blue 1996, I also transferred the registration plate. Foolishly/naively, I reused the plate that was on the 1991 Roadster on the 1996 Roadster, since it was a perfect fit. The plate had been on the 91 car since 1997, with no issues, and transferred over in 2005. Mistake. I hadn’t realised that as the plate change was done after 2001, I should have got a new plate. The police officer was apologetic, stating if he had seen it a few weeks earlier, he would have issued a Producer, but the law had changed. he wasn’t interested in inspecting the front plate while he was there.

None of the local suppliers could provide a replacement plate, with a legal font, without taking a saw to it, and removing the makers name and BS marks, hence defeating the object.

I ended up buying a plate from Craigs Plates, who do a plate perfectly sized for the Roadster. the font is smaller than stock, but the plate is kite marked, and has the makers name on.

The regs, issued in 2001, do give a dispensation for imports to have a reduced font size, if the bodywork precludes fitment of a UK compliant plate (so no excuses about fitting a normal front plate).

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/pdfs/uksi_20010561_en.pdf

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2687/pdfs/uksi_20022687_en.pdf

“Size and spacing of characters: special cases
14A.—(1) This regulation applies in relation to any vehicle imported into the United
Kingdom which—
(a) does not have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval; and
(b) is so constructed that the area available for the fixing of the registration plate
precludes the display on the plate of a registration mark in conformity with the
requirements of regulation 14.
(2) In relation to a vehicle to which this regulation applies—
(a) each character in the registration mark must be 64 millimetres high;
(b) the width of each character of the mark, other than the letter “I” and the figure
“1”, must be 44 millimetres;
(c) the width of every part of the stroke forming a character in a mark must be 10
millimetres;
(d) the spacing between any two characters within a group must be 10 millimetres;
(e) the vertical spacing between groups of characters must be 5 millimetres;
(f) the width of a margin between the mark and the top and lateral sides of the
registration plate must be not less than 5 millimetres;
(g) the space between the bottom of the mark and the bottom of the registration
plate must be not less than 13 millimetres; but, within that space, the space
between the bottom of the mark and the top of the name and postcode of the
person by whom the plate was supplied must be not less than 5 millimetres.”(a)
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport.
David Jamieson
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,
24th October 2002 Department for Transport

Jerakeen · 10 March 2012 07:02

Definitely not. It’s always a bone of contention in biker circles that the cops always use non standard plates as an excuse to stop them while chavs in their Corsas sail on past unmolested.

Bigalfaekirky · 10 March 2012 19:05

Many Thanks particularly for the legal info.

I noticed a standard (legal) bike plate is 9" x7" with smaller letters.

This would still require trimming.

I like the idea of having the one specially for imports. I think I’ll go with that.

Thanks again

Allan

TheCaptain · 10 March 2012 19:23

Try Craigs Plates, they list import size plates

richardn · 10 March 2012 19:31

9x7 bike plates are wrong.

The jap plate is 13" wide and varies in height ( 6 6.5 6.75 7 and 8 inches) I have a 13x7 on my Roadster

You can even get them at Halfrauds on special order, takes a day or so

Bigalfaekirky · 11 March 2012 08:15

Perfect.

Although the idea of handing over my “hard earned” at hf is gonna be difficult. Cry

Thanks

Raffles · 12 March 2012 17:26

Craigsplates are a very good business to deal with.

Air_1 · 13 March 2012 23:06

I Agree Graigs plates everytime. Anyone care to use this as an excuse to argue the legality of stick-on front plates Big Smile

Geoff_Walton · 14 March 2012 02:09

Do you really want to go there Wink

Mazda_mender · 14 March 2012 07:34

No please No Wink

M-m

rg1642 · 14 March 2012 08:17

mal jones:

‘I have a square one on mine. Is it just cars they have a go at, I see loads of Bikes with tiny number plates and numbers so small you can not see them.’

‘Definitely not. It’s always a bone of contention in biker circles that the cops always use non standard plates as an excuse to stop them while chavs in their Corsas sail on past unmolested.’

Quite agree most cars get away with it on a mass scale compared with bikes. Just a plod with no criminals to catch I suppose. Motoring is an easy nick and keeps the quotas up for the day.

rg1642 · 14 March 2012 08:21

I got a stick on front plate and both front and rear were ordered as show plates as I couldnt be bothered with the legal clap trap. Never had a problem with either…yet!