License plate positioning

emortal1333

emortal1333

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I was wondering what the rules/laws were surrounding the placement of the license plate on a bike. In general, I find bikes (more specifically, sport bikes) cleaner looking with the plates pushed further under the tail.

Is it legal as long as its visible to those behind you?
Having it tucked under the tail, would that only be illegal if you try to use it to rip off license plate identification equipment?

Thanks,

Brandon
 
Find the highway traffic act and look it up. It specifically states what is allowed in Ontario.

Failing that, if you can't read the plate from 10ft back it is probably illegal.
 
Or even easier, if you move it from stock, it will more than likely be deem illegal. You have to remember, the plate is not there to look nice, it is there to identify the vehicle.
 
I used to have a Nissan Pathfinder with an external rear spare tire. I never paid much attention to it until after using toll roads a number of times, that I never got billed. One day I realized that the position of the spare tire gave a very poor line of sight if you were at any agle to the plate from above.

Always wondered, could this be considered obstruction of the plate if it was do to manufacturer design?

Everything was stock including the tire size.
 
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Having it pushed back is illegal. I've spoken to a lot of riders who had their license plate pushed back and was told they have received tickets for it.

As bear22099 said, it's not there to look nice, it's to identify your vehicle so leave it alone.
 
suzuki2000 said:
I used to have a Nissan Pathfinder with an external rear spare tire. I never paid much attention to it until after using toll roads a number of times, that I never got billed. One day I realized that the position of the spare tire gave a very poor line of sight if you were at any agle to the plate from above.

Always wondered, could this be considered obstruction of the plate if it was do to manufacturer design?

Everything was stock including the tire size.
Click to expand...

It isn't your fault that the designers who selected the positioning of the toll road cameras did not allow for the stock license plate position on your Pathfinder to be photographed.

Theoretically, I suppose The Man could still find a way to give you grief about it, but to my knowledge, the courts have never required people to modify their own vehicles for stuff like this.

But, if you modify the vehicle, or if you leave the tailgate down on a pickup, or some other such thing, that IS your fault and you ARE responsible in that case.
 
emortal1333 said:
I was wondering what the rules/laws were surrounding the placement of the license plate on a bike. In general, I find bikes (more specifically, sport bikes) cleaner looking with the plates pushed further under the tail.

Is it legal as long as its visible to those behind you?
Having it tucked under the tail, would that only be illegal if you try to use it to rip off license plate identification equipment?

Thanks,

Brandon
Click to expand...

The plate anywhere however positioned other then on that ugly A55s factory plate frame is "legal" until you cause another reason to get pulled over. I've had my license place under flush vertical for more then 2 years, with cops behind me at a dead light stop etc, never an issue untill i got pulled over for another reason, thats when they also threw in the 13(2) HTA "obstruct plate". They won't bother you with that unless you have something else worth pulling you over. Its a bull-**** ticket, even if you get it, you go to your mechanic get him to write, you fixed it, or just take a picture with it straightened out and go to court, its thrown out as "rectified" go home, and put it back to how it was.lol
 
emortal1333 said:
I was wondering what the rules/laws were surrounding the placement of the license plate on a bike. In general, I find bikes (more specifically, sport bikes) cleaner looking with the plates pushed further under the tail.

Is it legal as long as its visible to those behind you?
Having it tucked under the tail, would that only be illegal if you try to use it to rip off license plate identification equipment?

Thanks,

Brandon
Click to expand...

as others said you could check the HTA. I got 3 tickets last season for my plate, I got fed up with getting pulled over so I changed the location of the plate again
 
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Doesn't say the license plate can't be oriented in a non-zero angle anywhere. Upside down may just be as legal as 90 degrees, or 1 degree or 0 degrees.
 
viper84737 said:
Doesn't say the license plate can't be oriented in a non-zero angle anywhere. Upside down may just be as legal as 90 degrees, or 1 degree or 0 degrees.
Click to expand...

You don't want to tempt a police officer into interpreting the law for you on the side of the road.

The wording being used is very ambiguous in meaning.
 
viper84737 said:
Doesn't say the license plate can't be oriented in a non-zero angle anywhere. Upside down may just be as legal as 90 degrees, or 1 degree or 0 degrees.
Click to expand...

Nixel said:
You don't want to tempt a police officer into interpreting the law for you on the side of the road.

The wording being used is very ambiguous in meaning.
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It'll be o.k. if you get the vanity plate "BLOND".

blond-upside-down-plate.jpg


178654.JPG
 
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I just got my bike last month and they put my plate sideways hooked up to the back tire bolt about 6inches off the ground , Im planning on putting it under the seat but I havent been bothered so far and was told by kahuna in toronto and sonic cycle in london that its legal.
 
was told by kahuna in toronto and sonic cycle in london that its legal
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like this?

2934286090103319731S600x600Q85.jpg


if so, not legal in canada. it is techically not permitted to move to a position where it is not completely (not partly) visible from behind the vehicle
 
vociferous said:
like this?

2934286090103319731S600x600Q85.jpg


if so, not legal in canada. it is techically not permitted to move to a position where it is not completely (not partly) visible from behind the vehicle
Click to expand...



I know a, 2009 I think it is, Harley V-Rod Muscle that comes with a similar factory, OEM as built, plate arrangement as in the picture. Except that it is not 90 degrees rotated.


Picture below:

From Harley`s Canadian website for 2012. I know it is not a sportbike which may be more relavent to the OP`s topic.
The plate can clearly be seen from the back.
From an angle to the back or from above at the back is a different story and not what is asked for in the act. The act says from the back. To which this Harley does comply.




12-v-rod-muscle-bs.jpg
 
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Brian P said:
It isn't your fault that the designers who selected the positioning of the toll road cameras did not allow for the stock license plate position on your Pathfinder to be photographed.
Click to expand...

The same can be said for a Harley Road King with the top box; free 407 travel!

Ikan said:
I know a, 2009 I think it is, Harley V-Rod Muscle that comes with a similar factory, OEM as built, plate arrangement as in the picture. Except that it is not 90 degrees rotated.

From Harley`s Canadian website for 2012. I know it is not a sportbike which may be more relavent to the OP`s topic.
The plate can clearly be seen from the back.
From an angle to the back or from above at the back is a different story and not what is asked for in the act. The act says from the back. To which this Harley does comply.
Click to expand...

The act states that "is plainly visible at all times, and the view of the number plate shall not be obscured or obstructed by spare tires, bumper bars, any part of the vehicle"... I would suggest that 1) that may just be a stock photo, I don't know that they market that placement of the plate here in Ontario, and 2) it would be easily argued that a slight shift to the right would cause the plate to be obstructed by the tire and would therefore be illegal.
 
I think this discussion misses the point.

this is a situation where being right doesn't really matter. its more of a question of - do you want the trouble.

Because this is, to me anyway, a mod that simply tempts fate. You might think the law is on your side, but that really doesn't mean squat on the side of the road when the ticket is being written.

The basic story here is, if you move your plate- prepare to get hassled.

Edit: typo
 
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OpenGambit said:
I think this discussion misses the point.

this is a situation where being right doesn't really matter. its more of a question of - do you want the trouble.

Because this is, to me anyway, a mod that simply tempts fate. You might think the law is on your side, but that really doesn't mean squat on the side of the road when the ticket is being ridden.

The basic story here is, if you move your plate- prepare to get hassled.
Click to expand...



Spot on Watson. ;)

(meaning good point).
 
ill try to post a picture later but mine is not as far in its almost even to the edge of the back of the tire, im gonna get it moved asap tho I really dont want the be bothered over it and I really dont like the look of it either.
 
Wait so....are we allowed to flip our plates upside down? =D

And speaking of plates, are we allowed provactive custom plates? Something like

U2SLOW

or something like that <______<
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