Covering Your Rego Plate?

[Motu]

I kinda do the opposite - I have always,and still do,run the incorrect plate on my bikes - at the moment I have 2 off road Yamaha's,I will register each for 6 mths and swap plates,as I said I've always done this.So all I want is a Cop giving me a quick glance,even if he picks me up it's yes sir,no sir give me my ticket...then I'm gone.No way do I want him suspicious and give my bike a good going over,don't give him a reason to chase me.I've only been done for incorrect rego once.

[Zed]

I kinda do the opposite - I have always,and still do,run the incorrect plate on my bikes -

Yes I spose that's another option, a more worldy-wise one...do you know what the punnishment/penalty for that is if prosecuted?

[Ixion]

I kinda do the opposite - I have always,and still do,run the incorrect plate on my bikes - at the moment I have 2 off road Yamaha's,I will register each for 6 mths and swap plates,as I said I've always done this.So all I want is a Cop giving me a quick glance,even if he picks me up it's yes sir,no sir give me my ticket...then I'm gone.No way do I want him suspicious and give my bike a good going over,don't give him a reason to chase me.I've only been done for incorrect rego once.

Only 2. I once had 6 bikes, one (registered) plate. Which went on whichever I was using.

You could get away with heaps in those days, no cop ever questioned that the BSA A10 I was riding was registered as a Honda SL125. But I was careful , in those pre computer days, I would get a WOF for each of them . Plate on #1, down to the testing station. Plate on #2 , down to the station etc. Reason was that suspicious cops were known to check that the WOF agreed with the model. Nothing on the rego sticker then to say what model it was, but the WOF sticker did have it.

Nowdays I think you'd only get away with it if they were at least the same make.

I've never had any scruples about this. I only ride one at a time, don't see why I should have to pay 6 lots of registration fees.

[Ixion]

Yes I spose that's another option, a more worldy-wise one...do you know what the punnishment/penalty for that is if prosecuted?

Dunno, but not much, I wouldn't think. They're both registered in his name , so there's no intent to evade. And easy to bullshit your way out, just "Oh I'm terribly sorry officer. I have the two bikes you see, one is being restored. I was working on both last night nad had bits strewn around, I must have inadvertently switched the paltes. I'll rectify my error immediately". Just so long as he doesn't catch you a second time !

Of course a dishonest person could do the car thing and just steal a plate. Grab one off a similar model, rider comes back "Fark, I've lost my plate, goes and gets a new one". Original will be deactivated but no-ones going to know unless they check. In which case you assume you're already doing the runner.

[StoneChucker]

I once had 6 bikes, one (registered) plate. Which went on whichever I was using.
I've never had any scruples about this. I only ride one at a time, don't see why I should have to pay 6 lots of registration fees.

When you own 6 vehicles or more, you can get a collectors plate. One plate, that you can legally use on all 6 bikes. Don't know exactly how it works, but it saves you on 5 lots (if you have 6) of ACC charges I would assume??? I don't have 6, but it's farking unfair to have to pay 3 lots of ACC charges, when you can't injure yourself on a vehicle you aren't using.

So, question is: Do I keep paying 3 lots of wof and rego? Do I do the illegal thing and end up trying to convince Mr Plod that my red sports bike is infact a 1990 Mazda MX5 OR do I buy 3 or 4 more buckets and register them all as a collector?

[Zed]

Dunno, but not much, I wouldn't think.

Yeah it's just petty crime after all. I know you'll disagree Ixion. Good story that!

They're both registered in his name , so there's no intent to evade. And easy to bullshit your way out, just "Oh I'm terribly sorry officer. I have the two bikes you see, one is being restored. I was working on both last night nad had bits strewn around, I must have inadvertently switched the paltes. I'll rectify my error immediately". Just so long as he doesn't catch you a second time !

Of course a dishonest person could do the car thing and just steal a plate. Grab one off a similar model, rider comes back "Fark, I've lost my plate, goes and gets a new one". Original will be deactivated but no-ones going to know unless they check. In which case you assume you're already doing the runner.

Thank you for that little insight into your world.

[Torque]

We had a thing in the UK,now and then we would take off the number plates and go for a what we called a mad half hour. we would just race really and if you were spotted by a cop you just ride faster! But i really don't reconmend it. It seemed allot of fun and used to get the blood pumping but we had a few scares and thease days i wash and shine my plate like the rest of the bike. One guy i ride with at the moment has used paint stripper to take off all the numbers and has been riding like that as long as i have known him. He hasn't been pulled over yet.

[Ixion]

When you own 6 vehicles or more, you can get a collectors plate. One plate, that you can legally use on all 6 bikes. Don't know exactly how it works, but it saves you on 5 lots (if you have 6) of ACC charges I would assume???

Didn't know that. Thanks. (Though I'm unlikely to acquire 6 again). I don't know whether such a thign existed long ago. I did enquire about dealer's plates but you had (have ?) to be a LMVD.

I don't have 6, but it's farking unfair to have to pay 3 lots of ACC charges, when you can't injure yourself on a vehicle you aren't using.

Yes, that's the reason that people do it (assuming that anyone other than Mr Motu does still do it). 'Tis very unfair that. I always maintain that licensing charges should be per person not per vehicle.Cos the converse is that you can have one vehicel used round the clock by 6 people, with a higher ACC risk, yet they only pay one levy.

So, question is: Do I keep paying 3 lots of wof and rego? Do I do the illegal thing and end up trying to convince Mr Plod that my red sports bike is infact a 1990 Mazda MX5 OR do I buy 3 or 4 more buckets and register them all as a collector?

I think that the swapsy trick would be too dangerous nowdays unless the vehicles were at least the same make. That way they would pass a police comms check, they'd have to look for the VIN number to find the switch.

[Ixion]

Yeah it's just petty crime after all. I know you'll disagree Ixion. Good story that!



Thank you for that little insight into your world.

Tis administrive crime actually. Depriving the state of revenue it might theoretically have had.

I actually caught a car thief once who was using the stolen plate trick. I was following him, and realised that the plate on the vehicle was too old for it, the years didn't match (eg a 2000 model car with an M series plate). So I called *555 (I was in my car, this was in the days when *555 actually did something). Control said "Where are you" "Such a place' "Oh theres a car nearby I'll contact him". Followed the ringer, and sure enough 5 minutes later saw him stopped. I'm assuming it was a car thief, the guy driving didn't match the vehicle either (nice stereotyping there). I watched for a while as the cop discussed the meaning of life with the driver at great length, then had to move on.

Don't like car thieves.

[Zed]

We had a thing in the UK,now and then we would take off the number plates and go for a what we called a mad half hour. we would just race really and if you were spotted by a cop you just ride faster! But i really don't reconmend it. It seemed allot of fun and used to get the blood pumping but we had a few scares and

thease days i wash and shine my plate like the rest of the bike. One guy i ride with at the moment has used paint stripper to take off all the numbers and has been riding like that as long as i have known him. He hasn't been pulled over yet.

I've seen that too on cars and bikes. Usually chuckle when I see it cos if I was a cop I'd know that the owner of that plate is devious and has probably broken the law for many years, usually in more ways than just that one! (No offence to any KB deviants, but if the shoe fits wear it)

I think that covering the plate or making it more vague is really just drawing extra attention you don't need, sooner or later if you continue to buck the system you will get caught and regret it. You may be able to live with it, but there is such a thing as having a clear conscience in life which makes it so much more enjoyable!

[Motu]

screaming

Only 2. I once had 6 bikes, one (registered) plate. Which went on whichever I was using.

You could get away with heaps in those days, no cop ever questioned that the BSA A10 I was riding was registered as a Honda SL125. But I was careful , in those pre computer days, I would get a WOF for each of them . Plate on #1, down to the testing station. Plate on #2 , down to the station etc. Reason was that suspicious cops were known to check that the WOF agreed with the model. Nothing on the rego sticker then to say what model it was, but the WOF sticker did have it.

Nowdays I think you'd only get away with it if they were at least the same make.

I've never had any scruples about this. I only ride one at a time, don't see why I should have to pay 6 lots of registration fees.

The only time I got caught was on my 1954 Goldflash,but I had modified it to take B series singles,finally with an M20,that's the 500 sidevalve.I had the bike down the line when the mirror law came in and was riding it back to Auckland....with no mirror.

Around Ohaupo I see a cop behind me (with out mirrors we had eyes in the back of our head eh) and he pulled me over...no mirror of course.Um,no woF either - ''no speedo'' he says - I'm quick from practice - 'It doesn't need a speedo,it's a 1948'.....''Looks like a '54 Goldflash to me''...'Aaaaagh!.....um,ah,well,ah....it's registerd as the 1948 engine' Being the owner of an A10 he's keen to check my bike out and we talk and I get a ticket for no WoF.

I had gone down to pick my bike up with my wife in my 1954 Austin A40 pickup...my wife is driving it back and goes past us,then pulls into a stockpile area to wait for me and say 'I told you so'.I pull up and lean the bike against the truck,just force of habit,most of my bikes don't have sidestands.As we are talking the bike cop goes screaming past,sees us and does a huge lock up slide and comes over,he's kinda angry....

''what's the plate off?'' he asks.....'it's off a 1964 Rickman Metisse' I tell him.He's happy with that,it's not often he would get that reply and it's a bike registerd in my name.''Is this your truck?'' I tell him yes and he makes my wife and I lift that heavy bike onto the back with no ramp,not lending a hand,just watching....punishment eh? Cost me $150 for that and that was a lot of money in 1978.

But the joke was on him because the A40 had no WoF OR rego.

[Jackrat]

My brother had mud on his plate until I pointed out how silly a spotless 70k HD looked with mud on just the plate,and how a cop would see it if an when he was pulled over.
I keep my plate clean because I don't want a cop laughing at me,they have enough reasons now with out me adding another one.

[WINJA]

did it once for a while, used crappy chain lube to black out the numbers. worked well till i got pulled over and i was offered a fine unless i cleaned it. dont do it anymore as i live in a small town where a bike like mine dosent blend in too well.

BLEND IN HOW DO THE LOCALS SAY THATS ONE OF THEM THERE NEW FANGLED JAPANESE MOTORCYCLES

[JohnBoy]

BLEND IN HOW DO THE LOCALS SAY THATS ONE OF THEM THERE NEW FANGLED JAPANESE MOTORCYCLES

its pretty easy to spot a bright green single seater road bike when there is only about a dozen other road bikes in town..

[NordieBoy]

I think that the swapsy trick would be too dangerous nowdays unless the vehicles were at least the same make. That way they would pass a police comms check, they'd have to look for the VIN number to find the switch.

2 yellow and black Nordies