Law re displaying no. plates in qld

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

The only way to do front plates on bikes would be to allow the use of stickers instead of plates, and even then placement would be all over the place, and size would an issue.
They would also be more side facing than front facing, you would need one each side.

Really wish we could use stickers for a plate. My car would look 10 fold better. I have seen a car around with one, seen it a few times with a sticker for a plate.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by xxx000

your 74 triple would of been fitted with a front plate from new

Tend to agree when we had bikes in the seventies they were all fitted with front plates as required by Law.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Really wish we could use stickers for a plate. My car would look 10 fold better. I have seen a car around with one, seen it a few times with a sticker for a plate.

Apparently in England they do at least...in classic English car magazines I get occasionally I've seen older English stuff like E-type Jags, Lotus Elans, and similar cars that have a "normal" number plate on the rear but a sticker on the front which allows for sloping front ends and nowhere to put a normal metal licence plate without hacking up a classic.


Once again, the 1974 model Kawasaki 750 two stroke triple did not have front number plates...there is no facility to fit them, no mounting holes in the guard for a fitting...


If they think I'm drilling holes in that front guard and fabricating some sort of number plate mount, they can sit on it and rotate...

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Once again, the 1974 model Kawasaki 750 two stroke triple did not have front number plates...there is no facility to fit them, no mounting holes in the guard for a fitting...
image

Actually they didn't have to have holes drilled through the guard, my 73 Z900 had a mount that utilised the mudguard bolt holes on the forks....

The steel mount was sandwiched between the guard and the fork on one side, then over the top off the guard and clamped the same on the other side, it then had a piece running forward over the top following the contour of the guard with two adjustable/sliding mounting pillars for the bacon slicer.
The whole thing sat about 3/4in above the guard with about half a dozen rubber spacers between it and the guard....

When I picked up the bike (30 odd years ago!) the mount was in a box of spare parts, it created a wtf is this moment for me until I phoned the previous owner, where upon he told me what it was and that it was on the bike when he bought it new, a close inspection of the guard revealed faint marks where the spacers had sat, 5mins on a polishing wheel removed all trace.....

It went in the bin quick smart....

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

When I picked up the bike (30 odd years ago!) the mount was in a box of spare parts, it created a wtf is this moment for me until I phoned the previous owner, where upon he told me what it was and that it was on the bike when he bought it new, a close inspection of the guard revealed faint marks where the spacers had sat, 5mins on a polishing wheel removed all trace.....

It went in the bin quick smart....

I know how you feel. An old mid sixties Yamaha I once owned came as a box of parts and a rolling frame. Laid everything out according to the Haynes workshop manual, and found a couple of "odd" parts...a mismatched indicator, and this funny black pressed piece of steel. I couldn't figure out what it was for, and then realised that it was a front number plate mount. Didn't go in the bin, but went in the parts box for the next owner when I sold it.

With most bikes in the old days, the front plate was mounted in line with the guard...hence the nickname cheese slicer...and even the ones that mounted "normally" across the guard facing forwards were dangerous in crashes, both for the rider and anyone he might hit.
Seeing as how cars have had all sorts of laws and restrictions put on then for forward protrusions and possible dangers to pedestrians, I can't see how they would deliberately force people to put something on motorbikes that would create the potential for danger.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Seeing as how cars have had all sorts of laws and restrictions put on then for forward protrusions and possible dangers to pedestrians, I can't see how they would deliberately force people to put something on motorbikes that would create the potential for danger.

Mostly it was the old British bikes that had the plates mounted like a slicer, when the jap bikes appeared most of the plates were bent like a Vee shape & mounted close to the forks.
In those days car & Bike manufacturers never really considered the consequences that came with lack of safety features when you compare modern vehicles with the old.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Apparently in England they do at least...in classic English car magazines I get occasionally I've seen older English stuff like E-type Jags, Lotus Elans, and similar cars that have a "normal" number plate on the rear but a sticker on the front which allows for sloping front ends and nowhere to put a normal metal licence plate without hacking up a classic.

Its not just classics either.


Id love to do something like this but alas, no go.

[XW-BAXR6T]

Regarding front number plates on bikes. You'll be amazed what they'll think of when it comes to revenue raising, nothing will get in their way for that extra dollar.

I can think of a few ways, but wont say it in case Dr napthine reads ford forums

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Its not just classics either.
image

Id love to do something like this but alas, no go.

That's interesting. Of course I should have expected it...if it's allowed on old cars, then why not new ones too?

They'd never allow it here...after all, how could they keep charging well over a grand for personalised plates if they were just a simple printed sticker. As opposed to a simple plastic printed plate as they have at the moment here in QLD for the "prestige" line...

[ozpacman]

Front plates on bikes - mongrel things they were! The law in Queesland required the damned things until early '78 and they were always a pain in the you know where to mount.

I've attached a scanned copy of a few from back in the day. (L to R):

1/ My CB400 four taken in late '77. Note the cut-out on the underside of the plate so it didn't dent the front guard under brakes!

2/ My CB750 K7 taken in May '78. Yay - no plate required! I just noticed the clean white Ford overalls on the clothes line. I had to wear as an apprentice at the dealership where I did my time - my dear departed poor mum used to agonize over trying to get those things clean!

3/ My mate on his identical K7 which he bought around February '78. Poor bugger had to fit the front plate when he bought his. Note also that he appears to be looking back at what is obviously a small grass fire on the side of the road just out of shot to the left of his bike. Well it must have been a fire because you can clearly see the smoke . . . . .

What a trip down memory lane!

Russ

[2011G6E]

Thanks for the info on the plates being needed until '78 up here. Wasn't aware of that. When I bought my triple in 1994 it had been off the road since the mid eighties and was all original when I bought it, and it didn't have the mount.

I notice the first one (777-OY) has a cut out in the bottom of the plate. The forks on those old bikes used to compress a fair way under brakes, didn't they...? As some people found to their surprise when they strapped a tool roll under the headlight on the lower fork triple clamp...
Hell, the forks on my 750 triple...a "superbike" of the era...are only 36mm diameter tubes...little kids offroad bikes these days have bigger forks than that...

[ozpacman]

Hi 2011,

They certainly were spindly!

I've actually just bought an immaculate original K7 from the USA (7,500 miles) and am waiting for it to be shipped. I suspect I'm in for a very rude shock once I actually ride it!

Russ