Just had a plate made for my upcoming MOT. In hindsight I should have just got a simple version made but instead I added a border and the GB badge. From the my research this all seems fine - a border is allowed proving there is a 5mm gap, GB and the flag also allowed if no wider than 50mm and reflective. Should I order a plain one to be safe?
Being pedantic. Legal plates can only be done by registered number plate suppliers and their name and post code will be on it, as will the British Standards mark to say it meets the correct standards. (See the DVLA rules.) Yours just seems to just have 'Uppers' as a makers name (I.e. your username here) so I'm guessing you didn't get this done by an authorised maker. Who would have asked you for proof of ID and proof you have a right to the number plate, e.g. V5 document. Now whether an MOT tester would check all that is doubtful, but just thought I'd point out you don't seem to have a legal plate. (For my bike I once got a plate from a registered supplier that didn't have the legal character shape )
That’s a good spot and yes, it was not via a formal legal source. I should get an official one made up to be on the safe side given I cut the original one down just a bit to much. Thanks for taking the time to respond
The GB is no longer acceptable on your plate for travel abroad. U.K. is now our designated initials. I just bought some U.K. stickers and stuck one on my existing plate. I must admit to being at a loss as to why British (it only seems to be British) riders want to put illegal number plates on their bikes. I can’t remember seeing this strange idea in any other country.
Could be that our plates are a lot bigger than everyone else's so people feel the need to tinker more? Or that this, like a lot of laws, isn't enforced much so people just take liberties. When I go on my morning walk, probably one in 50 of the vehicle I pass have illegal plates, with spacing and characters mutated to try and make words the owner wants.
To be even more pedantic ........ 1) There is NO legal minimum size for a number plate - the size will be governed by the legislation around the letter/number configuration; the character sizes and spacing and the minimum space surrounding them. The layout is governed only by the registration 'style'. So, technically, if you were fortunate and rich enough to have a motorcycle with the VRN "ABC 1" then the actual plate size could be (legally) very small indeed - can't be arsed to calculate the size as it's all stated in millimetres and I'm a non-metric sort! 2) The plate needs to show the British Standard Number (BSAU145d); manufacturer's identification and suppliers name and postcode. Having a standard one fitted for the test is a sensible idea since, if you got pulled for a dodgy plate on the way home from your test, both you AND the tester could/would be in some trouble. I know that the tester I use would pass my bike with a small plate but I wouldn't compromise his integrity (and his tester's licence) by risking getting caught with it on within a few hours of it being tested.
I usually take my legal one with me in my rucksack for an MOT. Then if the tester insists you can stick it on for the test and it also covers him when your riding home should you be unlucky enough to get caught. My experience of plates is as long as you don't take the total pi$$ ie. tiny single line plate with unreadable lettering then your usually OK. I have been riding with an 8x6 inch plate for ages with no issues. Its slightly smaller than the 'legal' one but looks neater without being obviously small. Even had a couple of police admire my bike without comment.
This guy will give you the smallest legal plates for your reg, or if that's too big then he will also do showplates but they will be without the postcode etc https://www.jdmplates.co.uk/smallest-motorcycle-number-plates/
I have a 5" x 7" on the Scrambler, nothing on it but the VRN with a small border, technically illegal but perfectly legible. I've had one on the dirt bike for yonks and never been pulled for it, although I put a legal one on for the test.
Motorcycle plates have to be over two lines, so the '1' would be on a line below the 'ABC'. It seems ambiguous if you could have 'AB' on one line and 'C1' on the other, or possibly a T shaped plate. (Plates don't have to be rectangular, the one I got from Fourdot isn't, and they do a variety of shapes.)
I don’t think it can be that as the offender would get a speeding fine and an illegal number plate fine. I think it’s because far more people nowadays seem to think that the law doesn’t apply to them. Anyone with an illegal plate would not be welcome on our trips. We don’t want any police attention on us.
Being ultra pedantic…. Unfortunately your information source is incorrect. There should be an 11mm gap between the letters and the country identifier, not 5mm. That black border is also too close and should also be 11mm away.
Well good news guys - my new legal plate arrived today from JD Plates (thanks @Helmut Visor for the tip). The plate is pretty small and fully legal. I’m really pleased with it and the bike is now good for her first MOT
