Front numberplate question

[Al9000]

Hello all.  I was wondering, can anyone give me a definitive answer on fitting a front mudguard mounted numberplate.  I seem to think I've heard that they're not legal for road use in the UK, but that may be an old wives tale!
If I can fit one, would the correct colour scheme be silver letters and numbers on black background?
Oh yes, sorry, it's my late Father's 1960 A7 Shooting Star. 
Actually, I've just realised the other question I should be asking is - would it have had one fitted originally, or had they phased them out by 1960?
I love the authentic look of them!
Thanks for any help

Al.

[tombeau]

Hi Al,
I believe "pedestrian slicers" were actually banned in the seventies. It was certainly no longer required that they be fitted. When my A10 was in cafe racer guise I fiited one of those number plates across the bottom yoke. I loved it for period correctness, but  an old rocker was quite amused as he remembered being overjoyed that he no longer had to have one on his bike. "they messed up the lines of the bike, if you had alloy guards thet caused them to crack, across the forks they caused problems with cable routing..."

So they might well be illegal, but no policemen are old enough to know this.
Cheers,
Iain

[MG]

Hello Al and welcome!

Being Austrian, unfortunately I can't help you with the legal issues.
However, I have fitted a home-made "number" plate to my A10. I posted two pics of it, maybe they can be some inspiration for you. I cut it from 2mm sheet metal, welded two bolts on and had the whole thing spray painted. The lettering was sprayed on in gold paint, I had the templates made from self-adhesive masking tape on a cutting plotter.
To disarm it a bit, I fitted a rubber beading around the edge. So far, the authorities here did not complain about it.

Like always, its a matter of taste. I like the old-fashioned look on the touring A10, and it saves you a lot of questions like "How old is it, mister?" or "What bike is that, mister?"  

However, I did not fit one to the Shooting Star, as I feel it would disturb the sporty lines of the sports mudguard, but like I said, that's a matter of personal taste.

Cheers, Markus


P.S.: As spring is coming, more pics of my bikes to follow, like I promised when joining the forum during winter. Provided its gonna stop raining some time....

[Beezageezauk]

Hi Al,

Yes, your father's 1960 A7SS would have had a front number plate fitted from new.

FYI and for the benefit of our UK members front number plates are not illegal....they are simply no longer a legal requirement.

Machines registered pre-August 1973 can have either reflective front plates fitted or white numbers and letters on a black background.  I,ve never had a problem with silver on a black background and believe that this was accepted from about 1958 when the pressed alluminium number plates became available.

Machines registered after August 1973 must have reflective plates.

Please note that I use the term "Registered" because, in the eyes of the law, a machine "manufactured" before Aug. '73 but "registered" after this date must have reflective plates.  On saying this I have loads of pals with re-registered bikes who have their age related plates in black and white and I've never known anybody being stopped and questioned about it!!  In fact I have a re-registered BSA M33 sidecar combination like this.

Funnily enough, the police were using reflective plates from 1970 when the law specifically said that all registration numbers must be shown in white on a black background.  Makes you think doesn't it??

Because of the UK rules I've often wondered about the following....would it be legal for me to have my normal registration on the back and something like "BSA 650" on the front of my A10??  I guess not.....because the law would probably state that the front and rear plates must have matching digits!!

Beezageezauk

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
Heres a cautionary tale!!
A couple of years ago on the Irish National  Vintage Rally the bikes were threading their way through the narrow streets in Bantry West Cork,
An old dear stepped off the pavement and into the path of an oncoming Velocette fitted with a front number plate
Luckily for the old dear this happened just outside a doctors surgery,!
The Doc was able to control the bleeding while they got her to the nearby hospital
If it had happened elsewhere the results would have been far more serious or fatal!!!

Nail that front number plate to the garage wall!!!

Cheers
John O R

[LJ.]

Ray... I know the guy who has the registered number 'BSA 650' It belongs to M20Mike at Boston, I'm not sure which bike it is on though, if it's his Super Rocket or Rocket Three.

[MG]

John,

Good point. The fixation bolts on mine are just tack welded with one small weld point per side. The transition to the plate itself was modelled with filling compound, thus creating a predetermined breaking point, like the stars on Mercedes bonnets have it.
This plus the rubber beading hopefully should prevent serious injury to pedestrians.

[Al9000]

Ok thanks for all your replies. That's great I think I will go ahead and fit one.  I will keep track of how many pedestrians I cut in half. If the number gets too high I will think about taking it off again.

AL.

[Beezageezauk]

Yes Al, go ahead and fit it.

We, as motorcyclists, should be more concerned about being hit by car drivers rather than us hitting pedestrians!!

If front number plates are dangerous to the extent that they shouldn't be used then surely the same should apply to cars and they should be taken off the roads.

Unfortunately, we in the UK are far too involved in this "Health and Safety" thing that the whole aspect of it has gone absolutely crazy!!

Beezageezauk. 

[A10Boy]

Earlier deep valanced mudguards had numbers on the nearside of the guard.

PS old ladies should stay indoors when bikes are around.

[MG]

Earlier deep valanced mudguards had numbers on the nearside of the guard.

Yep, I'm aware of that. But I like it better this way. Freedom of art  

PS old ladies should stay indoors when bikes are around.

  "Granny, come back in, the rockers are coming!!!" LOL

[RoyC]

Me on my 1961 BSA Shooting Star.
They were fitted in 1960. See Number plate.

There is one for sale on ebay showing the shape.   
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bsa-a10-b31-b33-goldstar-front-number-plate-ref-1/383131505139   

My 1966 BSA A65 Spitfire also had a front number plate.

[RichardL]

Roy,

Are you responding to a question from 2010?

Richard L.

[ellis]

Just to correct Beezageezauk.

If your 1973 on bike is registered as a historic vehicle you can choose to have reflective or black and silver number plates. But it has to be registered as a Historic vehicle.

ELLIS

[muskrat]

G'day fellas.
Down here (back in the 80's) you could ditch the front n/plate IF you got a new reflective plate for the rear.
I have front "name plates" on both mine cause it just looks right.
Cheers