Vintage tags for vintage bikes in NC

madmax-im

madmax-im

Yamaha...Go your own way...
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NC law states that any vehicle 35 years of age or older is considered Antique or Vintage..Vehicles in this class are Inspection Exempt. In addition one can run any vintage license plate on their vehicle..provided that said vehicle is legally licensed and registered in NC..And you must carry the legal NC plate on the bike ..stowed away in a saddle bag...or whatever you have..The only caveat is that the vintage plate matches the production year of the vehicle. the plate can be any MC plate from any state or country..Pretty cool..
So I have acquired this plate to put on the XS650..since the bike is from WI I sought out a WI plate...just grabbed this off ebay for 15 bucks... Now all i have to do is acquire the bike...I like to think ahead....Only once the bike is legally mine and properly licensed etc..will this tag go on.... i have about 20 differnt plates..most are from bikes i actually owned back in the day... If i had a man cave i would mount them on a wall..but all i have is a 12x12 shed thats full of junk...LOL
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That is cool. GA lets us do much the same thing except I believe it has to be a GA plate. I have a vintage plate for my 1967 Triumph GT6 I'll run as soon as I get it registered (and it runs).
 
In Texas, the modern plates are thin, flat pieces of junk, while the old plates are heavy, the numbers are embossed, they have the year on them, and the color combos are cool and changed every year.
Not to brag, but my red 1974 Honda CL125S has a color-matching '74 red on white plate -- that's the coolest. I also have a 1974 El Camino, with a pair of plates in the same, year-correct red on white colors.
My 1972 Suzuki TS185 has a '72 green on white plate.
And my 1976 XS650 and 1977 XT500 have year-correct black on white plates.
 
Hint the XS650 has a sexy come on routine, it shakes it's tail a bit. This often cracks the license plate. What works for me is to use a second plate behind the first with a bit of silicone and bolts in all four corners. For you; put the "real" plate on "backwards" then the WI plate facing out with some thin rubber strips between.
 
Interesting thought...Metal fatiques ..it doesnt "crack"..So what would you do if it is just the legal plate on there?..I have enough MC license plates that i could use one of those and just keep the legal plate in a tailbag..I would think it be a PITA to unscrew the plates to show the nice officer your legal plate is on the bike..but he'll make you take it off to show him the front side anyway..:p.
 
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Plates in NC are not thin and flimsy they are quite solid/rigid..so perhaps it would not apply to me...And they are embossed...As are all the vintage plates...Ironically the date on the sticker also is the same month and year i wrecked the Bandit which this plate is from...
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madmax-im said:
Interesting thought...Metal fatiques ..it doesnt "crack"..So what would you do if it is just the legal plate on there?..I have enough MC license plates that i could use one of those and just keep the legal plate in a tailbag..I would think it be a PITA to unscrew the plates to show the nice officer your legal plate is on the bike..but he'll make you take it off to show him the front side anyway..:p.
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Hi madmax-im,
check out my avatar, eh?
After the first 'plate I ever put on my XS650 fatigued off to leaving the bike with two ragged-edged triangles and the 'plate laying on the road to Beausejour, I hung the replacement on the bike with a vibration killing strap of ex-mudflap rubber that I found in the street.
A stack of 3 rubber washers and 2 flat steel washers between the bolt & locknut works too.
 
Thanks Fred...Good to know ..i should take precautions nonetheless...CMA...LOL
 
madmax-im said:
Thanks Fred...Good to know ..i should take precautions nonetheless...CMA...LOL
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Hi madmax-im,
nah,CMA won't work.
You'd have to turn your back and bend over to show the plate and the Officer might mistake your motivation.
Preserve your dignity by slotting the 'plate's edges and sliding it onto your belt at the back.
 
fredintoon said:
Hi madmax-im,
nah,CMA won't work.
You'd have to turn your back and bend over to show the plate and the Officer might mistake your motivation.
Preserve your dignity by slotting the 'plate's edges and sliding it onto your belt at the back.
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Just got my collector plate on Sat. In Colorado, it needs to be at least 32 years old and you can't ride it more than 4500 miles/year. I was surprised it was a 5 year tag. Now I wish I would have got it personalized.

re Gary: I had forgot about the vibration issue, but remembered I had the backing plate from another bike. Fix in the am. Thanks.
 

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MrBultaco said:
Just got my collector plate on Sat. In Colorado, it needs to be at least 32 years old and you can't ride it more than 4500 miles/year. I was surprised it was a 5 year tag. Now I wish I would have got it personalized.

re Gary: I had forgot about the vibration issue, but remembered I had the backing plate from another bike. Fix in the am. Thanks.
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Did you fabicate the backing plate or is this something that you can buy?
 
It occurs to me that perhaps the Special-Two already has one on there...or the issue has been addressed in some fashion...
 
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That was on another bike I bought. It's made from 1/4" hardboard the exact size of a CO. plate.
How do they know:D, they never asked for my odometer reading, so they don't., but I signed a voucher at the DMV, so they have that? :rolleyes:
 
Interesting... I think I have enough skill to fabricate a plate if necessary for my tentatively new to me 1980 XS650 Special-Two...not ll..However Cafefill did a complete rebuild and upgrade so i imagine this is a non issue as far as I am concerned....
 
It's mounted now, although I have to get shorted allen screws (the only ones I have at the moment)
The more I look at it, I think it is made from 1/4" plywood, but hardboard would work too.
 

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Perhaps some blue loctite on those allen bolts...if theres that much shaking going on....
 
Got the plate today..on time as promised. The plate dimensions are larger than any other MC plate I have in my collection. But it is a Wisconsin plate so we'll see...
 
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