Triumphrat

ed_h · 12-23-2009, 11:46 PM

I'm restoring 71 T100R I bought new in England. I remember the squarish rear number plate, and may still have it. I don't remember ever having a number plate on the front fender like you see on some old bikes. Should it have had one in '71?

daveforty · 12-24-2009, 05:09 AM

I believe it should have had a front number plate in 1971. There was a change in the law sometime in the early / mid 70s that did away with the requirement for front number plates on motorcycles, but I cannot recall (or find on the 'net) exactly when the law changed.

Ming · 12-24-2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveforty

I believe it should have had a front number plate in 1971. There was a change in the law sometime in the early / mid 70s that did away with the requirement for front number plates on motorcycles, but I cannot recall (or find on the 'net) exactly when the law changed.

Hi,my 72 Tiger has holes in the front mudguard for mounting a number plate,so unless they were just using up old stock a front plate was required at least till then,I had a 1959 C15T on the road in 1973 which I was always getting stopped by the police on they checked it over every time and gave me a producer, this bike didn't have a front plate,in fact the rear plate was only a black patch painted on the mudguard with stick on numerals,but I was never prosecuted so it must have been ok in 73,
Bill.

GreenTea · 12-24-2009, 06:38 AM

Up to 1st September 2001 you can still display front plate if you choose to.

http://www.theplatemarket.com/displa...on_numbers.php

Vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1973 are allowed to display traditional style 'black and white' plates i.e. white, silver, or grey characters on a black plate.

VINTAGE TYPE places, i.e. any letters on BLACK BACKGROUND were legal on all vehicles manufactured and registered prior to December 1972.

http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/

BluprintZ · 12-24-2009, 06:38 AM

I bought a CZ in February 1972 on a K reg.
That didn't have a front plate, so i'm fairly sure it was `72 when they were banned, they weren't called bacon slicers for nothing.

G ; )

Lake · 12-24-2009, 06:45 AM

Standard fitting of front plates ceased in the early/mid 60's - it shouldn't have a front plate at that year, but you could fit a nice black and silver plate which would be correct for the year.

daveforty · 12-24-2009, 07:37 AM

I had a 1963 C15 on the road in early 1974 (ignition points inside the little mushroon thing above the crankcase), I'm sure that a front number plate was compulsory at the time, but it was around then that the legal requirement to have the plate went away.

GreenTea · 12-24-2009, 08:18 AM

1975 - Front number plates on motorcycles abolished.

http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/History

ed_h · 12-24-2009, 09:54 PM

Thanks for the input, everyone. Looks like there is still some uncertainty about whether a '71 would have had them or not.

A followup question--I'm pretty certain my '71 didn't have the "bacon slicer" plate. Were there other styles of front plate at the time?

epynt1050 · 12-25-2009, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ed_h

Were there other styles of front plate at the time?

Yes - as long as the letters/numbers were of the correct size and set on a black background, I do not think there were any other requirements. A single square number plate (same as the rear no plate) was usually fixed to the forks on trials bike where the front headlamp would normally be fitted.