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Motorcycle license plate location laws?

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Nolan1300

· Gixxer Rider
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
So I know a lot of people here bend there license plates, move them somewhere under the tail, mount them on the swingarm, or keep them in the trunk. What is the Illinois law regarding visibility of of the plate on a motorcycle? Is there a certain height or location? Is there a minimum distance that a LEO needs to be able to see it from? I did a search here but didn't find anything.

I recently relocated mine under the tail and installed some white led's to illuminate it. Probably need to be within 10-15 ft to see it clearly. Just wondering what kinda trouble I'm asking for.
 
#3 ·
Quite honestly Bro if its ANYWHERE other than the STOCK OEM plate holder he can nail you for it. Its just "what did you do to piss him off?" and "what side of the bed he woke up on!"
 
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#4 ·
My friend has the same set up and when we got rolled by the cops, one was a huge RICHARD. :laughing After the hassle for noise he got questioned about his bike. All he said was that's how he got it from the dealer. The cop said it wasn't stock and my friend just played dumb and said exactly what is stock? How can you tell? You didn't have a problem seeing it? I could have swore that is stock, are you sure?

Be polite and act dumb and they will get sick of the stupidity and off you go! F them if there's nothing else to do but hassle a biker! :cruise
 
#5 ·
I get pulled over for my plate about twice a month. Got pulled over last weekend when I had my bike for a whole 24 hours :bangin (another story for another time). I play dumb. I ask them to explain what they are talking about again becuase I am confused. How is my plate suppoesd to be? I just tell em I got it off and ebay and that is the way it came.


Legally, your plate has to be displayed perpendicular to the road. So at a 90 degree angle to the horizintal. It can be no closer than somehting like 12 inches from the ground.
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
My plate is perpendicular to the ground and lit up better than most cars. Its higher than 12 in. off the ground. Its right in front of the rear shock and hanging from the undertail to give you a better idea. No clearance issues with the swingarm. The stock hugger does make it a little difficult to see unless your pretty close. I guess I could move it a little higher by tapping into the battery tray.
 
#8 ·
Nolan1300 said:
My plate is perpendicular to the ground and lit up better than most cars. Its higher than 12 in. off the ground. Its right in front of the rear shock and hanging from the undertail to give you a better idea. No clearance issues with the swingarm. The stock hugger does make it a little difficult to see unless your pretty close. I guess I could move it a little higher by tapping into the battery tray.
Click to expand...
take a pic of it and post it so we can see...
 
#9 · (Edited)
Example of application

CBR1000RR (tag mount)
 
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#11 ·
The official word on this:

Illinois Vehicle Code said:
Sec. 3?413. Display of registration plates, registration stickers and driveway decal permits.
(a) (...)The registration plate issued for a motorcycle, trailer or semitrailer required to be registered hereunder and any apportionment plate issued to a bus under the provisions of this Code shall be attached to the rear thereof. . . .
(b) Every registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than 5 inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of such plate, in a place and position to be clearly visible and shall be maintained in a condition to be clearly legible, free from any materials that would obstruct the visibility of the plate, including, but not limited to, glass covers and tinted plastic covers. Clear plastic covers are permissible as long as they remain clear and do not obstruct the visibility of the plates. Registration stickers issued as evidence of renewed annual registration shall be attached to registration plates as required by the Secretary of State, and be clearly visible at all times.
(Source: P.A. 89-245, eff. 1-1-96; 89-375, eff. 8-18-95; 92-668, eff. 1-1-03.)
Click to expand...
 
#12 ·
from another board, "I was stopped this morning I my way home form work by the ISP. He said he pulled me becuse he could not see my plate. Hes was cool about it He tlod me to get it moved out to the rear of the tire, and he wrote me a warning. He told me that the were told to crack down of the bike this summer for the I-Pass and the high speed passes on the tollways. SO take it how you like could be BS or it could have been a friendly warning..."
 
#13 · (Edited)
speedfreak95 said:
LICENSE PLATE LIGHT: Vehicles must have a white light making the license plate readable from 50 ft. away. The light must be on whenever headlights are lighted.

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/rules_of_the_road/rr_chap11.html
Click to expand...

that's about it, and be horizontal to the ground... as long as it can be read from that distance you should be okay... bending is not a good idea which can get you the same ticket as a tinted plated cover for a car. from what you say and the pics you posted you could get dinged seeing how far back it is and partially obstructed by the hugger but that will be on a cop-by-cop basis.

who cares if the popo can read your plate??? not like you are doing anything illegal, right? :laugh
 
#15 ·
While talking about license plate location resulting from undertails and fender eliminators, what about turn signals? Are there any laws in IL that prohibit modifications to factory turn signals? Must the signals be a prescribed distance from each other? Are the flush mount signals you see on some undertails illegal because they are too close together? Are integrated turn signals illegal, where they essentially use the brake lights as the turn signals (brake light with two bulbs, left one will blink for left turn, right bulb will blink for right turn)? I see a lot of bikes with the integrated, flush mount, and small cat eye blinkers on their bikes, and have always wondered if those modifications were actually legal.
 
#16 ·
78montecarlo said:
While talking about license plate location resulting from undertails and fender eliminators, what about turn signals? Are there any laws in IL that prohibit modifications to factory turn signals? Must the signals be a prescribed distance from each other? Are the flush mount signals you see on some undertails illegal because they are too close together? Are integrated turn signals illegal, where they essentially use the brake lights as the turn signals (brake light with two bulbs, left one will blink for left turn, right bulb will blink for right turn)? I see a lot of bikes with the integrated, flush mount, and small cat eye blinkers on their bikes, and have always wondered if those modifications were actually legal.
Click to expand...
Some of those signals are not DOT approved in the first place.
I would think most states follow along with that to a certain extent.

In Illinois, motorcycles are not required to have turn signals.
Just running headlight.

In Indiana, you MUST have turn signals. But I've seen LEDs or intergrated. and never heard of anyone getting hassled for it.
IC 9-19-7-2.5
Rear view mirrors; speedometers; turn signals
Sec. 2.5. A motorcycle manufactured before January 1, 1956, is not required to be equipped with the following devices:
(1) A rear view mirror.
(2) A speedometer.
(3) Mechanical or electric turn signals.
As added by P.L.63-1994, SEC.5.
 
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#17 ·
What's Missing?

So, its been pretty much 5 years since anyone resurrected this topic, but I'm getting tired of the fuzz being kill joys everytime I ride.

Granted the entire vehicle code was not printed in the Rules of the Road regarding plate holder positioning on any bike, but besides the references noted in this string, the car Rules of the Road , License Plates Requirements, Page 84, states: • Motorcycles, mopeds, trailers, semitrailers and buses registered under
apportionment provisions must display one license plate on the rear of the vehicle.

The IL. Motorcycle Operators Manual, License Plates, Page 3, only reference that plates
are required, and Required Equipment, Page 43, references the plate light.

So why am I getting stopped? My plate has an LED light and stock location in the rear holder, where does it say the plate must be located directly under the seat?
 
#19 ·
Had a cop pull me over because he couldn't see my plate. He was the kind of cop that does inspections on vehicles for the state I guess so he knew all the ins and outs. He explained that although the law only says it has to be behind the rider, it must also be even with or farther back than the rear wheel's axle bold. I didn't know that until then. Food for thought.
 
#20 ·
Don't stop...duh
 
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