MI plate specifics

[TallBoysWRF]

Anyone know where to easily get what the law says exactly about how a lic. plate has to me mounted on a motorcycle. I got pulled over last night by one of the village police and he told me that having my plate mounted up under my fender was not going to cut it. He also thought that turn signals were required (but I corrected him since they are not a category on the green form) so I question what he actually knows about how it has to be mounted. I could use some help. If I am actually good to go, I want to be able to prove it if the same guy pulls me over again.

[sndmn2]

I"m thinking he just wanted to check to see if you had legal knobbies, insurance, ladyda,ladyda. If you had everything he probobly ran out of ideas. I think your good to go however I can"t recite exacly what the law says. You could always tell him that it has passed police inspection and is in accordance to secretary of staes just as it sits. When you say under the fender,is it litteraly under the fender? Or is it on an extension of the fender?

[PumpkinHumper]

My plate hangs down off the end of the rear fender. I think his is mounted under the fender were the tire runs. I think Wolfchild runs his like that too. I would think that as long as you have a liscense plate light that it should be fine. I have seen Harleys with the plate mounted in stranger locations.

[duckboy]

On the green sheet I had to use it said I needed a licence plate mounted with a light so as to be clearly visible in the day or night. I took it as meaning that a cop should be able to read it while following me in the day or night. I was scratching my head and thinking how did you guys get away with plates cut up, hidden, unlit, on the side, under the fender, and on top of the fender. On the other hand your plates are much less likely to get torn off than mine, hanging at the end of my fender. I still haven't figured out how to please the po-po and not destroy my plate.

[wolf_child]

you are correct about mine and tallboys plate placement. I have small LED platelights. have only ben nabbed for it once in years and the po-po just didnt see it, when I pointed it out to him he never even asked for my paperwork, just waived me on.

[Aklain]

I have a KTM and mounted mine right under the rear tail light. I also bent the sides of the plate under to shorten its width, that way it doesnt hang off the edges of the fender. I have been stopped once but that was because the sheriff deputy couldnt see the plate. It was a little caked with mud. First thing out of his mouth when he came up was, "I didnt see all that back there" and he rubbed the mud off the sticker to make sure it was current. I have a state trooper and a sheriff deputy that lives near me. I showed them the bike. Only thing they really care about is the plate...is it visible.

Up around Baldwin I have seen Cr, Yz and the like w/o headlights and tails riding the road during daylight hours and the man hasnt touched them. They have a plate on the back. I myself would not temp doing that.

[2TrakR]

And the winner is:

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.asp?page=getObject&objName=mcl-257-225&queryid=9842600&highlight=motor%20vehicle%20and%20plate

257.225 Registration plate; attachment to vehicle; legibility; color; distinctive registration plates; name plate, insignia, or advertising device prohibited; violation as civil infraction.

Sec. 225.

(1) A registration plate issued for a vehicle shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Except that a registration plate issued for a truck tractor or road tractor shall be attached to the front of that vehicle.

(2) A registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which the plate is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging. The plate shall be attached at a height of not less than 12 inches from the ground, measured from the bottom of the plate, in a place and position which is clearly visible. The plate shall be maintained free from foreign materials that obscure or partially obscure the registration information, and in a clearly legible condition.

(3) A registration plate or the expiration tab on the registration plate shall be of a different color designated by the secretary of state with a marked contrast between the color of the registration plate and the numerals or letters on the plate. The secretary of state may provide a distinctive registration plate as a replacement for a standard plate. To honor a special or historical event, the secretary of state may provide a commemorative plate as a replacement for a standard plate.

(4) A person shall not attach a name plate, insignia, or advertising device to a motor vehicle registration plate in a manner which obscures or partially obscures the registration information.

(5) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle which has a name plate, insignia, or advertising device attached to a motor vehicle registration plate in a manner which obscures or partially obscures the registration information.

(6) A person who violates this section is responsible for a civil infraction.

[wolf_child]

OK.... My plate IS visible from the rear and DOES have license plate lights. It IS horizintal to the vehicle and does not swing.

[PumpkinHumper]

And I believe you are not supposed to modify the plate in any way. So I am thinking that your hackjob on your plate may not be quite legal. Your such an outlaw. Even bending the corners of the plate around the fender is technically a nono. I did this on ly yz400 so i am an outlaw also.

[wolf_child]

HA!!!! Me, bend the rules? fom my stealth lighting to my stealth plate to my stealth mirrors... NONE of which it DOT aproved. but ask me if I care. My FL tag and FL address keeps MI 5-0 off my back. FL may be hard on D-S conversions, but My bike CAME legal, so I can do just about any thing to it as long as it has a head light and tail light they dont care. so as long as I'm registered in FL. MI laws dont really aply to me.

[sndmn2]

Guess mine is illegal. It doesn't hand horizontal.

[TallBoysWRF]

And the winner is:

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.asp?page=getObject&objName=mcl-257-225&queryid=9842600&highlight=motor%20vehicle%20and%20plate

257.225 Registration plate; attachment to vehicle; legibility; color; distinctive registration plates; name plate, insignia, or advertising device prohibited; violation as civil infraction.

Sec. 225.

(1) A registration plate issued for a vehicle shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Except that a registration plate issued for a truck tractor or road tractor shall be attached to the front of that vehicle.

(2) A registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which the plate is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging. The plate shall be attached at a height of not less than 12 inches from the ground, measured from the bottom of the plate, in a place and position which is clearly visible. The plate shall be maintained free from foreign materials that obscure or partially obscure the registration information, and in a clearly legible condition.

(3) A registration plate or the expiration tab on the registration plate shall be of a different color designated by the secretary of state with a marked contrast between the color of the registration plate and the numerals or letters on the plate. The secretary of state may provide a distinctive registration plate as a replacement for a standard plate. To honor a special or historical event, the secretary of state may provide a commemorative plate as a replacement for a standard plate.

(4) A person shall not attach a name plate, insignia, or advertising device to a motor vehicle registration plate in a manner which obscures or partially obscures the registration information.

(5) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle which has a name plate, insignia, or advertising device attached to a motor vehicle registration plate in a manner which obscures or partially obscures the registration information.

(6) A person who violates this section is responsible for a civil infraction.

Well from what that says I am still worried. I would be better off if I get a couple LED's like wolf, but the mud on it could be a problem. I think I could easily fight it if I got a ticket, since I don't see the cops ticketing everyone with snow in front of thier plate on their car or a trailer ball on the bumper of a truck. I am still worried about it "hiding" up under the fender.

plate

It is not really all that visible unless you are right behind me. Especially when there is a bit of mud on it. I did get enough mud on it when I had it out on the end of my fender that you could not see it very well there either (I put the plate up under my fender when the bracket broke).

I would like to find something about a plate specifically on a motorcycle though

[PumpkinHumper]

You know....If you guys wouldn't crash so much you would be able to mount your plates at the end of your rear fender like the rest of us do

[wolf_child]

I mount mine there cuz plates are ugly.

[PumpkinHumper]

I mount mine there cuz plates are ugly.

Well so is that Yell....... no I aint going there

[wolf_child]

at least my bike isnt a slightly darker shade of PINK

[TallBoysWRF]

Well, I stopped at the state police post on the way home and talked to a guy there about this. He said that to be sure to check the Vehicle code. He said that there is a spot that refers directly to motorcycles (I guess other than what was posted earlier) so I will have to keep hunting. But in any case, he said that he should be able to clearly see it in his mirror when he drives by. He said that where I have it it is up to the discretion of the officer that pulls me over, if he gives me a ticket or not. I guess I should either get a YZ setup like YZman, or just make another bracket to mount it under the tail light, but this time make it so it won't crack out from the center (rear) bolt.

[wolf_child]

Well, I stopped at the state police post on the way home and talked to a guy there about this. He said that to be sure to check the Vehicle code. He said that there is a spot that refers directly to motorcycles (I guess other than what was posted earlier) so I will have to keep hunting. But in any case, he said that he should be able to clearly see it in his mirror when he drives by. He said that where I have it it is up to the discretion of the officer that pulls me over, if he gives me a ticket or not. I guess I should either get a YZ setup like YZman, or just make another bracket to mount it under the tail light, but this time make it so it won't crack out from the center (rear) bolt.

That, my friend, is the real story. this is one of those grey area "interpretation of the law" tickets. 9 times outta 10, if you fight it you will win. there are alot of tickets that are given out each year just out of boredom. these laws are open to many different interpretations so you get 1 gung-ho cop sitting around bored or pissed off cuz his woman cut him off, and he sees you...DIrt bike, on the street, ...there has got to be a ticket in there some where. I personally dont sweat it. the stop me and actually write me for it, i'll fight it, and will win.

[PumpkinHumper]

Bajadesigns makes a really nice LED tailight/brakelight setup. I have it on my X and it works great. If I did it again on the YZ I would ditch the UFO KTM knockoff tailight and get the baja designs one. The KTM one works and its pretty cheep at $25. But the LED tailight is worth the price. Not only is it way more durable but its brighter. For $50 is should be. I then mounted my license to a 1/8" aluminum plate to strenghten it.

And yea you may be able to fight a ticket and win.....but why even have to. I personaly have better things to do with my time than to hang out at the court house hoping the cop shows up.

Here is the tailight on my X from bajadesigns. Ill try to get another one with the plate mount.

[2TrakR]

Having your plates "tucked up" under the fender is what is irking the cop(s). Had the same problem on my truck(s). I'd mount the plate up under the frame, just behind the rear axle. With 14" of lift, the plate was visible from 15' and further when behind the vehicle and I didn't have to keep going back to the last mud pit looking for what was left of the plate. 2 stops by very irritated LEOs later and I put the plate back on the bumper (well that and a number of fixit tickets/threats of towing).

Very true about the interpretation thing as well, all of it boils down to that. Greatest example in the world is the loud exhaust ticket. I've gotten, er, several of those with my cars/trucks but all the Hardly Discernables rumbling around do not get the same ticket.