How To Flip your Plate

[Gas Man]

So if you don't like or have bruised shins or are tired of getting harassed about your horizontal plate...

So you look something like this now.

So pull the state plate first with the four allen bolts.

Now pull and remove the 4 bolts holding the backing plate to the support arm.
(you don't need to remove the LED hood, but consider doing so if you plan on spraying the board with sealant)
(also note, yes mine is already flipped but needed to be replaced so now I make the how to)

This is the said supporting arm

Now lets take a looky at the before and after
Left is the new one not setup for vertical
Right is the old one that has been ran vertical

New/not yet flipped. You can see the "pre-drilled" holes for the flip

Old/has been flipped

Just to show you... I labeled the Horizontal (H) and Vertical (V) holes.

Horizontal

Veritcal

 

[Gas Man]

Now let's get to work.

Get out your safety glasses...you only have one set of eyes and KMart is sold out.

Then you will need a 1/4", 21/64" (or 5/16"), 7/16", and 1/2".

It will also help you if you can clamp the backing plate against a piece of wood like so

Now drill out those 4 started holes with your 1/4" bit

Now drill out those same 4 holes with the other sizes. Now the VERY IMPORTANT, DO NOT DRILL THRU!!!!!! If you look at it this way, drill half way with the 5/16", then a third way with the 7/16", then 1/2" a quarter the way. This will created a counter sink for you.

And your bolts will fit flushed

Now I'm doing Jakes http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/955-saving-your-plate-light-water-damage.html to my plate as well. Both the electrical sealant spray and the water channel mod.

Busted out the dremel and a small cutting disk to make my water channel

Reassemble everything and now you look cool instead of looking like a fool! :2thumbs: :lol:

 

[KRAUT]

Another good one Gas. Could someone with the vert plate take a pic with the kickstand up to show that clearence... On another thread some one mentioned the law about the bottom of the plate being 12" above the ground. Even horizontal ours are 9". Wonder how much lower the vert makes it-could get busted for that one. Da Man will f--- with ya anyway he can especially if you're out of state.

 

[Gas Man]

Yeah it really is easy... just need some drill bits and a clamp...

I suggest the clamp for those grabs.. no need to try to wrestle holding onto it. A drill press would probably be best... but I don't have one... so I make due.

Also, again, please wear safety glasses on this one... a metal shaving to the eye will be hell to pay.

 

[Gas Man]

I have also been thinking about the water hole drain thing... could go with a 1/8" drill hole thru the backing plate at the bottom of that channel. It would only be one more hole in amungst the other 45...

 

[Chopper Dave]

hell yeah!! here is mine....

 

[T Mack]

1st Mod....

Thanks Gas, just finished my first Mod...
Flip'd my plate...:2thumbs:
Followed your instructions piece of cake.....:up:
Water proofed board
Also I dremel'd the water drain slot...

 

[N8KAM]

Here is what the Michigan code says.. Nothing about how it is mounted just that it is lit with white lights....

MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE

257.686 Rear lamps; exemption; requirements for implement of husbandry; pickup camper.
Sec. 686.
(1) A motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or vehicle which is being drawn in a train of vehicles shall be equipped with at least 1 rear lamp mounted on the rear, which, when lighted as required by this act, shall emit a red light plainly visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear.

(2) Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp shall be constructed and placed so as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of 50 feet to the rear. A tail lamp or tail lamps, together with any separate lamp for illuminating the rear registration plate, shall be wired so as to be lighted whenever the head lamps or auxiliary driving lamps are lighted.


257.689 Clearance and marker lamps and reflectors; color.

Sec. 689.
(a) Front clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color.

(b) Rear clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color.

(c) All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect a red color, except the stop light or other signal device, which may be red or amber, and except that the light illuminating the license plate shall be white.

 

[N8KAM]

OK talked to a friend from Dearborn Hts PD, And one from Taylor PD. and a Bellville cop that had his cruiser in the dealer.....
While the Bellville cop was a bit arrogant and i just kind of pulled him aside.. plus i think he has a bit of a problem with the crotch rocket bikes..

All three agree in that the plate mounted vertical is a violation and written as "improper display".. I think that this is taken from the "readable from 50 feet part of the law" While the bellville guy can and would pull you over for the plate alone both DB Hts and Taylor would not.... but this is different from officer to officer. If you are pulled over for say "speeding" noooo none of us...... they might write the plate for the fine only offence. aka "city revenue" and give you a break on the speeding that has points involved..

I have known my friend from DB Hts for over 25 years and he also rides/teaches rider safety at Biker Bobs.... so i respect his explanations..
they run a LOT of plates every day for various reasons like "be on the look out for a stolen chopper plate # *** And since the eye and people in general learn to read left to right not up or down this makes it difficult to read. especially when trying to follow at a safe distance from a bike. This seems to be more of an issue with the sport bikes that have the plates shoved under the fender and are not visible .

So what to do..... It's up to you... ME I'll stay vert till i get a ticket... try to fight it and see what happens.. or offer to turn it back before they write the ticket...