Pulled Over For Fender Eliminator

After a nice day out on the back roads I got on the Highway to head back home. The LEO who pulled me over said he could not see my license plate. After a few minutes he gave me back my license with a warning.  I guess it's in their computer now that I've been warned. I can understand it if he did not see the plate from the side. But he was directly behind me for several minutes, where the plate could be clearly seen, before he pulled me over.

Have any of you with fender eliminators been ticketed? Have any of you gone back to the stock? I saw how one person had bolted the top of his license plate to the bottom holes of the fender elim. to lower the plate in an attempt to make it more visible.

I have OEM side cases and brackets. Still haven't put a piece of metal back in to join the left and right luggage brackets. It does not look good at this point and may have cotributed to drawing the LEO's attention in the first place. I plan to use a piece of aluminum to join the left and right and then mount an additional LED Brake/tail light strip on there. So the additional tail light strip would appear below the Fender Elim/plate. I really like the look of the fender elim. So I'm hoping that with the addition of LED strip it will seem more visible to the LEOs.

As far as I know, all that is required for the plate mount to be DOT legal is that it have "white" light dedicated to it.  I've seen some riders cut a small portion of the tail light housing away and replace it with clear plastic (like from a CD jewel case).

Someone in florida got pulled over for same thing and their plate was in the wheel well and viewble, just not good enough I guess


Must be a nationwide effort brewing

[image: View Post]spud786, on Aug 6 2008, 10:51 PM, said:

Must be a nationwide effort brewing Or a slightly overzealous LEO.   :goofy:

No fender eliminator for me.  While I don't love huge OEM fenders, I don't need another reason to be pulled over, right or wrong, ya know?  Speeding is the only thing I've ever been pulled over for.  I will not give cops any other reason to stop me.

I'm not stereotyping the fender eliminator crowd, but the first thing many squids do is yank that puppy.  Cop sees lack of rear fender and stops you, thinking perhaps he'll find an even better reason to bust you once you're off the bike.  Examples:  Lack of proper license, no insurance, expired registration, possession, outstanding warrant, etc.  Of course, NONE of those apply to me, but I still don't want to be hassled.

Besides, that OEM fender probably helps keep my butt and the backs of my legs dry when I ride in the rain!   :biggrin:

This thread makes me wonder if folks get ticketed for having their plate mounted on the end of their swingarm, esp. those that are "wrapped" around it vertically.

I've found that giving the authorities "another" reason to pull me over is actually a good thing.  I have always received non-moving violations instead of the speeding tickets that they could've issued.  Being slightly illegal has saved my butt several times.

[image: View Post]ECX585, on Aug 6 2008, 10:46 PM, said:

As far as I know, all that is required for the plate mount to be DOT legal is that it have "white" light dedicated to it.  I've seen some riders cut a small portion of the tail light housing away and replace it with clear plastic (like from a CD jewel case).
yes most states require you to have a light on your plate fender or not bike or car

I got a ticket in FL for my plate. It was attached to the stock mounting location, minus the fender and the light.

It was quota time and the cop was pulling over every vehicle that passed him while sitting on the side of the road (in front of his substation) after he let his last stop go.

Eventually got it thrown out, even though FL's law states something ridiculous, like the tag must be plainly readable from 87,000 ft away, which was not possible with the plates issued by the DMV.

I had a Texas DPS (highway patrol) on my tail for about 1 mile, and I mean he was less than 20 feet behind me and didn't pull me over and had Louisiana license plate too. When I turned into my street I hit the brakes pretty hard, he had to slam on his too!!! lucky Mo Fo didn't hit me, I would have sued his tail riding as!

I dont want to say this to start anything but I have to disagree with the fact they "do it for less salary than most ".  All the fuzz I know make damn good money and as for the fact they get assaulted and kiled......well thats their choice. true There are much better uses for my tax dollars than pulling somone over for "PETTY " crap.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Aug 7 2008, 01:48 AM, said:

I'll be in a self imposed 10 day ban for this diatribe, thanks for coming out. Your points are well-taken, Timmy.  No need to pout.  http://www.vfrdiscus...tyle_emoticons/default/wink.gif  And I hope this doesn't become a cop-bashing thread.  I don't hate cops, and I'm sure most people here don't either.  In fact, I have a lot of respect for most LEOs.  They do a tough and mostly thankless job.

You may not hassle people, and that's great, but I think motorcyclists get 'profiled' to some extent, so a partially-hidden license plate is like an open invitation to be stopped and cited, or at least lectured.


To put this in a little perspective, when we get pulled over for (IMO) a minor infraction - or followed very closely for a few miles for no apparent reason - after an idiotic cager almost took us out by changing lanes without bothering to look just a few minutes earlier, it seems a little unfair.

Hard-to-see license plate vs. just-about-got-killed by terrible driver...kind of hard to believe that of these two incidents the license plate is the bigger issue.  I know, I know...the bad lane change wasn't witnessed, while the plate is there for anyone to see (or not see) all the time.  That's the difference and I can understand that, but just once I'd like to see a bad cager near me pulled over for their actions.  (Getting way OT here.)


My point was that having a fender eliminator kit is grounds for being pulled over and cited, which I just don't need.  And you have to admit that once you pull someone over, anything else that's wrong (license/registration/insurance) is going to be caught, right?  So why provide an easy reason to stop you in the first place?

BTW, I think most people who do the fender eliminator thing do it b/c they think it looks cool, not b/c they're actually trying to hide their plates.  That may be the reason (or side benefit) for some people, but IMHO it's usually a style thing.

"Your points are well-taken, Timmy. No need to pout."

You are absolutely right. This is the wrong medium for this. It was in bad judgement. Lets just enjoy our riding.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Aug 7 2008, 08:25 AM, said:

"Your points are well-taken, Timmy. No need to pout."

You are absolutely right. This is the wrong medium for this. It was in bad judgement. Lets just enjoy our riding.

did I miss something here or was your post "edited" out of the list?

[image: View Post]LDSRIDER, on Aug 7 2008, 02:46 AM, said:

did I miss something here or was your post "edited" out of the list?
Yeah, there was a post by Timmy here earlier that isn't here anymore.

It's usually a simple case of "Bad Cop Day" combined with "Bad Luck Day"..................... :fing02:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Aug 7 2008, 03:25 AM, said:

"Your points are well-taken, Timmy. No need to pout."

You are absolutely right. This is the wrong medium for this. It was in bad judgement. Lets just enjoy our riding. I understand.  And I probably came off as a jerk in my 1st post on this thread.  It must get old feeling like you're being flamed by fellow riders, so I don't mind LEOs defending their profession - it's good to hear both sides, ya know?  http://www.vfrdiscus...tyle_emoticons/default/smile.gif

I made a custom swingarm plate mount for my CBR, which mounts the plate vertically on the right side of the swingarm off the axle. I put lights on it and rode it over to the local PD, and also the State Trooper barracks and asked a couple P.O.'s for their opinions on it, along with their badge numbers after thay gave me the ok. I keep the numbers in my wallet when I ride the bike in case of hassle, but haven't had any problems yet.

Michigan plate has to be horizontal and be able to be viewed clearly.  Wheel wells and vertially placed on swing arm would be in violation.

257.225 Registration plate; attachment to vehicle; legibility; color; distinctive registration plates;
name plate, insignia, or advertising device prohibited; violation as civil
infraction. [M.S.A. 9.1925]
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.

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on Aug 7 2008, 03:20 AM, said:

[image: View Post]LDSRIDER, on Aug 7 2008, 02:46 AM, said:

did I miss something here or was your post "edited" out of the list?
Yeah, there was a post by Timmy here earlier that isn't here anymore.

Damn, I missed out and didn't even get to Ban anyone! :biggrin:

I think they will at times just pull you over to check you out and need a probable cause to do so.  I got pulled over by one of the Reservation LEO's in NC as I had passed on DY, but said after letting me go that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't drunk! :fing02:

I have been cautioned once, when I was pulled over for speeding.  I didn't receive any paper for either the speeding or the plate location.  From the side the plate is harder to read - but from the rear - it is in plain sight.

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 07:47 AM, said:

I got pulled over by one of the Reservation LEO's in NC as I had passed on DY, but said after letting me go that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't drunk! :biggrin:
Why, were you DLUI (driving like under the influence)?   :laugh:

[image: View Post]skuuter trash, on Aug 7 2008, 03:49 AM, said:

It's usually a simple case of "Bad Cop Day" combined with "Bad Luck Day"..................... :rolleyes:
I think it was mostly a combination of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and a young LEO who may have been a bit overzealous. When he saw that I wasn't a kid it might have worked in my favor. I may possibly go by the Highway patrol post, as Seb did, and get the opinions of some of the officers.  Maybe one of them will say, "looks okay to me."

[image: View Post]ggathagan, on Aug 7 2008, 01:16 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 07:47 AM, said:

I got pulled over by one of the Reservation LEO's in NC as I had passed on DY, but said after letting me go that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't drunk! :laugh:
Why, were you DLUI (driving like under the influence)?   :laugh:


I was going back and forth across the double yellow! :biggrin:

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 03:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]ggathagan, on Aug 7 2008, 01:16 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 07:47 AM, said:

I got pulled over by one of the Reservation LEO's in NC as I had passed on DY, but said after letting me go that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't drunk! :laugh:
Why, were you DLUI (driving like under the influence)?   :laugh:


I was going back and forth across the double yellow! :biggrin:


Musta had his radar off, huh?   :laugh:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on Aug 7 2008, 02:24 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 03:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]ggathagan, on Aug 7 2008, 01:16 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 07:47 AM, said:

I got pulled over by one of the Reservation LEO's in NC as I had passed on DY, but said after letting me go that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't drunk! :laugh:
Why, were you DLUI (driving like under the influence)?   :laugh:


I was going back and forth across the double yellow! :biggrin:


Musta had his radar off, huh?   :laugh:

"Obviously".......... :laugh:

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 01:47 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on Aug 7 2008, 03:20 AM, said:

[image: View Post]LDSRIDER, on Aug 7 2008, 02:46 AM, said:

did I miss something here or was your post "edited" out of the list?
Yeah, there was a post by Timmy here earlier that isn't here anymore.

Damn, I missed out and didn't even get to Ban anyone! :biggrin:

I think they will at times just pull you over to check you out and need a probable cause to do so.  I got pulled over by one of the Reservation LEO's in NC as I had passed on DY, but said after letting me go that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't drunk! :laugh:

It wasnt Ban-worthy, but it was outside of what were are here for, so I self edited. (no more sangria fueled posts after a crappy day on the job)



Also, A friend of mine solved this problem by always riding around with his plate under his seat. If/when he got pulled, he would just say that his bracket failed just down the road, and he was heading straight home to fix it.

It worked for years.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Aug 7 2008, 03:39 PM, said:

Also, A friend of mine solved this problem by always riding around with his plate under his seat. If/when he got pulled, he would just say that his bracket failed just down the road, and he was heading straight home to fix it.

It worked for years.
I take it he never got pulled over by the same guy twice? Heh!

Personally I see a lot of people with the fender mod and wonder why they dont get pulled over. What about those people who put aftermarket turn signals that are tiny and you can barely see them on?

[image: View Post]eric29, on Aug 7 2008, 03:42 PM, said:

Personally I see a lot of people with the fender mod and wonder why they dont get pulled over. What about those people who put aftermarket turn signals that are tiny and you can barely see them on?
if they're DOT approved, they're legal... that said, half of them aren't. Same goes for a lot of exhausts out there...

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on Aug 7 2008, 02:39 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Aug 7 2008, 01:47 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on Aug 7 2008, 03:20 AM, said:

[image: View Post]LDSRIDER, on Aug 7 2008, 02:46 AM, said:

did I miss something here or was your post "edited" out of the list?
Yeah, there was a post by Timmy here earlier that isn't here anymore.

Damn, I missed out and didn't even get to Ban anyone! :biggrin:

I think they will at times just pull you over to check you out and need a probable cause to do so.  I got pulled over by one of the Reservation LEO's in NC as I had passed on DY, but said after letting me go that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't drunk! :laugh:

It wasnt Ban-worthy, but it was outside of what were are here for, so I self edited. (no more sangria fueled posts after a crappy day on the job)



Also, A friend of mine solved this problem by always riding around with his plate under his seat. If/when he got pulled, he would just say that his bracket failed just down the road, and he was heading straight home to fix it.

It worked for years.

(IMO) Didn't seem that much over the top, but good "Self-Policing Timmy"........ :laugh:   I have to do it sometimes also after I re-read what I wrote.......and then sometimes I need "straightening out" by the "VFRD MOD Police"........happens...... :laugh:

[image: View Post]eric29, on Aug 7 2008, 02:42 PM, said:

Personally I see a lot of people with the fender mod and wonder why they dont get pulled over. What about those people who put aftermarket turn signals that are tiny and you can barely see them on? Why don't old people get pulled over for not using them in the first place?

Speaking of car turn signals, why arn't amber signal required like they are in other countries?  I mean honestly, a red flashing light does not get your attention like an amber light does.