Exhaust and Number Plates - Police view

[keith_d]

Bit of an old favourite here, but I'll post the stock answer.

Rules for a bike plate are that it must be on two lines with letters of a particular size and font. The gaps between the letters and the border around them are also specified in the legislation.

In practical terms, the ACPO guidelines for enforcement recommend that the plate should be clearly legible at 20 meters and have no fancy fonts. However, this is an area where officers have some discretion, both on whether to stop you and whether to issue a rectification notice and/or a fine.

If you're riding somewhere near the speed limit and your can isn't too loud your chances of getting stopped are small (North Wales excepted). On the other hand if you've got straight through pipes and are pi**ing off other road users you might reasonably expect every little detail to be examined.

Is there any place I can have a look at the law concerning the noise levels produced by motorcycle exhausts and the legality of the noise levels? I really haven't a clue lol.

[Red Herring]

The best place to look is on your exhaust. If it has "Not for road use" or similar then it's illegal. If it has BS and E numbers/symbols on it then it's probably legal...provided it still has the removable baffle in it.

I've never seen the police with a db meter.

[7755matt]

I've seen some roadside checks with a dB meter, maybe not the police though.

My 'vin' plate has a dB limit on it of 87, my exhaust is bang on 99 which is just ok for an MSVA test, although i assume its a bit iffy if the bike is plated at 87dB?

i recently had my bike mot,d and had an advise on no rear reflector. i was talking with the tester about exhausts and cans marked not for road use, apparently if he could see this he would fail the test, but if a piece of tape was put over the writing, so it could not be seen, he would pass the bike. he is not allowed to deface the machine. removing tape is defacing !

[7755matt]

If it's daylight use then fine on no reflector. If it has lights then it should have failed for no reflector

Originally Posted by 7755matt

If it's daylight use then fine on no reflector. If it has lights then it should have failed for no reflector

There is no such thing as a "daylight use" or "daytime" MOT.

[Stu]

DNFTFT

like your style

[7755matt]

Originally Posted by speedplay

There is no such thing as a "daylight use" or "daytime" MOT.

I didn't say there was, I just said that if the vehicle is only used during daylight hours and not at times of reduced visibility then the testers manual makes allowance for that and says needs no position lights, at which point it loses all requirement for other lights and reflectors, but needs a horn