Tail Tidy - Number plate catches tyre...

I bought a 2004 SV650s a couple of weeks ago and think it's brilliant. When I bought it, my SV had a cheapo non standard hugger and tail tidy. Sadly, when heading up Shoreditch way I went over a manhole cover and the rear when caught the number plate, making a mess of my rear plastic, ripping off the number plate and indicators, and destroying my hugger!!! I managed to botch it back together and have binned the hugger and ordered a HAMICAD tail tidy. The guys assure me it shouldn't catch the rear wheel even when the back end is compressed. Has anyone else experienced this? Is the Hamicad version going to cure this expensive problem? And has anyone got a nice cheap black hugger for my beastie?

[fizzwheel]

My other half has a hamicad on her K5 SVS, shes had her bike lowered so that its easier for her to get her foot down and her back wheel has never rubbed or touched the number plate. I reckon you'll be fine.

Thats good to know. Fingers crossed then. It's proving expensive! So far destroyed 1xBridgestone Battleaxe rear tyre, (£130) messed up rear plastic, (new tail tidy £55), destroyed hugger (£120), blown indicator bulbs (£5), destroyed number plate (£15), currently held on with cable ties!

I guess the moral is: DON'T FIT CHEAPO TAILPIECES! (Even though the previous owner did this to mine). Doh!

[fizzwheel]

If you are really worried about clearances, Get yourself a smaller number plate. You really wont have a problem then, and your bike will look better to. Although you might get into trouble with Mr Plod for it

Hmm, I am tempted, but seeing as our beloved PLOD have already given me 6 points (in the car!) on the M4 in the last few months, and I already have mini indicators and an EVO exhaust (which appears to be missing a baffle), I daren't risk it! They already give me the evil eye every time I pass and I'm completely paranoid about cameras and plain clothes plodders. Couldn't cope with losing my license!
What IS the deal with Mr Plod? I mean, can't they see the advantage of loud exhausts on bikes in terms of road safety? And what about all these boy racers in their cars with super-loud straight thru systems? Do they ever get pulled?

[fizzwheel]

As long as you dont ride in a way that attracts their attention then they'll probably leave you alone.

Hammicads work fine

I've never had a problem with a small plate in London, or twin unbaffled Scorpions

[Kylie]

I've got a full size plate and the hamicad tidy, ridden over plenty of deep potholes and never had a bother. Don't have a hugger mind.

Oh, and IMHO loud cans have no safety benefit at all, but I'm usually in a minority on that...

Bit of a grey area that though, I mean, filtering for instance, nobody seems to really know if we are actually allowed to do that. Bus lanes, ok so we aren't supposed to, but if I'm just a foot or so into the bus lane going slow (under speed limit) is that OK? I'm not sure about any of this! I'm a complete newbie really having had an RG125 10 years ago and just passed my test and started riding in London a couple of weeks ago! that bus lane issue is a nitemare on Jamaica road, cameras everywhere and plod pretty much every 1/2 mile on my route home!

[Viney]

I have had a race can and small plate for years never had a p[robelm....(you watch i'll get nabbed on the way home)