Hitchcocks Forum

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone can give me a definitive answer on this issue.

I'm due to purchase a 2006 Bullet Electra X in the very near future, and I like the idea of displaying an old style (pre '72) black and silver number plate on the bike. I'm aware of course that it would be illegal to use its current 2006 registration on a plate of that nature, but what if I were to purchase an old pre '72 registration for the bike. Would it then be permissible to display that registration on a black and silver plate?

Hope you can help.

Dave Bennett.

ps. A great community you have here!

i wondered about this but the information i got was...



If the vehicle was registered before 1st January 1973 then it may have traditional black white plates.



From this I gather that you may buy/transfer a traditional number " Y0U T1T " to your bike, but if the bike was not registered or manufactured before 1973, you have to have it in yellow. Yeuck!



Could be wrong of course!

Scalyback Simon

Sorry David but, although old style plates are occasionally seen on modern vehicles they are not legal. Black and white plates may only be fitted on vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1973.

I know a couple of bikes using black and silver plates quite illegally. The plod don't seem to bother and there don't seem to be issues at MOT. I don't think it's an endorsable offence so no points if your local PC did nab you.

Quite right Peter unless another offense has been committed when the book may well be thrown and/or more seriously in the event of an accident when an insurer may well use that as a get out leaving someone with a problem

Thank you all very much for the replies. I guess I'll hang fire on the number plate idea for the present, and just concentrate on enjoying Enfield ownership.

Best wishes to you all for the coming season.

Dave.

Without wishing to upset anyone, I'm personally not a fan of Electras. Why not buy a 'proper' Enfield, pre '73 You can then have the black and white plates and still have a lot of fun as well. You could display a black and white plate on an Electra and take the risk, but on a 2006 the numbering will look naff!

Midge you charlatan the electra is without a doubt terrible!!!but with the help of a good mr h big end and his tuning kit it willl run forever as mine is doing quite trouble free almost forgot junk the whole electric start caboodle fit 50,s tool boxes and youve got a bighead bullet for half the cost remember mine can quite easily go over 70 mph it does 105 on the enfield clock but its really 89mph lol happy days paul

Midge wrote: "Without wishing to upset anyone, I'm personally not a fan of Electras. Why not buy a 'proper' Enfield, pre '73 You can then have the black and white plates and still have a lot of fun as well. You could display a black and white plate on an Electra and take the risk, but on a 2006 the numbering will look naff!"

Hi Midge. Well, if funds would stretch to nicely restored example of a Redditch Enfield, I might just consider that option. But I'm sure I'll be more than happy with my intended purchase. And I agree about sticking a modern registration on a 'classic look' plate, that wouldn't appeal to me at all. However an older registration (purchased from the usual sources) would look the part I reckon.

grunda 12 wrote: "Midge you charlatan the electra is without a doubt terrible!!!but with the help of a good mr h big end and his tuning kit it willl run forever as mine is doing quite trouble free almost forgot junk the whole electric start caboodle fit 50,s tool boxes and youve got a bighead bullet for half the cost remember mine can quite easily go over 70 mph it does 105 on the enfield clock but its really 89mph lol happy days paul"

Lol! I'm quite enjoying the opinions expressed. I think Enfield ownership is promising to be quite entertaining!

I know they are not popular but I have two Electra X engines, one in a WD replica sidecar outfit and in a 2005 bike, and they are great. Re number plate my MoT tester said he would fail the bike if it had a black/white number plate. I have a painted white on black number plate for 'other' times and a bolted modern plate for MoT. Enjoy riding the bike and it may break down but so will lots of other bikes.