1974 CB550 Summer Build

[jamiebridge]

Hello,

This is my first post. I have been using the forum for information over the last 6 months whist I have been completing my build and it has been very useful, thank you to everyone who contributes.

I passed my full license on Thursday but unfortunately the weather is really not great up North at the moment so I have winter prepped the bike and lay it to rest until Spring next year.

I have a few questions:

• I am going to be running a side plate on the bike, what size plates do you guys run? I know the smaller ones are not legal but I am curious if you guys get away with running anything smaller than standard?
• Can I run a black and silver plate on my bike legally? It is a 1974 model.
• I have a weird notch in the front brake lever and i cannot for the life of my figure out what it is, it is towards the end of the travel and it was fine before I swapped the hose for a smaller one and re-bled the brake. Has anyone had anything similar happen?

Thanks in advance.

[Nurse Julie]

Hi Jamie. Welcome to the forum. Yes, you can display a black / Silver number plate on your bike legally. I have the slightly illegel size plate on my 550 Mongrel positioned at the side and have had no issues with it at all. I've been riding the bike about 4 years now and never been pulled by Mr Plod, even after he's been sitting behind me at traffic lights 😊😊😊

[jamiebridge]

Hi Jamie. Welcome to the forum. Yes, you can display a black / Silver number plate on your bike legally. I have the slightly illegel size plate on my 550 Mongrel and have had no issues with it at all. I've been riding the bike about 4 years now and never been pulled by Mr Plod, even after he's been sitting behind me at traffic lights 😊😊😊

Awesome, thanks for the info. What size do you have?

[Nurse Julie]

I'll have a look for the link on ebay in a minute and tell you.

[Nurse Julie]

7" x 5". I think they are officially sold as novelty plates. We've also got a few other bikes, all CB SOHC/4's with that size plate fitted and never had a problem and I still have all the old bikes MOT'd each year with no advisories on the plates.
You can just make out the side plate on my Millie, the Mongrel if you look through the rear wheel😊😊
😊

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[Laverdaroo]

HIYa mate, where abouts in harrogate ar eyou at, I used to live in Jennyfirlds for my sins but ahil from Hookstone area originally.

[Laverdaroo]

Yes my keyboard is knackereed, Im in the qorkshop on the old lap top but you get my gist

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

If you do get stopped by the Fuzz and all there is is an undersized number plate they usually issue a V. D. R. S. Notice giving you time to change the plate & present proof to an Mot station. It's a VEL offence so it's DVLA that prosecute via local CPS - if its a ministry roadside check it might be a fixed penalty. Its not an endorsable offence or wasn't up to 2003.

[Laverdaroo]

As long as its not the size of a credit card or can be read and suits the bike you shouldnt have an issue, the worst you get from a 'seven day wonder' is a re MOT and thats at the VERY worst. Usually they just see the bike with the proper plate back on it and sign it off as completed. At which point you go home put yer old plate on and forget about it.

I've had loads of 'wonders' over the years on the Ducati I recently sold and no come back and the LC, the VFR and my old \RS250; no endorsements and no slapped wrist. Providing youre not taking the p*ss and its not offensive, no worries.

That is unless PC Chris Abbott is still in the Harrogate force? He was a proper tool and tried to nick you for anything, he was  a right kn*b head staright out of cop school!


PC Smith was brilliant and used to say things like..... " It's come to my attention boys, (we were 20 odd at the time) that there's a rhumour that some lads on bikes round here are using Guiness labels as a sort of tax disc, I'd hate to see one of those on a bike that you lot owned, you'd be right in the mire for that one "

We all had them on our bikes as a rebellious way of saying get stuffed and it was his way of 'a warn' without looking and having to nick us. He was a proper copper, one of the old guard and a real gent. He knew but gave us grace as we were just young uns, un like PC Abbott who was simply a git being fresh put of cop school and trying to make his presence felt.

We made our presence felt instead by nicking his petrol cap off his car and replacing it with a different lockable one and then after much goading (sp?), especially afer seeing him get on a bus one morning, sent him the keys to it a month later.

He knew full well it was us but couldnt prove it.

A VERY high level of chuckling was had. He tried his best to get us all after that but we alwasy stayed one step ahead of him, even when he was circulatimg on his new unmarked GSXR 750 and black leathjers and tried to keep up with us on the way back to Harrogate from the cafe at Sherburn one night.

Think we beat him back to town by about 30mins


Loser

[jamiebridge]

7" x 5". I think they are officially sold as novelty plates. We've also got a few other bikes, all CB SOHC/4's with that size plate fitted and never had a problem and I still have all the old bikes MOT'd each year with no advisories on the plates.
You can just make out the side plate on my Millie, the Mongrel if you look through the rear wheel😊😊
😊

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Thats great thank you

[jamiebridge]

HIYa mate, where abouts in harrogate ar eyou at, I used to live in Jennyfirlds for my sins but ahil from Hookstone area originally.

It's a small world! I am just off Knaresborough.

[Laverdaroo]

Where abouts, Stavely end or out Scotton way?

[Kelly E]

Nice 74' CB550's, here's mine.

[MrDavo]

My Sportster has had an undersize plate from new - fitted by the dealer it was the only size that fitted between the mudguard and HD luggage rack. Like with the loud pipes (never been a problem, Harleys all sound like that), my MOT guy and I have an understanding that, if plod asks, it was obviously legal when tested, and I've changed it since.

I recently saw an advantage to side mounted plates I'd never though of - a chopper with one overtook me at speed just before the local speed camera. As he passed the camera he just casually put his left hand down behind him and covered the plate!