Looks like not all Historic Vehicles can display B&W number plates.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I was thinking of fitting Black & Silver plates on my Superdream that is Historic for Taxation purposes.
Looks like it's not road legal to do that as it was first rgistered in August 1980, not a biggie my 400 has reflective plates.

I'm assuming the leiglation was amended as per this article.
.https://www.mgcc.co.uk/dvla-release-new-laws-on-black-and-white-number-plates/

[Nurse Julie]

Cut off is vehicles manufactured or registered before Jan 1st 1980 and registered as Historic.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Seems odd that they bothered to change the legislation at all Julie,iirc it was up to August 1973 previously.

[Athame57]

Maybe once they started using cast wheels the bikes started looking too modern!  If you had a Triumph you could probably get away with it.   

[Bryanj]

Thats because the reflective plates ORIGINALY became mandatory in 1973 so the before 80 is a relaxation of the original law

[Seabeowner]

Seems odd that they bothered to change the legislation at all Julie,iirc it was up to August 1973 previously.

Seems it was an unintended consequence of legislation passed in 2015 that allowed all historic vehicles to display B&W. So they set a new date to prevent suddenly making existing historics post 1973 illegal when their owners had innocently displayed B&W. Even classic owners also did not like the 2015 change.

[andy120t]

I imagine that in 1973 there were a few 71/72 car owners quietly sporting the yellow and black plates to make their 'old' cars look new!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

There was a roaring trade in reflective plates back then even for 1960s cars. As a student I used to make the plates up on a Bluebells jig, all the letters were rivetted on. Didn't half make your palm sore if you had to make dozens.

[SumpMagnet]

Never had a 70's bike with a black/silver plate. All were 1974 on, and all only ever had yellow reflective plates.
I could, I guess, put a black/silver plate on my F2, but that just wouldn't look right to me.

[Athame57]

I could, I guess, put a black/silver plate on my F2, but that just wouldn't look right to me.

Well, you'd be allowed to, but the introduction of cast or comstar wheels on the CB750Fs doesn't seem to sit well with the black plate to my eye.

[florence]

I imagine that in 1973 there were a few 71/72 car owners quietly sporting the yellow and black plates to make their 'old' cars look new!

My Land Rover was first registered in 1969 and it has it's original yellow and black rear plate with raised plastic letters, so yes, I think that was the norm even then.  It would have been optional but the new plates looked more modern I imagine.  I've left it on because it's part of the cars history and besides, it's job is still logging, fencing and transporting livestock, rather than being a hobby vehicle.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Quite possible as reflective plates were introduced sometimes in 1967 as optional. They became mandatory in August 1973 on the M plate iirc.