Street Fighter pulled over by trooper

We have all seen sportbikes that have the rear plate tucked way up under the seat at a very flat angle. Personally, I don't know why sportbike riders want to diminish the visability of the plate and turn signals, well, I do understand, they want to make themselves look they are on some sort of GP or Superbike. The stock rear fender is certainly obnoxious but a good quality FE like an Evotech cleans up the back and prominently displays the plate. Here in TX my local inspector guy says if the plate doesn't have illumination it's an automatic fail, no exceptions. Even though I only ride in the daylight hours there is no way around this in TX although there are probably sloppy inspectors that may overlook this, but the rules say otherwise. Agree $400 sounds high but it sounds like if you fix it the fine will be waived.

Relooking at your pic I see no turn signals or mirrors, maybe they are just well hidden.
 
Last edited:
Usually they just talk to you and BS a little bit for things like that. Tell you to fix it if it needs fixing. Did you piss him off or what?
 
FZ1yb said:
Usually they just talk to you and BS a little bit for things like that. Tell you to fix it if it needs fixing. Did you piss him off or what?
Click to expand...

I held myself together and was very polite with him, wasn't a smart ass at all. I thanked him for pointing out the flaw that I was unaware of, but still got the ticket. But like I said, I'll remount it and won't have to pay any fine hopefully. I reckon he just needed a few more pink slips before the end of the month.

And to answer some of the other questions: I do have flush and integrated turn signals. And I have a left hand side bar-end mirror (legal minimum in TN)
 
skuzzlebutter said:
I just want to let everyone know that the Tennessee Highway Patrol has criminal activity so contained that the biggest threat to public safety yesterday morning was my license plate "not being visible enough" on my 35 mile commute to work....
Click to expand...

Very good looking bike!

I will have to say this... Us cops make those "bs" stops because you never know what it can turn into. It IS a violation and LEGAL reason to stop if there is an equipment violation. I rarely write those tickets, unless I'm cutting a person a break for small speed or other moving violation. I might ;) feel like being a nice guy by just giving them a fix it ticket instead of a point on their record. I would like to see a pic of the plate and it's placement that would urge this TN trooper to write ya for it.
 
skuzzlebutter said:
I just want to let everyone know that the Tennessee Highway Patrol has criminal activity so contained that the biggest threat to public safety yesterday morning was my license plate "not being visible enough" on my 35 mile commute to work....
Click to expand...

Skuzzlebutter - that's one mean looking streetfighter!! The trooper was probably jealous or can't ride a motorcycle or had not filled his quota for the month. $400 - lota money for that. Try and doge the fine. Cheers.
 
P.S. you should enter that photo in the June Member Bike of the Month contest! Contest should be up later this week.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2
 
As a matter of fact he followed me through Rockwall this morning! He stayed in the fast lane while I was in the slow, I saw him and after a bit started jerking his chain a little and slowed down to 55 (it's 65) and he still stayed back there. Finally at the end of Rockwall he pulled behind me and exited. What a tool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Missyl1713 said:
As a matter of fact he followed me through Rockwall this morning! He stayed in the fast lane while I was in the slow, I saw him and after a bit started jerking his chain a little and slowed down to 55 (it's 65) and he still stayed back there. Finally at the end of Rockwall he pulled behind me and exited. What a tool.

Missy - I have not been in this forum for long. I'll assume you are a girl. This cop has really got your hackles up!! His fixation is simple - there's something hot about girl's who ride big modded bikes. Some cops abuse the power they have and he is one of them. Overall, he's a wanker!! Try and avoid him. Cheers. (if I have your gender wrong please correct me).
Click to expand...
 
Missyl1713 said:
As a matter of fact he followed me through Rockwall this morning! He stayed in the fast lane while I was in the slow, I saw him and after a bit started jerking his chain a little and slowed down to 55 (it's 65) and he still stayed back there. Finally at the end of Rockwall he pulled behind me and exited. What a tool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Woah that is so creepy. When did he first start this business? On the road, or did he see you in a bar or some other place? I forget if you already mentioned it. Seems like if it genuinely crosses the line you could take a direct course of action to change it......maybe.
 
License Plate placement should be pretty easy for anyone to understand who has owned and driven a vehicle for anything over about a half day. All you have to do is observe where all the manufacturers put the things and how they are illuminated. If it's still not understood, the vehicle code will have directions for you. And remember rule #1, ignorance of the law is not defendable. Guilty!
 
Evitzee said:
Personally, I don't know why sportbike riders want to diminish the visability of the plate and turn signals, well, I do understand, they want to make themselves look they are on some sort of GP or Superbike. The stock rear fender is certainly obnoxious but a good quality FE like an Evotech cleans up the back and prominently displays the plate.
Click to expand...

Its hard to read.

They go by a cop doing something dumb, they take off. No one around them is going to be able to read the plate. Plain and simple.

Personally, mine is mounted visibly as I don't want any hassle. But a lot of my friends have theirs way up near the rear shock at a very hard to see angle and not using plate lights. So basically at night its like having no plate at all.
 
Come on - what's the point of vehicles being required to have plates? to be seen and identified on the run day or night. It's not rocket science that modding it so it's un-seeable is going to be an enforcement attraction... just like lifting the front wheel, speeding, whatever....

so, the cost of looking cool is a trip to court and an apology, or $400 (seems really steep though). Personally I don't think that coolness factor is worth either, and way to easy of a thing to get zinged for....
 
My last bike was well modded and I swore to never do it again . it wasnt until I went with this compromise position that I stopped getting pulled over. It just isnt worth it to me anymore
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top