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Any Quick License Plate Removal Idea?

7K views 29 replies 11 participants last post by  Wolfie 
#1 ·
Hello brothers,

My VN-750 is holding on strong rain, shine, snow thanks to the mods that I found on this valuable site when I got the bike last year.

I have a question that I have yet to solve satisfactorily on my own. That is how do I quickly remove my license plate without having to twist the bolts for minutes on end.

No, I do not have any mischievous reason in mind for this purpose. I live in New York City, and my bike has been knocked over several times when I park between cars. I've found it much safer to park on the sidewalks, but the only way to avoid a ticket is to either cover the bike or remove the tags. I've done both successfully. But I'm looking for a faster way to go about this, i.e., remove the tags instantly. Here's what I've thought about:

Velcro (will be hard a sticky to remove)
Quick release fasteners (couldn't find any appropriate one so far)
License plate frame that would allow for the tag to slide easily in and out (couldn't find any such product on the market)

If any of you have done such a mod, please let me know how you went about it. Any other suggestion is also highly welcome. Thank you for reading this.

Archange
 
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#2 ·
Hmmm... You'd need something that is strong enough to keep it from flying off as you're riding, secure enough that someone couldn't just grab your plate a run off with it, hold it tight enough so that it doesn't rattle when riding, but still fast to remove.

My first thought is wing nuts, but then you still have the time to spin them on and off.

Then I thought about something like a trailer hitch pin/clip. Like this: http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Hidden-Hitch/PC3.html Obviously not that exactly. But maybe that'll give you an idea. It would have to be something small and I'm not sure if you could get it tight enough that it wouldn't rattle.
 
#3 ·
Deviate, your first paragraph describes exactly what I need. You did a much better job explaining it than I did haha.

I thought about a pin/clip too, but I thought it might vibrate off during rides. I'm also thinking I could use a quick, imperfect solution for short rides and switch back to the more permanent method for longer rides like when I go down to Maryland.

I really appreciate your inputs. Thanks a lot
 
#4 ·
Idea! Get two bolts and wing nuts. Make sure you can get nuts close to the size of the slots on the license plate bracket. Grind them flat so they fit through horizontally but not vertically. Tighten them up and your plate should stay on just fine. Then a half turn on the wing nut would let them pull through.
 
#5 ·
Well my thought is to use the same basic concept car dealers have used for years to make "removable Licence plates"......magnets.

They make some pretty strong magnets these days. Something like these:

http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_79&products_id=268

Can be bolted to a licence plate frame and have corrisponding magnets on a separate plate bolted to the stock mount. I have two of these magnets at home and it takes some considerable effort to pull them apart.

I'd likely still have the bottom of the plate fit over some studs to keep it from slipping if you hit a pothole, and I'd bolt two metal tabs at the top go give you leverage go pull the plate off...(you'll need it)

No bolts, wingnuts, of Velcro to wear out. Snaps on and off with just a bit of muscle...;)
 
#6 ·
M_Angell...I see what you are saying I think. Something similar to this? http://www.sailrite.com/common-sense-fastener-2-screw-stud

KM, I had thought of magnets too at first, but then I wasn't sure about keeping the plate from shifting when you hit bumps or something. I guess a strong enough magnet and the studs like you mentioned would solve that.
 
#8 ·
Wow, these are all great thoughts. I like both ideas.

The magnet: I didn't know if I could find something that wouldn't come off in a sudden gust of wind. I'll definitely buy the ones you pointed to KM and try them out. Thanks a lot. You always have some very pointed thoughts.

M. Angell: I must concede that is a great ****ing idea, one that did not occur to me at all. I'll see what I can find in the hardware store and try it out too.

Ahhhh, you guys are ****ing awesome.
 
#9 · (Edited)
You can also use something like this:
http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/5476/

But cut the front out and install a sheet of clear plastic.....so the licence plate fits inside the box. and can be seen from the outside.

You just open it up and take the plate out when you don't want it seen. (or just turn it over)

Oh, and I'd be a little leery of anything that twists or screws open and closed. The Vulcan is notorious for vibrating the licence mount...enough to lose bolts and even crack the plate.

KM
 
#10 ·
Never had an issue with my plate. But if you want to cut down on it on your plate you could cut some black hose and slip it over the bracket. Then poke some holes for your fasteners and viola isolation mounts.
 
#11 ·
hey has any one on here ever heard of a cordless nut driver
just get one of those and a wrench for the other side then zip zip its off tada
 
#13 · (Edited)
Yeah if that were the case I could carry around my mig welder, a bottle of gas and an angle grinder.
Weld the plate on the bracket and grind the welds off when I stop somewhere....

I was actually thinking about it some more and what if you did something like this without the castle nut? And you can use either an R-clip or a bow tie pin.
just snap.a pin in and out.
 
#14 ·
I was actually thinking about it some more and what if you did something like this without the castle nut? And you can use either an R-clip or a bow tie pin.
just snap.a pin in and out.
I think that would work well as long as you epoxied a washer in back and in front of the plate. Maybe have a rubber washer too on the back. An R clip or some type of locking pin....with a small chain to prevent loss tethered to the main mount.
 
#16 · (Edited)
http://www.dzusfasteners.net/
Try these. I used them on my race car on the body panels to hold them in place. There are several sizes and you can mount the back plate on the license frame, and use the fasteners to hold the plate on. All you need is a flat bladed screwdriver. Or use the winged oval headed ones, and you won't need a screwdriver.
A 1/4 turn, and the fastener pops off, and you take the plate with you.
Takes less than 2 seconds to pop both off.
 
#18 ·
OK... My final idea. Use a LCD tablet display in place of the rear plate to simply project a full size image of your licence plate. There's a set switch you can use to have the display turn off when you turn off the bike.


You can use the same display to say things when you ride like:

BACK OFF or YOUR RIGHT FRONT TIRE IS LOW.

It can also display another plate number if you're running from the cops........

As it's back lit you don't need a separate light, so you can mount it anywhere.

You'll need to carry the actual plate on the bike somewhere in case you come across a smart cop that figures out he's not looking at a real plate.
(if done well it should just look like a plate inside of a plastic box.

I'm not 100% sure if something like this would in fact be illegal......


:)KM
 
#19 ·
Obviously Knife, youve never been in NYC (trust me, you dont wanna either) ;)...ferget the magnets...every 100 feet is a road plate, steam leak, or pothole...unless yer on 5th Ave, and mebbe thats shot now too...with Bloomberg, wouldnt doubt it.

Why not get a piece of aluminum channel, and make a "U" shaped holder ?
It would be solid and supported, and plate could be held on by one easy pin. If you dont have a mig welder, natch you'd need to get one fabricated...but IMO would be the sturdiest, and easiest to remove.
NY state plates are junk anyway...they rattle apart in no time....
Come up for a ride with us Orange County NY and Passaic NJ crew...you'd love it.

Where ya actually from, manhattan or one of the boroughs ?...add yerself to the member map...theres a few members down your way.

Yeah if that were the case I could carry around my mig welder, a bottle of gas and an angle grinder.
...Classic !!!...LOVE it !!!....
 
#23 ·
Obviously Knife, youve never been in NYC (trust me, you dont wanna either) ;)...ferget the magnets...every 100 feet is a road plate, steam leak, or pothole...unless yer on 5th Ave, and mebbe thats shot now ..
Actually I have been to New York ... and I'm pretty sure magnets work there too... No odd flux fields upsetting gravity either...:doh:

Perhaps you just don't understand the power of these new magnets? I mean really, how much does your licence plate weigh up there? LOL.


However...

I still like the idea of the virtual plate on the LCD screen.....

KM
 
#21 ·
Are you not worried that they'll tow a bike that's parked on a sidewalk that has no plate? Besides, they can write a ticket with the VIN in place of the plate number. I don't see any way you can do this without potentially having more problems. Seriously, if it were as easy as pulling the plates, EVERYONE would be taking the plates off their vehicles every time they parked.
 
#22 ·
I like Wolfie's idea...
take a piece of solid plate, weld a piece of 90degree angle to 3 of the edges.

perhaps find a way to hinge a piece along the 4th edge and lock it down to further secure the plate in the holder...
 
#24 ·
I love this idea...make the hinged part on the top with a magnetic edge next to the plate...it wouldn't flip up unless you wanted it to, and would be a nice secure little pocket/bracket for the plate...someone could make a fortune making these things!
a simple hole through the frame and plate would hold a little lock if you wanted to deter theft, maybe a bike alarm could be made sensitive enough to alert against theft... :blah:
 
#26 · (Edited)
Are you not worried that they'll tow a bike that's parked on a sidewalk that has no plate?
Since I used to be a land surveyor, I believe the property corners in NYC go to the curb. Which means you just have a bike sitting in yer front yard. I think the NYC chapter of the Angels got away with a lot because of that.

... and I'm pretty sure magnets work there too... No odd flux fields upsetting gravity either...
Before you smack yerself in the head too much, NY State plates are aluminum, lol....reverse "duh" ?...lol

And I know all about these magnets...theyre commonly called Earth Magnets, and would work well, if the plate was steel... ;)


like Wolfie's idea...
take a piece of solid plate, weld a piece of 90degree angle to 3 of the edges.

perhaps find a way to hinge a piece along the 4th edge and lock it down to further secure the plate in the holder...
There ya go !...a lil tab at the top with a wingnut.....or even one of them "mini padlocks" you can get now...

Here in St. Louis, and every place I've lived or visited...
Last time I was thru there on my way to Joplin, someone sprayed "Honky Lips" on the side of my wheels....lol... ;)



...shouldda found the ring road....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQc8vRfld8Q&feature=related
 
#27 ·
Before you smack yerself in the head too much, NY State plates are aluminum, lol....reverse "duh" ?...lol

And I know all about these magnets...theyre commonly called Earth Magnets, and would work well, if the plate was steel... ;)
I'm pretty sure the point was to either "permanently" affix the magnets to the plate and then have them stick to the plate holder; or affix the magnets to the plate holder and then attach a steel bar to the back of the plate for them to stick to.
 
#30 ·
They sell lowpriced steel plate almost everywhere, so ya, you could say silicone (for shock factor) the plate to a piece of steel. But far as I remember, most magnets are pretty brittle, and might not hold up to a lot of vibes. Of course, could be worth trying though.
And actually, NY Plates were steel up until only recently. I still have 4 of my old ones. One of em says "HOGWLD" on it...thats on the wall, lol.
 
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