Sport Touring Corner

By Norm Kern, RTR Contributor / MSTA 

I recently received an inquiry from a fellow Motorcycle Sport Touring Association (MSTA) member about the availability of license plate frames. The club used to offer a nice custom frame with the club name and logo, but ran out of them a few years ago. 

The request triggered my memory of a video on YouTube that warns about new laws concerning license plates and frames. After watching a more recent video and doing some research, MSTA will NOT be offering license plate frames. Further, I recommend that if you have license frames on any of your vehicles, remove them now. Here’s why:

Many vehicle owners are doing things that effectively obscure their license plates, including covers that are tinted or reflective to make them difficult pr impossible to read by “flock” cameras that scan for stolen vehicles, traffic light & speed cameras, readers on toll roads, etc, not to mention making plates harder  for police to read directly. Some drivers have their plates mounted on “flipper” devices they can control to make the license plate fold up so it can not be seen.

Police and other government agencies are tired of these evasive tactics and are passing laws to crack down on them with strict enforcement, heavy fines and in some cases jail time. License plate frames have become collateral damage in thiszero tolerance battle.

License plate frames are usually the same or just slightly larger than the plates they are used with, so the width of the frame necessarily covers some parts of the license plate. Some states allow non-information areas near the edge of the plate to be covered, but typically prohibit covering the state name and sticker areas that show county or year renewal info. Other states keep it simple to explain and enforce- none of the plate can be obscured in any way. You can even be cited if they decide your plate is too dirty. Enforcement is often at an officer’s discretion and can provide reasonable suspicion for a traffic stop- something none of us want!

Covers/shields (plastic, tinted, protective) are more heavily restricted or banned in many states, even clear ones, because they can cause glare, distortion, or interfere with cameras/reflectivity under certain lighting or angles. 

Obscuring devices (flippers, sprays, coatings, reflective films, lights that shine into cameras rather than illuminate the plate, or anything designed to evade cameras/tolls/ALPR) are being targeted with stricter penalties, including misdemeanors or felonies (especially if used in a crime). Pay particular attention to recent laws in states like Florida, California, New York, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. 

Penalties
These typically range from traffic infractions ($30–$500 fines) to misdemeanors (fines, jail time) for intentional obscuring or anti-camera devices. Felony upgrades apply if tied to other crimes (e.g., evading tolls or fleeing). Manufacturing/selling banned devices can also bring penalties. 

An Alternative
The Iron Butt Association long ago adopted a license plate accessory that avoids controversy and all the risks of new legislation- the license plate backer. It provides extra strength and security to your license plate, bolting on behind the license plate with the group logo in an area either above or below the plate. It has mounting holes that match the license plate and do not interfere with it in any way.

Recommendations
Get rid of all license plate frames or choose frames that sit fully outside the printed plate area. Keep plates clean. Do not use any sprays or put covers over license plates. 

Avoid the temptation to do a “fenderectomy” on your bike. For whatever reason, motorcyclists like to remove part of the rear fender from their bikes and mount the license plate on the inside of the rear fender. This always involves doing away with the stock license plate lighting, using an alternate setup that usually does not illuminate the plate as well. Others mount the plate vertically on the rear fender or on the side of the bike down low near the rear axle. In today’s climate, simply mounting the plate vertically can get you a ticket in some jurisdictions.

Two bikes, two riders- everything is equal except the first bike has the stock license plate mount and the other has one of the alternate setups I just described. If an officer wants to do a stop, it’s easy to guess which one they will choose. Don’t make yourself an unnecessary target.