Front Number plates !!!!

[admin]

For several years now the issue of wether a road legal Quad need a front number plate has gone largly unheeded and un-noticed. In fact, it appears to be something that has take a while for DVLA, VOSA and the Police to sort out. However as road legals are getting more popular it is starting to become more of a hot issue and policys and opinions appear to be begining to form in government agencies.

The arguments for and against are complex and full of dependancy on interpretation. However whatever the argument it is begining to look like going forward Road legals will have to have a front plate. To be honest i would imagine that your average copper with good intentions doesnt really give a toss about front plates on Quads. In may experance the attitude in the Police is generally if it isnt a problem, then dont make it one. However, the anti-quad brigade seem to be bringing this to the fore front of debate and really the quad community are almost bound to lose.

Here is some information from the police 'advice' on road legal quads


Most quad bikes are only designed for off road use. They do not conform to regulations in relation to tyres, lights, horn, speedometer etc. and it is therefore illegal to use them on a road.
However, there are some road legal quad bikes and in order to be used legally on the road they must registered with the DVLA, taxed, insured and have an MOT.

They must also comply with all the stringent constructions and lighting requirements. A local quad bike dealer should be able to help you if you want to know whether your quad bike is road legal or alternatively contact the Department for Transport at,

The Department for Transport,
Vehicle Standards and Engineering 4,
Great Minster House,
76 Marsham Street,
London
SW1P 4DR
Public Enquiry Telephone Number: 0207 944 3000
Fax Number: 0207 676 2166
E-mail: rvsl.dot@gtnet.gov.uk

You must be at least 17 years old to ride a road legal quad bike (if they do not exceed 3.5 tonnes).
All terrain vehicles (Quad Bikes) can fall within categories B and B1. If the vehicle has 3 or 4 wheels and weighs more than 550kgs unladen it will fall within category B. Vehicles which weigh less than 550kgs unladen will fall within category B1. There is no legal requirement to wear a helmet but from a safety aspect it is always advisable to wear a proper helmet.

A quad bike that is to be used on the road must display registration plates to the front and rear.



Taken from http://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q355.htm


I think its only a matter of time...............

Personally i dont think it would be devistating to have to have a front plate.... but lets admitt it ... it really would look crap. But if everyone has to do it... then there you go.

Its about time the Quad community got together and did something about all this negative legislation we all have to deal with.

[RED PRED]

Quad community LOL, hardly going to overthrow the government is it LOL, I will only put a front number plate on if i am threatened with prosecution, rebels rule

[NJK]

I hope it does not happen because my quad would look pants.

[RED PRED]

Not sure I agree with all the `negative legislation` point of view, I think the authorities leave quads alone to a large extent, think about it, all the grey areas regarding SVA etc, if they wanted to they could really come down on us very hard and enforce loads of restrictions on quads and MOTs etc, they do know what goes on because the VOSA department can advise on all the quad standards, its such a small industry that it would cost more to police than the DOT would get back .

[pred ali]

as far i know if you sit in it...you need a rear and front plate...if you sit on it..you only need a rear plate....:faint:
pred ali

[RED PRED]

Sounds like a good common sense approach

[Big Jim]

"If they do not exceed 3.5 tonnes"

Blimey, that would be one hell of a quad bike! I would love to see a 3.5 tonne quad ragging down the road!

[outlander]

I once got stopped on my Armstrong MT 500 for not having a rear mudguard. He got his book of rules out but because it didn't actually say you have to have a rear mud guard he couldn't do anything. Same as a front number plate, just because someone wrote they should have one in an advisory letter doesn't mean they can prosicute you for not having one. You have to be done under section ----- paragraph ---- part --- and if they can't find said section then they can't do anything. Maybe! :rules:

[secret solo]

the police ring up dvla when they are not sure and go by what they are told.
the traffic police has their set of rules and regulations for vehicles but sometimes it contradicts what vosa and mot require, and vosa and mot do not seek same requirements either so its FUBAR ;)
Take a motorbike for a mot without a rear number plate light and its no problem as it aint a testable item so no fail. Get pulled riding at night though and then try convincing the coppers that its not a requirement....

""" A local quad bike dealer should be able to help you if you want to know whether your quad bike is road legal or alternatively contact the Department for Transport """

Well from experience the DoT know squat and cant help and quad dealers sell all quads without front plates. This is such a grey area, vosa would fail a msva if a front plate was needed and there was no provision for one, as there has to be a mounting for one on the back to pass a msva.
I think the euro legislation says not needed as its treated the same as a trike, euro leg over rules all uk vehicle leg. so if this is correct then we dont need one.
A trike dont need one if its derived from a bike but does if its derived from a car ???? Then we insure through motorbike insurers ?? This is what happens when a new class of vehicle is forced into existing rules and regs without creating new ones....

[RED PRED]

I had never heard of an Armstrong MT 500 so looked it up, its a military motorcycle, who made the engine Trevor, Rotax ?

[outlander]

Yes Rotax. They are great bikes, virtually indistructable and are made so a squaddie can repair them at the side of the road while getting shot at! They come with gun carriers and paniers etc so I chopped all that off, hence no rear end. I bought it after someone had stolen it and thrown it in the river, dried it out and started it up.
Nice write up there Mr Solo. I think what we can assume from that is if a policeman started to look into booking you for that offence he would realise it is much easier to go and catch someone speeding and hopefully go away.

[secret solo]

took me quad in for mot today. they asked where front number plate was, waffled on about what i posted earlier and they said ok and passed it ;)