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Riding without a license plate on a newly bought bike.

127K views 36 replies 28 participants last post by  KMWilliams 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I did it last year but it just had an expired paper plate. This upcoming April I'm planning to get another bike and I was wondering what I could do if there isn't a DMV nearby the bike owner's house.

Can I just tell the police officer that I just bought the bike and show him the paperwork if I get pulled over? Would I still get a ticket?
 
#4 ·
It depends on the state. Some have a grace period for registration and others (like Illinois) don't. To properly register a bike here you have to leave it parked until you go down and get the temp plate at the DMV or a license service.
I'd give a call to the local DMV to see what the laws are there before making assumptions.
 
#6 ·
Yeah, I had mine all registered before I brought it home, but thats because I decided I did not wish to take any chances. That, and I had a convention I was goin to the next day, and I was bloody determined to ride down there on it!
 
#7 ·
The guy I bought my bike from was kind enough to ride it to my house for me, (I hadn't ridden motorcycles beyond the MSF course at this point) and then he took his plate when he left. Got my own plates soon thereafter.

As Dods said, it depends on the state. In OH you cannot operate any vehicle unless it's registered and has at least temp tags. Although, it might also depend on the officer that catches you, and the kind of day he's having.
 
#9 ·
Here (CA) the plate goes with the bike, so no one can tell you just bought it, if you can ride ok. (Some people may ride it like they just bought it).
You have ten days to get it registered in your name. But you should never move the bike without getting your insurance ... FIRST. Before you move it. You do not want to be in an accident without insurance. You are definitely caught then (ins. is required here) and it is a big fine, and can affect who has to pay for what, and can affect your license.
The only time you have a bike without a plate here, is, if it was salvage, or if it is new from the dealer. Then you have 30 days to put your plates on, but usually the dmv doesn't mail the plates til 40 days.
dc
 
#14 · (Edited)
I thought you just had to fill out the back of the registration certificate and tape it to the plate holder while waiting for the gears of the state to grind away.

Personally, I'm a fan of SD registration though. Just go to your local county treasurer's office, pay money, receive plate. They'll hook you up with a plate and registration faster than Lens Crafters will hook you up with glasses! ND wasn't quite as awesome, in my opinion. It usually took 1 to 7 days longer to receive your plate in the mail than you had on your temporary plate. And I lived in the capital for crying out loud!

Edit: want to add a bit on the insurance too. I get my insurance through Allied and I too get a short grace period. But if I fail to notify them during the grace period, I'm SOL.
 
#11 ·
The guys talking about insurance are correct. It does not matter what state you live in, you MUST have insurance on the bike if you are riding it. A quick call to your company and its ready to go so its not a whole lot of trouble. You will just need the frame vin number, year, make and model.

As for the plate, it depends on your state and I believe Ohio is a must-plate state. Easiest thing to do is either see if the guy will let you use the current plate on the bike to get it home or borrow a friends. Then get it registered asap.
 
#16 ·
As for the plate, it depends on your state and I believe Ohio is a must-plate state. Easiest thing to do is either see if the guy will let you use the current plate on the bike to get it home or borrow a friends.
Uh, I wouldn't borrow a friend's plate. That's just asking for trouble if a cop runs your plates for some reason. That would look real suspicious in my opinion...

"But honestly officer, he's a friend of mine..."
 
#28 ·
Same in Illinois - no plate - do not drive.

FWIW - we went to the DMV, and as soon as we title'd the bike, and paid the taxes, we got the plate right then & there. Of course, we didn't opt for the personalized - but we got the plate the same time we paid for it.
 
#29 ·
I bought a motorcycle that was For Sale By Owner in Connecticut, and then drove it to New York with no license plate (the seller told me that this was not illegal, and to show the Connecticut registration paperwork if the cops chose to pull me over). It doesn't matter, because I never got caught.
 
#30 ·
This probably won't help ya much, but I just bought a new bike this past August and of course I got the paper plate. It was good to ride home on and like 31 days....anyway, at our BMV I go to register it, plate it and they of course take the money but get no plate.....In Indiana now, all plates for bikes come in the mail.....so I basically rode around on my paper longer than normal with a piece of paper in my billfold that said the temporary plate would be good until I received my regular plate....seems kinda weird that the license branch doesn't have plates, but oh well.....and also, here the dealer wouldn't release the bike for me to ride home without proof of insurance....said if I had a trailer I could have taken it, but no insurance, no bike...(to ride home on anyway).....
 
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