I run one vertical on my vintage bike. The rest of the bike is so minimalistic that it really fits the style. No it's not a chopper, or a hog. It looks clean. If done right, they can look good. Here in MI it's really hard to catch flack for anything really. Only thing I've ever been pulled over for modification wise was the tint on my daily driver.
I think it's a great idea. And while you're at it; .... turn your cap around backwards and drop your pants to your knees.
I think it really depends on where you are and how picky the local constabulary is. I would say that I have never really seen it done on a car but sure as hell if i do someone will post a dozen pics of it done that way. Most of the fellas that I ran with when I was still running would not do it on their bikes because we got enough unwanted attention as it was. Life is like being a bomber pilot, you should always try to fly under the radar.
Most of the states are trying to crack down really hard on these. The police cameras are now scanning/logging every tag that they see and it completely foils these scanners when you run them vertically (or so the fuzz is claiming.) MN has actually done something really cool about this...... Issued a special vertical motorcycle plate!
One the new printed tags, it does not matter how your plate/tag is displayed, since the plate readers the cops have can read them from nearly any angle in a 180* arc from one side to the other. That is what that little bar code you see on new plates is all about. It's not the numbers/letters they scan, it's the bar code.
Michigan is where I was pulled over and told my vertical plate mount was illegal in the state of Michigan. I got a warning for it, not an actual ticket, but you might want to check your state laws in Michigan for sure. They will use it as an excuse to pull you over...just like no light on your plate.
Once again, check your state laws on this. some guys are posting pics of special vertical plates, but unless the state has such a thing, there may be a law against it and it will be used as an excuse to pull you over.
Vertical plates are illegal in many states including Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan even on bikes. That said I've only heard of a few guys who got hassled for it on bikes on no one who've been ticketed....but.........
The bottom line....... They look like a retard mounted it and (as mentioned) the cops need a reason to pull you over.
I did mine vert. on a '40 I used to have.. Doing the same setup on a '37 right now.. Looks bitchin' if you ask me, just cut down a mounting bracket that hangs from the light, and hang it from the light or where ever..
Here in Illinois, my son built an off topic chopper from a parts book, and when he got it inspected for title and license, they told him the plate had to be horizontal and behind the centerline of the rear axle.
Mine hung sideways too, in my younger days. The women use to love it! *** Now, can we put this dumb ass thread to rest? PLEEZE!!!! ***
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