Front Number Plates and Air Intakes

[Grashopr]

I am wondering what the 'normal' thing is you guys with 3-digit numbers do;  I'm on a Triumph 675, with a huge triangular air intake right in the middle of the upper fairing where a 'solid' front-number plate would be.  The rulebooks say only one front number plate allowed, that it cannot be broken by the air intake hole, and that it must be on the 'correct side' of the upper fairing for the track that you are at (the rulebooks give two examples, one track which would use a 'left side' numberplate and one that would use a 'right side' number plate.    Putting a number plate on both sides of the upper fairing seems the obvious answer, but that violates the rules.  As does just putting one big one across the front of the bike.   Am I supposed to be ordering two upper's and run one for one track and one for another?   That seems like overkill.....

5.3.5 Painted displays or separate plates.
A. Front display may be painted only if the front section of the fairing
is of adequate size and display is clearly legible. Otherwise, a 10 by
12 plate must be mounted. The front display area must be unbroken
by air intakes, and only one number display will be allowed.
(1.) If the rider chooses to position the front number display to the
side of the air intake, that number display MUST be on the same
side as the scoring station used during each event. (i.e. if you are
competing at Summit Point, the front display must be on riders
right. If you are competing at Roebling Road, the front display
must be on riders left.) It is the riders responsibility to have the
number display on the correct side before coming to Tech
Inspection.

[Jeff]

2 uppers will work, or number both sides and use tape to cover one side based on the track you're at.

[tstruyk]

another option...



watch the number sizes, but it should work

[Super Dave]

Or you can push the number up into the windscreen.

[George_Linhart]

Another way you can solve this is to paint up into the bottom of the windshield and place the numbers straight across the front above the air intake.  You will have to measure to make sure how high you need to paint into the windscreen and you will lose a bit of vision, but it shouldn't be too much.  If you run with the "other" organization they have become very strict that all numbers must be straight across the front.

Its a bit tough to do with the large 8 inch numbers without eating into your vision a bit, but its not that bad.  For what its worth, I seem to have noticed a lot of people using 6 inch numbers on the front and tech never seems to stop them or give them a difficult time.  I'm sure if I put on a 7.5 inch front number they would take out a ruler and fail me on this rule - but - I have seen a lot of numbers that are WAY smaller than 8 inches and they got trough teck OK.

George

[Grashopr]

Not that I can see through the 675's miniscule windshield without kneeling beside the bike and resting my head on the gas tank....  but are they going to toss me out of tech for blocking a majority of the line of sight?   I can tell that Super Dave gets by with it.... but I'm not popular OR independently wealthy....   

[Super Dave]

I don't think popular and independently wealthy describe me.

Looney and underemployed, yeah.  I married really, really well.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Not that I can see through the 675's miniscule windshield without kneeling beside the bike and resting my head on the gas tank....  but are they going to toss me out of tech for blocking a majority of the line of sight? 

Nothing in the rules say you have to have a clear windscreen (or even have one to start with). Thats how it should be done anyways IMO. THose small numbers on either side of bikes with the center intake are a PITA to read when we are looking for a certain bike that was called in on teh radios for smoke or whatever.

[Grashopr]

Thank you very much!   

[Eric Kelcher]

Another example is on the very top of this page next to the M that is Mike Himmelsbach(675) while not ideal (it is not level with ground).

Next to it is a clearer image of a Kawasaki with numbers level.

[Grashopr]

Yeah, I've seen Mike's bike, but according to the rules, I'd need to 'move' the number plate from the left headlight area to the right headlight area for different tracks...  seems like a wasted effort if there is some way to just put them on without having to move them.

[Burt Munro]

See Jeff's solution above.....

Number both sides of the nose and cover over the un-needed side with tape or vinyl. 

Remove and reapply as needed, take two aspirin and call me in the morning if the pain persists.

[paco]

This is a complicated issue. As if the numbers can't be seen from either side at the scoring booth. I stand corrected, because if the bikes are staggered then it would be very dificult to see the other bikes number on the opposite side. 

[Mongo]

If you put them in the center then the scorers can see them at every track.  No hassle involved.

[Super Dave]

 

[Jeff]

Truly, this issue and the color yellow are only as complicated as you make them...

[Burt Munro]

Mongo, Jeff and all others....

The problem that has appeared recently is bikes such as the '06 R6 with a substantial air intake right where the number plate would logically be located.

No matter how much white or yellow you use on the intake it still leaves a big black hole, which can make #88 look like 818 or 878.  Not to mention the problem created when you have a 3 digit number (do you put numbers 1 and 3 on either side of the intake and stagger the middle digit above the intake?) Now that's even harder to read.

Mongo, not sure what feedback you're getting from your scorer's, if this is a problem for them.  It's easier when you get familiar with your regular riders (oh yeah, that's Mitch on his silver R6 and he's  #77 - not 777).

The main thing is if the scorer's or starter has to take even a half a second longer to read a number, they could miss 2 or 3 other bikes going by in a pack.

It's back to the same old story - what looks good to you in the shop, with the bike sitting on stands all pretty and new, is no where near what it looks like coming down the front straight at 150!

Rick

[Super Dave]

Scotty and I didn't have problems putting number plates on above the intake on our '06's.  And we could see no problem.

I'm with Jeff.  It is as complicated as you make it.

[Jeff]

we could color-code the riders!  I call red!

[Grashopr]

Why am I 'Mr Pink'?   

[Super Dave]

[Super Dave]

Why am I 'Mr Pink'?   

LOL!!!

[Jeff]

Hey!  It works for hare scrambles!

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Hey!  It works for hare scrambles!

Why would you scramble rabbits?

[Jeff]

Why would you scramble rabbits?

Because people get all pissy when I scramble cats.

[Burt Munro]

So just how do they expect me to put my numbers on the nose without covering the air intakes??

[Rick Beggs]

i have 2 numberplates, one on each side, and i move the # depending on the track, you need good paint to do this,

[Mongo]

Mongo, Jeff and all others....

The problem that has appeared recently is bikes such as the '06 R6 with a substantial air intake right where the number plate would logically be located.

No matter how much white or yellow you use on the intake it still leaves a big black hole, which can make #88 look like 818 or 878.  Not to mention the problem created when you have a 3 digit number (do you put numbers 1 and 3 on either side of the intake and stagger the middle digit above the intake?) Now that's even harder to read.

Mongo, not sure what feedback you're getting from your scorer's, if this is a problem for them.  It's easier when you get familiar with your regular riders (oh yeah, that's Mitch on his silver R6 and he's  #77 - not 777).

The main thing is if the scorer's or starter has to take even a half a second longer to read a number, they could miss 2 or 3 other bikes going by in a pack.

It's back to the same old story - what looks good to you in the shop, with the bike sitting on stands all pretty and new, is no where near what it looks like coming down the front straight at 150!

Rick

If you put the numberplate above the intake, using part of the windscreen, the hole is no longer an issue.

[Mongo]

I like the bar code, everyone line up nice at start finish every lap :D

[Sig]

Here is an R6 with a 3 digit number that is all the way across that is easy to read. 

[spyderchick]

If you use the air intake as a mouth, you can add a nose and eyes above to make a rolling emoticon.