IMO, you can't lose this one, if anything every LE officer in the state of CA would have to then cite every single motorcycle with the same issue (side mounted plate). They can't just ticket one person if it's "illegal" and let everyone else get away with it, the "law" is the "law" and shouldn't be discriminating. I think the citing officer was having a bad day and taking it out on you. I have that retracting (swiveling) mounting bracket and i've been followed by State troopers when the plate had been blown back from the wind and you couldn't read the plate, and they didn't even bother me.
OceanTwo has the best points, just make sure you don't go in there high and mighty (since the judge will be mightier than you) and don't put yourself in a position to possibly get more citations (don't mention anything that you weren't ticketed for).

 

Looks like my adblocker had blocked the original picture of your bike showing the plate. Hadn't realized it was mounted to the *forward* portion of the swing arm.

That might be a bit tricky...

 

Just me as the devil's advocate here. Is that plate actually at the "rear" of the bike? They (CHP) might work it as it is on the 'side' of the bike.....

 

Side mounted plates are technically illegal in most states...it is just that most cops have better things to do. Since it is a "fix it" ticket you have to "fix it" and go get it signed off. Unless you do something you will never see a judge. I don't believe you have a snowballs chance of getting anything changed. Even if you took the steps necessary to go to court and won, it is very likely you would get another ticket leaving the courthouse. The only true fix is to get the tag off the side of the bike.

 

I think I would just put some duct tape on the back of the plate (to eliminate scratching the sissy bar) and then use a couple of nylon ties through the holes in the plate to hook it to the sissy bar, get the sign off, and then put it back where it belongs. Shoiuld ba a long time before you run into another CHP that will write you up for improper display of your plate.

 

Well, I may end up doing just that. I went to a couple CHP offices and neither would sign off on the citation but at the second location, the officer was pretty sympathetic to my situation and unofficially, suggested something similar.

I'll let y'all know how things go.

But in the meantime, am I the only unlucky bastard in Kalifornia to have been ticketed for this heinous offence?

 

the courts are not about letting you off even if you are 100% right
its about the money you are there to produce revenue for them
don't ask me how i know.

 

up here the law is written that the plate must be clearly legiable from the rear of the vehicle.

if you really want to be a pain brign, a print out copy of the exact lawcited, some chalk and a tape measure with you park your bike in front of the CHP offfce and when the officer comes out. ask him to bear with you while you prove that you plate is attach in accordence with said law and follow these instructions

with your chalk make a mark where the front tire contacts the pavement, another where the rear tire contacts the pavment.
measure the distance between the 2 marks, divide in half and make a mark at that measurment in the middle, you now have shown the front and the rear of the vehicle, is your plate mounted forward or rearward of that middle line.

obviously your gonna look like a smart *** but it will prove that your plate is mounted to the rear of the bike, if it doesnt then look at how the law is written in respect to turn signals as most turn signals are forward of the most rearward position*usualy on the fender struts* of the but but still classed as legal. that can be used as an example. if you really want to be a *****, turn your plate sideways on the vertical axis facing one side or the other but mount it to the rear of the vehicle, if the law doesnt say "must be visable from the rear" and just says "must be mounted to the rear of the vehicle", and make sure you brign a camera with you to record it so we can all watch i am actully interested in how it goes.

just my 2 sense but it works up here i also succesfully fought the vertical mounts based on how the law was written, well actully a buddy did the in court stuff i jus ttold him what to say and how to say it.

 

This may not apply to your problem, or then again it might. I used to get stopped a lot, 12 times in a 3 year period, because the officers wanted to check if I had a driver's license. They all, LV metropolitan and North LV police and Nevada Highway Patrol, saw I have a motorcycle license and let me go on my way.

But a couple of years ago, the 3 year period mentioned above was 1979 - 1982, a LV Metro cop stopped me. This guy, unlike in previous stops, was really frustated I was 'legal'. So he gave me a ticket for some made up infraction. Instead of paying the fine, I had my day in court.

The cop didn't show up in court and the case was dismissed. Is it possible that you angered the cop for some reason and this bogus ticket was meant to cause you some trouble? If you plead innocent, you should have a right to face your accuser in court. And the cop may not even show up.

Ron

 

No, it was nothing like that. I was stopped at a light and the CHP officer just pulled me over for this particular "violation". I was cooperative and he was professional.

I am going down to the CHP office again this afternoon to try to get this thing signed off. Will let y'all know what happens.