Our "Classic Goldwings" might be "Antique Goldwings"

[mcgovern61]

Ran across this blog from Nationwide:

https://blog.nationwide.com/classic-mot ... %20unclear.

According to them, our bikes are considered "Antique" after 35 years:

Antique motorcycle

According the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, an antique motorcycle is one that is 35 years or older. This is the only “true” official designation in the U.S., but because some states allow motorcycles to be registered or licensed as antiques after just 20 years, sometimes the definition becomes unclear.

Some states have another designation of “historical” that is used for licensing and registration. Their guidelines often include the stipulation that the vehicle is of a certain age and it is owned only as collectors’ item, used for such things as historical club activities, parades and car shows.

Similar post here:

https://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/antiq ... otorcycle/

Looks like my poor 1982 "Slug" is an antique now.

 

[desertrefugee]

Cool. Valuation must see at least a 25% bump for "antique premium"!

 

[OldCrow]

In Maine it's only 25 years old to be licensed as Antique. In fact my 32 year old GL1200 that I'm finishing USA 4 Corners on carries an an Antique plate.

 

[Ansimp]

When the Rats Nest turned 35 my insurer Shannon’s dropped my insurance to a third of its cost. I was concerned that they had reduced the coverage but it was just the new age threshold for my “Classic”. An added bonus is if it is written off I now get the wreck back even though they still fully pay out the claim. :good:

 

[saganaga]

According to my state regs on plates:

"Classic Motorcycle plates may be displayed on any motorcycle that is at least 20 model years old, original in appearance, and owned solely as a collector's item. At the time of application, the owners must certify that they have one or more vehicles registered with regular Minnesota license plates."

Don't think I'm going to bother with my Goldwing, due to mainly how a cop may disagree that a motorcycle loaded with camping gear may not be owned solely as a collector's item.

But I will be doing it on the Honda twin I have.

Insurance costs on basically anything we own seems to be so low that it basically doesn't matter. According to the our insurance company, the difference between a Goldwing and a 50cc scooter is a dollar or two per month. Doesn't seem right, but... Note that this is liability only for most vehicles.

 

[brianinpa]

I've had this on my 84 for a year now...

What are the benefits? It's a permanent plate meaning I no longer need to pay an annual fee to register it and I also do not need to get it inspected annually either. I plan on doing the same thing with my 81 when I finally put it back on the road.

 

[gmartin]

Whats nice about being in Indiana, once you hit the "antique" classification, you can run the "year of manufacture" license plate. It took a while, but I found a 1980 Indiana MC plate. Been running it for a couple years now. It does throw off some of the small-town cops. Some didn't realize that law applied to MC's besides antique autos.

 

[saganaga]

gmartin » 51 minutes ago[/url]":1c08dx26]
Whats nice about being in Indiana, once you hit the "antique" classification, you can run the "year of manufacture" license plate. It took a while, but I found a 1980 Indiana MC plate. Been running it for a couple years now. It does throw off some of the small-town cops. Some didn't realize that law applied to MC's besides antique autos.

In Indiana, how does the tabs work? Do you need to find a motorcycle plate with the tab displaying the same model year?

 

[gmartin]

In Indiana, you purchase the antique plate and must carry on/in the vehicle. I carry mine in the fairing lockbox. That has the current sticker on it. They link the 1980 plate to that antique plate and sticker.
Here is a photo of the back:

 

[saganaga]

gmartin » Today, 6:52 pm[/url]":138g5i5e]
In Indiana, you purchase the antique plate and must carry on/in the vehicle. I carry mine in the fairing lockbox. That has the current sticker on it. They link the 1980 plate to that antique plate and sticker.
Here is a photo of the back:

Not only am I envious of your 1980 plate having a stamped date (ours only have the sticker), but I am also envious of your Vetter top box.

 

[gmartin]

saganaga-I loved the Vetter boxes that came with the bike, but I made 2 slight mods which I love. I found LED taillights that had the same radius as the round lights that came on it. So they are brake and taillights-LED. Then on the sides of the trunk, where the reflectors where, I replaced them with led marker lights.
I didn't want it to be overloaded with lights like some, but wanted to improve the look, while being seen better at night.
Thanks for the complement!

 

[OldCrow]

Great idea on LED lighting. I also replaced a dozen of the small 168 mini lights with LED as well as a couple of the 1158 dual element lights.

I can't tell you how much all the lights on my '87 GL1200A helped on my USA 4 Corners ride. I have a total of 30 ("overloaded"?)marker lights plus brake&turn in the rear and 12 plus headlight out front.
In the dark and moderate to heavy traffic I flip on everything and I really feel cage drivers gave me much more room/respect then with them ON than off or on my other less lit up bike. Very happy with the results.

My only confusion/ignorance was the color choice for the LED since my lens covers are all red(rear) and some orange color front. I have white LEDs but I've read that color matched to the lens is better. But it seems to me any color other then white is putting out less lumens for a given energy. ????

 

[Tom_Charlton]

Re: Antique License Plates

I run antique plates on my 84, normal plates on the 86 & 86, and veteran plates on the 88.

The antique tags cost $30 every 5 years; the veteran & normal tags expire annually & cost $30.

Bike insurance through Progressive is value-based (full coverage) and runs about $75 annually for each bike.

All told, the bikes cost about $300 per year for insurance and about $96 per year for plates. For comparison, insurance on one car is over $600 per year and car tags are $110 per year in Illinois. If the weather was better, I'd ride year round.

 

[saganaga]

Just looked it up - our classic motorcycle plates are more expensive than the yearly tabs, but the classic plates never expire.

 

[DaveKamp]

I run 1929 plates on my dad's Ford Model A.... but none of my other vehicles are registered as antiques.

Iowa policy on 'antique' or 'classic' status starts at 25 years... and antique/classic plate (model-year plates) can be used, provided that the issued modern plate and registration are kept in-vehicle available for an officer in the event of such request... but I don't see any reference online about doing so with a motorcycle. Hmmm...

For motor truck, truck tractor, road tractor, or motor home, these vehicles can be registered as 'limited-use'... so just driving it to/from exhibitions, and not allowed to transport any loads...

All that being said... Iowa will MAKE you a custom EMBOSSED plate with your custom number, in a choice of colors and styles, for $95....

 

[Ansimp]

gmartin » Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:06 pm[/url]":3t5bde2j]
saganaga-I loved the Vetter boxes that came with the bike, but I made 2 slight mods which I love. I found LED taillights that had the same radius as the round lights that came on it. So they are brake and taillights-LED. Then on the sides of the trunk, where the reflectors where, I replaced them with led marker lights.
I didn't want it to be overloaded with lights like some, but wanted to improve the look, while being seen better at night.
Thanks for the complement!

+1 on your custom Vetter look. :good:

 

[GTC@MSAC]

Well, then my '81 1100 apparently qualifies as antique all around, lol! I have it registered with a VA "antique plate issued by DMV. VA does allow registering with a plate stamped with the vehicle year, but VA stopped stamping the year on bike plates after 1974, and car plates after 1972. VA "antique" riding rules prohibit regular use to work, but "allow" use for unlimited pleasure driving, and a 250 mile radius from the primary garaged location. I ride where and when I want, period. I have never been harassed about "what I am doing", except when I'm caught speeding, lol! I have been stopped for speeding about 2 dozen times on a bike with no convictions, but only 4 times in a car and twice convicted, lol!

 

[saganaga]

DaveKamp » October 11th, 2019, 9:09 am[/url]":3tpkxbm1]
Iowa policy on 'antique' or 'classic' status starts at 25 years... and antique/classic plate (model-year plates) can be used, provided that the issued modern plate and registration are kept in-vehicle available for an officer in the event of such request... but I don't see any reference online about doing so with a motorcycle. Hmmm...

I'm looking at 321.115, and it appears to cover motorcycles, unless Iowa law excludes motorcycles specifically from its definition of motor vehicles.

 

[DaveKamp]

I concur with what you see, Sag... but part that I find very 'missing' is the presence of license plates to that effect. I suspect it's a case of 'where not specifically identified' and also possibly that the only option for 'Antique' label, occurs on full sized plates, rather than small ones.

 

[saganaga]

DaveKamp » Today, 1:36 am[/url]":1pohaekd]
I concur with what you see, Sag... but part that I find very 'missing' is the presence of license plates to that effect. I suspect it's a case of 'where not specifically identified' and also possibly that the only option for 'Antique' label, occurs on full sized plates, rather than small ones.

As I said, I could be wrong. I'm familiar enough with the law to understand that case law is why lawyers make the big bucks.

But as far as I'm reading it with my interested layman's law degree (warning: not valid in any state), it applies.

And I'll point out that Iowa gets nifty plates. Pity your neighbors to the north, who only get the nifty plates for very early GL1000s.