Front fender numbered license plates

[Pierre Michaud]

Dave,

Technically, there is a 5 inch play between rest and compressed position on the front shocks of my R69S. The min distance between the headlight ring retaining clip and the fender is 6 inches. So there is a good 1 " clearance there if and when the shocks bottom out. As for the cross circular plate bracket I have bolted across the 2 shock retaining nuts the clearance is only 3.5 inches, i.e. short by 1.5 inches. However, as I mentioned before, with the stiffer sidecar springs and well maintained shocks, the chance of having the fender hit the bracket are just as remote as me winning 10 000 000 $ at the Loto! I will let everybody know if and when it happens and chances are it will not be in my lifetime....winning at the Lotto that is!

Pierre

[Pierre Michaud]

Correction:

Actually the play is more like 4 inches in lieu of 5 inches leaving a good clearance of 2" between fender and light tab. The clearance with my bracket is then shy of 0.5 inches if shocks bottom out. With the rubber stop rings inside the shock which are there to prevent the units to bottom out, I am most likely ok!

[Donnie McGean]

Any classic Brit bike parts store should have a front fender plate.
I bought mine from a classic bike parts catalogue located in Ohio several
years back for my R50-2. I have had no problems with it smashing my
headlamp. My bike was originally sold in Ireland and the original plate
was bent. The mounts for the plate are brass and I don't know where to
find them. The only modification I had to make on the new plate was to cut
a notch for it to sit over the fender brace. Good luck.

[Pierre Michaud]

Donnie,

I finally found a UK custom manufacturer of plates at www.home-mac.demon.co.uk/ukplates/ and designed my own bracket (12 gauge steel, black powder coated with tabs cut out and bent at 90 deg from sheet). The bracket is made to fit between the two top retaining bolts of the front shocks. I saw this type of set up in the book entitled BMW Motorcycles....Gold Portfolio and thought it would look cool. Unless someone comes up with a substantiated different opinion, the design is such that it will clear the fender if the shocks bottom out. As for your bracket at the front, the maximum width is probably 12 inches across and the front is most likely even with the front fender.....or the notch you cut is less than 3 inches from top back corner of plate, measured horizontally then dropped at right angles. Could you give the measurements off your BMW so that I can start collecting factual information!

Thanks,

Pierre

[J. Straccco]

Pierre-

You may want to try Vintage Imports here in NA. They are located in NJ and sell
lots of items for pre-war beemers...including the pedestrian plates and brackets
which probably can be made to fit a slash 2. I won't comment on the possibility of a
damaged headlight as I have no basis for comment. The plate is metal with a rolled
edge.

Vintage Imports number is 1800WW2ITEM

[Pierre Michaud]

Thanks John, I will certainly check it out.