# Do the police ever go after speeding sport-bike riders? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 11, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582 "2004-07-11T17:39:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/61 "2017-11-04T18:58:44Z")
In a town near here the police [turned to social media](http://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/news/ci_31219550/charges-filed-series-reckless-broomfield-motorcycle-rides) to catch a dangerous motorcyclist. He had been doing wheelies near the 4th of July festivities on a crowded road among heavy traffic and pedestrians. He fled the scene at 90+ mph, and was seen other times going 100+. In this case, the motorcycle did not have a license plate, and the rider didn’t have a motorcycle endorsement, because of course he didn’t. A tip from Facebook is what led to his arrest. I ride, and I get that it can be fun to get the front tire up, and push the limits, but dude, not in traffic with lots of pedestrians. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/62 "2017-11-04T23:03:37Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > It’s not uncommon for bikers to remove the normal tailkit and mount their plate under the rear fender at an angle, making it very hard to read. …and the cops will chase anyone with an unreadable plate: How do they know the bike isn’t stolen? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/63 "2017-11-05T00:44:48Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > …and the cops will chase anyone with an unreadable plate: How do they know the bike isn’t stolen? You really have no idea what you are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/64 "2017-11-05T00:55:17Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > I just wonder how often one of these punks who rides sport bikes swill ignore the signs and speed limits and smack into the side of a gruck; and the truck driver will punch him so hard he can’t walk straight any more. You have been eaten by a gruck. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/65 "2017-11-05T02:32:15Z")
There is no contradiction in that someone (e.g., Ghost Rider) can be a skilled professional motorcyclist– indeed, that is a sine qua non for many of these stunts– and at the same time pulling wheelies at 200+ mi/h and racing through traffic remains insanely risky and dangerous. Actually it’s completely OK if you take on all the risk, but of course not if others are endangered. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/66 "2017-11-05T04:30:55Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You really have no idea what you are talking about. Don’t I? Without a plate, how can you prove it belongs to you and is not stolen? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/67 "2017-11-05T04:32:21Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > You have been eaten by a gruck. :Sigh: That should be truck, not gruck. I have never seen a gruck. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/68 "2017-11-05T04:56:44Z")
Last year I rode my bike around without a plate for two months. How? California doesn’t give out temporary tags. If you buy a new bike, you get a temporary registration to stick under the seat or wherever. I never got chased. Didn’t even get pulled over. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/69 "2017-11-06T13:26:20Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You really have no idea what you are talking about. Can you elaborate on how the other member is wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/70 "2017-11-06T19:04:01Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Can you elaborate on how the other member is wrong? Not being able to read a plate is not the same thing as a stolen car and there are no departments who will treat it that way. In other words cops will not chase anyone with an unreadable plate because it might be stolen. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/71 "2017-11-06T20:14:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Not being able to read a plate is not the same thing as a stolen car and there are no departments who will treat it that way. In other words cops will not chase anyone with an unreadable plate because it might be stolen. I won’t dispute that is what cops really do, but in general, isn’t a non-visible plate a violation? Are you saying nobody would ever get pulled over for that? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/72 "2017-11-07T16:48:50Z")
I think I’ll want to check West’s Annotated California Vehicle Code notes for that one. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/73 "2017-11-07T20:18:42Z")
The point at issue is not whether a non-visible plate is a violation. It probably is in all 50 states and is in every state I’ve ever checked. Net of special circumstances addressed below. The point at issue is whether your ordinary average policeman, upon seeing a vehicle lacking a clearly visible plate will immediately jump to the conclusion that the vehicle must be stolen and will almost always use that as the probable cause to do a traffic stop. Our policemen here have said that’s not how it’s done in their departments. A small sample, but better than the guesswork the rest of us have to go on. Now take no plate, a bad tail light, a junkermobile, and 4 mopes on board all together and the officer might decide a fishing expedition will pay off. As said by others above, in some states there are no temporary plates. Newly sold cars often drive around for a couple months with no plate. It’s not unusual at all _in those states_. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/74 "2017-11-07T21:18:59Z")
Michigan still has temporary “plates” for dealers who aren’t authorized to issue registrations and permanent plates by the Secretary of State. and I’ve seen a number of vehicles- usually SUVs- where the temp tag was taped on the inside of the backlite, and the tint on the backlite was dark enough to make it hard to see that it had the tag. and as far as I know the po-po don’t pull over those vehicles left and right. they might drive behind them long enough to see if it has a temp tag. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/75 "2017-11-09T01:24:42Z")
What’s a mope? Whatever it is, don’t call _me_ one. (Mean Streets obligatory cite TK.) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/76 "2017-11-09T02:00:24Z")
A lazy lowlife. See [mope - Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mope) The sort of folks who hang out on street corners not doing much but are ready to follow any leader who’s got the initiative to go mug a passerby or whatever. c.f. Goon. Surely you’ve heard of the made up criminal offense “mopery with intent to gawk.” Po’ folks been gettin’ busted for that all over this fine land for many, many years now. Mopery is what mopes do. Hanging out looking like trouble without necessarily being trouble. At least not at this instant moment. ---
**Author:** ![testiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@testiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/testiva)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/77 "2017-11-09T22:23:10Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > It’s not uncommon for bikers to remove the normal tailkit and mount their plate under the rear fender at an angle, making it very hard to read. You are exactly right most sportbike riders mount their tags at a 45 degree angle ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/78 "2017-11-10T00:43:17Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I won’t dispute that is what cops really do, but in general, isn’t a non-visible plate a violation? Are you saying nobody would ever get pulled over for that? An obscured plate is a motor vehicle violation. It’s not presumptive evidence of a stolen vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582/79 "2017-11-10T02:25:29Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > A lazy lowlife. See [mope - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mope) The sort of folks who hang out on street corners not doing much but are ready to follow any leader who’s got the initiative to go mug a passerby or whatever. > > c.f. Goon. > > Surely you’ve heard of the made up criminal offense “mopery with intent to gawk.” Po’ folks been gettin’ busted for that all over this fine land for many, many years now. > > Mopery is what mopes do. Hanging out looking like trouble without necessarily being trouble. At least not at this instant moment. I thought “mopery” was exposing yourself to a blind person… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-police-ever-go-after-speeding-sport-bike-riders/254582.md?page=3)