New Jersey "HISTORIC" License Plates: "Q" Plates, Come to Oley!

[Jimmy]

Thanks for posting that. I will see if I can change mine fron standard to classic. It seems strange that I can get them for my classic car in my local agency but I have to send to Trenton for my classic motorcycle.

[Sarge]

You can see that New Jersey seems to have just updated the rules, newly (?) including "Street Rods," on March 1st, 2012, (2011?) with a lot of influence from the National Street Rod Association, which you have to go through and be a member of to get a plate for a hot rod.

Looks 2me like the N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission authorities decided to recognize "street rods," but also to keep them on a very short leash. If you look at the pointer to "historic registration guide [pdf] - including sample photos - to learn more about historic vehicle registration." (just above the photo of the QQ plates on the page), there's a lot of "thou shalt nots" listed. I guess they can't have junkers like those shown in their red "X" photos running around the State of New Jersey!

The only thing missing seems to be a photo rogues' gallery of modified, old motorcycles: long front ends, chrome doo-dads and/or straight pipes, also marked with red X's as "unregistrable as antiques." And I see that the registration fee is now $44, with a "no fee" renewal every three years (just makin' sure you're still alive, I guess!).

We paid $25 in 1976. And $15 extra for the low numbers (under 21) Now, I read that it's $44.00 for Standard Historic Plates (the next number off the line), $74.00 for Courtesy Historic Plates (a specific number not yet assigned, I guess?) and $94.00 for Personalized Historic Plates. Does that mean they'll make you a "HISTORIC" plate with the year and make, perhaps, like "1941HD," or "50INJUN" ?

Looks to me like the State of New Jersey woke up to the fact that the Historic plate program could be a source of some revenue, within the restriction that, once registered, they are still permanent for life. That, and it appears that some NSRA people have been working very hard to get their NJ "Street Rod" plates approved!

Thanks again, for that, Lyle, for bringing a lot of people, including me, up-to-speed on the rules in New Jersey.

[Jimmy]

"Stock" bike, not a chop? As you must have read, New Jersey has issued Historic plates for motorcycles since 1976. You talked to some functionary numb between the ears, perhaps. Contact Trenton, mention names and office who denied you. they will accommodate you; or have the holders of over 5,000 plates they've already issued beatin' in their doors/ringing their phones. It used to be called the "Courtesy Plates" section, but that was 35 years ago. Same department, nontheless, that handles "vanity" plates. We can't let this ineptitude stand! Call um Monday and raise Cain, if you will, and report back here, Jimmy.

Well I got em! I had to send away and I don't know if they will refund for the standard ones they sold me at the DMV but at least I got em. Mine looks different than yours though, the one they sent me has a place for an inspection sticker and a registeration sticker, neither of which I have.

[Sarge]

Well I got em! I had to send away and I don't know if they will refund for the standard ones they sold me at the DMV but at least I got em. Mine looks different than yours though, the one they sent me has a place for an inspection sticker and a registeration sticker, neither of which I have.

Happy for ya, Jimmy! I just came back to this thread and read your post. I axed someone about those squares for stickers, before, and heard, "We don't worry about that. There's nothing that goes there." I see you're number 6082. That brand-new plate answers the other question, of "How many NJ Historic plates have been issued to date, in 36 years?" Glad to have been a little help in your case, Jimmy. Maybe more New Jerseyans reading this thread will also benefit. I hope!

It looks from here that New Jersey will be okay with that plate design until they hit ten thousand; then, they'll have to redesign the plate; maybe remove the sticker squares, eh? And didn't I hear that State Inspection Stations are a thing of the past, even for street-registered motorcycles, in the Soviet Socialist Republic of New Jersey?

[Sarge]

For any who were at Oley and looking for Joe, Q6, and myself, I apologize. Our plans were kiboshed when my older brother Vern, 73, passed away at his home in Arkansas, during the week leading up to Oley.

Instead of coming north, my dear Lisa and I made a bee-line for Arkansas, arriving in time for his funeral. Joe Burkel, dear heart that he is, understood immediately, and forbade me; for-BADE me, from trying to get back to Florida about Tuesday, and turn around and pick up the pickup truck, trailer and my '37 Harley that wears the Q1 plate and stop by for him up in the North Carolina mountains on our way to Oley!

"We'll put that plan on hold until next year," is all I can say! I'm sorry for being the reason for the no-show, guyz.

[Jimmy]

Happy for ya, Jimmy! I just came back to this thread and read your post. I axed someone about those squares for stickers, before, and heard, "We don't worry about that. There's nothing that goes there." I see you're number 6082. That brand-new plate answers the other question, of "How many NJ Historic plates have been issued to date, in 36 years?" Glad to have been a little help in your case, Jimmy. Maybe more New Jerseyans reading this thread will also benefit. I hope!

It looks from here that New Jersey will be okay with that plate design until they hit ten thousand; then, they'll have to redesign the plate; maybe remove the sticker squares, eh? And didn't I hear that State Inspection Stations are a thing of the past, even for street-registered motorcycles, in the Soviet Republic of New Jersey?

Yeah Sarge, no bike inspection sticker at all in Jersey now, probably rodeside though. They still do emissions inspection for cars at the inspection stations, but not anything else unless it pops out at them (like no mufflers or a smashed windshield or something that you cant hide).
I lived in Montana for some good years and no inspection for cars or bikes, and you weren't required to have any insurance on motorcycles at all, not even liability, just cars. Oh yeah and no set speed limit on the highways either, just safe and prudent is what they called it. I asked a Highway Patrol cop once how fast before you give out a speeding ticket and he said, on the open highway, in good weather conditions, after about a 100 mph. lol. Been gone awile so I don't know what it is now ,but man I loved livin there.