Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Front license plate designs

Two plastic bolts. I take mine off (see Robert's Cornish picture) and replace with the standard index plate for its MOT.

Tim

Tim in UK a front number plate is not required on a three wheeler (trike)

I remember looking into this following a thread on the issue last year. I'm sure it was concluded that a three wheel vehicle resembling a car with steering wheel etc. did legally require a front registration number plate. Having said that I haven't heard of anyone being stopped by police in the UK for not displaying one. Bear in mind that latest M3W's are classed as LDV.

Extract from DVLA document V796

"Motorcycles and Tricycles
There are separate provisions for motorcycles and tricycles. Basically motorcycles registered after 1.9.2001 must only display a number plate at the rear of the vehicle. Motorcycles registered before 1.9.2001 can display a number plate at the front but are not required to.
Tricycles derived from four wheeled bodies i.e. saloon cars must meet the normal requirements above for cars whereas tricycles derived from motorcycles must meet the requirements for motorcycles"

As a M3W is more car than motorcycle a front plate is required. In fact if it were deemed to be a motorcycle derivation then having a front plate would be illegal. I know there are plenty of three wheeler running around in the UK without a front plate without problems and have also passed MOT's without.

I would beg to differ a M3W is NOT derived from a four wheel body, it has a motorcycle engine and therefore more M/C.

The class 4 mot manual state's..
"
if a threewheeler uses the motor bike steering then no number plate required."
i.e. handlesbars – and one wheel no number plate needed. A steering wheel and two wheels you need a front number plate.

The DVLA document is obviously open to interpretation, and a better description would be do you sit on the tricycle or in the tricycle. If on then it is motorcycle derived if in then it is car derived, MMC clearly think it is car derived as all their UK dealers fit front number plates on delivery. If as you say it is motorcycle derived then all those cars are illegal according to DVLA as they should not have front plates.
There is sufficient confusion over this that I am sure no one will be pulled for either having or not having a plate. Come MOT time however it is required to go through a Class 4 test which is for a car, they only exception in this test is it is exempt from emission testing.

The class 4 mot manual state's..
"
if a threewheeler uses the motor bike steering then no number plate required."
i.e. handlesbars – and one wheel no number plate needed. A steering wheel and two wheels you need a front number plate.

I think my solution is a good British compromise.

Tim

Suggesting the engine determines which category of trike the M3W falls is a seriously flawed argument. I have seen many motorcycle derived open trikes with handlebars, powered by car engines, even V8's.

The Morgan three wheeler isn't generally easily categorised, but DVLA descriptions of motorcycle and car derived trike designs seem very clear to me.

What's so difficult to understand