Believe it or not the cops here check them........I have had a State Trooper check mine. Got pulled over for speed. But he wanted license, registration, insurance card and immediately ran my vin # through his computer to see if the bike was stolen. If I hadn't had the decal on the frame my bike would be going to the impound garage to look for the stamped number on the engine & frame because the Trooper wouldn't be crawling under the bike to find either while on the side of I-90.

This would really suck if you were out of State on a road trip. BTW, if you alter the one on your car you will be taking the same trip as well.

 

OK guys. I respectfully ask that you allow a 52 year old fart to share a story with you here. The first bike I ever purchased (a used 1970 Honda CB750 purchased from a Honda dealer in San Antonio, TX.) ended up being a stolen motorcycle legally purchased by the Honda dealer at a Police auction. The victim of the theft saw me riding it one day andcalled the Police Dept. toturn me in. They impounded the bike and sent an Investigator from the Texas Dept. of Public Safety in Austin to check it out. He used an elaborate portable lab kit to determine that the VIN# etched into the frame had in fact been altered. My point is, the sticker doesn't mean s**t. The VIN# etched into the frame is the "be all/ end all" when it comes to positively identifying a motorcycle. Ask me how I know.

 

sounds like to me that statie must've had a bad case of raw *** or something. That's just a little excessive...so while I certainly believe you man, it doesn't sound like something that would normally happen...and it's DEFINITELY not something that would happen here in NJ. The cops here are too busy racial profiling...thank god for that!


Todd

 

One of the first things I did was remove the reflectors and all the factory stickers / decals. The vehicle identification number is on the decal and also stamped into the frame on the steering neck. So,......mind over matter?.............what does it matter?

 

Removed it on the last three I owned - never a resale issue, etc.....................

 

it's only an issue if you're exporting it. I bought a bike and imported it into canada. They look for that sticker at the border because it says that this vehicle conforms to all safety, emissions etc standards.
I'm wondering if you'd also need it if selling it into california since they seem to be pretty strict on such things.