Okay, I am pretty sure this one is not already on the topic list (and i did look!).

My license plate is torn in 3 places. The stock Suzi plate holder is not doing a dang thing to keep it stable. Any time someone walks by and bumps it, it bends and tears. I did the latest damage backing it near a garage column. When I walked the bike forward, the plate caught on the edge and tore.

The plate is thin aluminum, and is ripped clear through at both screw holes and now also 1/3 across thru the lettering.

I tried adding wide washers to the front of the plate at the screw holes which did help a little in preventing further tearing there.  But now the crazy thing is about to come off from the lower 3rd tear and that one I do not know how to fix.

I am annoyed because a new plate is $25 plus the $30 fee for replacement stickers.

Do you guys know of a way to stablize or repair the plate?

The JB Weld sounds like a grand idea. Fine stuff in those tubes. Sounds like some tin snips & some piece O cheap metal & I know it says 24 hours, but I expect you can ride a lot sooner than 24 hrs. Especially if you put it in a warm spot to cure. If time is an issue, you may be able to find another epoxy to use, but, JB has such a great reputation I wouldnt know what to go with, unless it would be Devcon epoxy.
I am glad you straightened out what this thread is about. For a sec there, I was thinking you were cryin over your licenseplate. I was wondering if the letters said something horrible! I bet a pie pan would be stout enough, easy to get & plenty cheap. Is there a license plate "surround", you know, trim piece, like on cars, that would protect the edges any?

Yeah. Mine got torn in half as well along with the pot-metal surround that was on it and was already broken when I got the bike. I picked up a new metal surround and it's been keeping things intact, but I've been taking it easy on it since.

The JB Weld to a backing plate sounds like a pretty good idea to me. I think I'm going to that route as I'm going to be doing a bunch of back road, dirt road, creek crossing and buffalo scouting on the "Thunder Bee" this summer in western North Dakota. Ya just know something's going to get rough and dirty before it's all done.

Jack

This past weekend i added a metal backing to the license plate and gorilla glued it in place.  It is a support metal piece for lumber, and is smaller than the plate without blocking the screw holes.

Then I screwed the license plate with its new support back onto the frame, and it is much stronger. The frame is helping keep the metal support in place along with the glue.

I've bumped it a few times since and it has not ripped or bent again. Mission accomplished, thanks to those who chimed in with ideas!  

Savage_Rob wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

Yep same here.  Dealership included a pretty nice frame with the bike.  Haven't bent the plate at all.