Side Number Plates

[FTR London]

Not really technical because the job itself is a piece of piss. Ordered my side number plates, brackets assembled, decals added...




...five minute job screwing the mounting kit to the subframe - (which cost £102 for basically two plates left and right, and four bolts - two for each side). Be good if it included the correct size then...





Appears to be four M8s that came with it which are completely the wrong thread. I think they need to be fine.

 

[Webby]

That's disheartening! You'd think for what they want for them they'd go right together. Makes me think twice about them.....

 

[FTR London]

That's disheartening! You'd think for what they want for them they'd go right together. Makes me think twice about them.....

Just inconvenient - it's no long-term issue. I just can't comprehend how such a needlessly expensive mounting kit which is a separate and additional purchase to the brackets, side plates and decals, can supply the wrong fucking threaded bolts. I'm four of them and a couple more minutes from finishing the job. Now I have to track down the equivalents, in black and likely shorten/cut them to the same length.

 

[kiwi dave]

I checked the ones in my bike, and they are M8 with a pitch of 1.25mm, 20 mm long.

 

[FTR London]

I checked the ones in my bike, and they are M8 with a pitch of 1.25mm, 20 mm long.

Thanks Dave. Precisely what it says here...



But they simply don't fit. I mean I could use brute force, but it would completely mash the threads. The only possible explanation is that I need M8 x1 fine, not coarse. That was certainly the case when I removed the mirrors and replaced them with similar button head screws.

Bewildering.

 

[kiwi dave]

I suggest you run a M8 x 1.25mm tap to clear up the threads. Perhaps someone has tried to use another bolt size or pitch and have damaged the threads on your bike.

 

[FTR London]

I suggest you run a M8 x 1.25mm tap to clear up the threads. Perhaps someone has tried to use another bolt size or pitch and have damaged the threads on your bike.

It's a possibility I had considered. I've shone a torch in there, they all look fine. The thread on each of the screws supplied is simply too large -incompatible. I'm convinced it needs fine not coarse. I'll let you know of the outcome when it's resolved.

 

[FTR London]

Sorted - an otherwise very simple job made more complex by my own reservations. Reasoned that since the mounting kit is never coming off I'll simply use brute force - which is ingrained as being counter intuitive where a thread is concerned. After a few very stiff and forceful turns it took and the others were the same. No idea why the one I initially tried yesterday locked after one and a half turns. When I dumped the mirrors I needed a fine not course thread to plug them. Convinced this was the same. Anyway...



Change the vanilla Continentals this month for something more aggressive looking and in keeping with the bike. still awaiting the ProTaper flat track bars (overseas order) instead of these ridiculous Grandad sit up and beg OEMs. Then at some point the Toce low mount with the black visor tip.