Well the last session I have had with the little Goose was to find some solution to the number plate, rear light and seat conundrum. After much rumination, expert judgement and a lot of guesswork a solution was found! Hurrah!
The problems were what kind of seat could I have without making too many compromises that would allow me to have the number plate in the right position. However, a standard sized UK number plate’s width would foul the rear indicators. Additionally, the rear light with integral number plate holder I had bought was not going to be part of the solution. So that was £25 not very well spent. The problem was that what I had purchased was probably meant to be sunk into the rear of a seat or ‘Frenched’ into bodywork somehow as the rear terminals weren’t encased in an aesthetic manner which you should be able to make out in the next photo with the old seat pan.
Although the old seat pan looks okay it doesn’t suit a slim seat in a flat tracker/Brat style plus the rear lights wouldn’t look right because of the issue stated above. So the old seat pan went back on the shelf.
Out came the cardboard in the shape of a fish tank box!….and some rough lines drawn upon it following the lines of the frame.
Ah! This was now looking better for the progress of the seat. So much so that I had splashed out on another rear light, but this time it was in its own casing and would mount on a mudguard or bracket in some way. As I referred to earlier, the standard UK number plate mounted at the right height/angle so as not to foul the rear wheel, would partially obscure the indicators by about 5mm each side. I could mount it a little further down a yet to be made home built bracket but the angle would be more horizontal than vertical as per the MOT tester’s handbook.
Having seen regulations that state that motorcycles registered before Jan 1 2001 were eligible for 3 line number plates that’s what I decided to go for. There is still a bit of a grey area associated with this which I won’t bore you with….so the solution was a flat seat, new bracket for a new rear light to mount to and a slimmer number plate…
Thankfully the kind neighbour that sorted the petrol tank out has offered to fabricate the seat pan and number plate bracket and powder coat them both….for nothing again. This kind of support and expert help is invaluable.
I have revisited my job list and the next job will be fit the clutch cable before routing it gets too difficult and fit the oil breather tank in place and cut all the hoses to the right length and fit. Sounds easier than it will probably turn out to be, but hey…at least it ain’t wiring!!!!
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