My earliest plate. I bought this at Baja Cycle in the summer of 1976 and purchased the number 20 with it (one of my favorite truck numbers in Dad's fleet). For the longest time there was still a 20x on the backside of this plate. Just a CBR headtube decal back there now. You have to love the "Oakley Grips" label maker created decal on the top. This turned into my NPSA plate in 1978 with the number 353. Kept the number 353 for NBA and regulated it to a side plate bolted to the rear axle of my wheel.



Next NBA/NPSA late was this custom job I made in shop out of some plexiglass. Oddly, I did not seem to keep any of my 1979-1980 plates around. Out of 100+ plates I have in my various bins, I cannot locate any from late 1979 through early 1980.



Next one is the assigned plate they gave you at sign-ups of the old ABA Nationals. This one from Grass Valley, California in April of 1980.



This would be one from Spring of 1980 with my first "earned" district number from ABA.



1981 District Plate complete with part of a $20 bill sticking out from behind the numbers.



My Spring 1981 District Plate was a simple custom job with some JT numbers and black Haro backing.



Saber Plates were so damn funny. Here is mine from late 1981.



Another custom decal job on an assigned ABA plate from 1981.

Custom Plate made by a small company (and I cannot remember the name of it). This is a flat one but they also made custom 3-D plates with your number moulded into it and then painted.



My first cruiser plate from 1981 when I was riding a borrowed DG 24 (while mine was on order). Later used this on my DG.



Yet another of my hacked up Haro Lightning Bolt Plates. If we knew then what we know now......



We used an awful lot of decals on everything.



This was my favorite plate from 1983. I rigged these flashing lights into the plate and they were powered by a small watch battery. Hi Tech for 1983





Strat-O Plate from 1983. Very odd but very cool at the time.

[ August 20, 2007, 06:28 PM: Message edited by: Ken Pliska ]

very cool!

Our first attempt at Velcro on number plates back in 1981. Went wild with the rivet gun back then.



No idea what this is. Dig the Skateboard decal on the top.



I don't think I ever used half of my Zeronine Plates. I just remember they were a co-sponsor in 1984-1985 when we were riding for Bike Gallery.



Just a spare hacked up Haro plate with a Fox decal and random number tossed on.






Pretty sure this was Darrell's NBL cruiser plate. It was with my stuff from back then and had a 6 and a 3 on it. I know it wasn't mine and the marks on the back indicate it was on a set of JMC FAB Cruiser bars like both of us ran on our cruisers.



Another plate that never saw track time. I don't think it was ever even mounted.



The last plate I ever used on my JMC at my last National in 1985. Was still stuck on my JMC bars back in 1995 when I took that bike out of the attic to start riding with my kids.

[ August 20, 2007, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: Ken Pliska ]

oh man, I remember that plate very well, so that was you!!! liked it so much and i actually did copy it, of course, different number! it was on my redline mx2

That was a cool trip back in time! That Turbo Air Dam Designs plate with drawing is my favorite.

Oh and this one, which I think have a patented on:

man thats some cool stuff. thanks ken for posting it all.

i dig that uni stuff ya got there.

what does the "=" inside the house mean?

That Haro/JT plate is killer!!!

Is that a ketchup stain on the paper plate?

Love It. Thanks for sharing ken. Awesome history.

I like the Pie plate the best.. #1 pie plate is humorous... LOL!

Steve
It's the logo of "the National Association of Realtors"

Ken, have we ever met? In a previous life maybe? Like BITD or something? Probably not. Just curious.

Now this is just another question, not a jab. Could my first plate have influenced your first plate? Or is it just a coincidence? A few similarities caught my eye.

Please don't think I'm hijacking your thread. I just thought it was cool that we had similar ideas.
Did you ever surf or follow the surf magazines? I used lightning bolts alot because Jerry Lopez used them on his surf products.







Oh, and Ken, I do like the "label maker" Oakley Plates stickie. So Cool!

The rest of the plates are priceless too! Aren't you glad you held on to all your stuff?

Dennis Dain

[ August 20, 2007, 09:40 PM: Message edited by: The Red Baron ]

Dennis,

Very Cool Plate! Though I hadn't seen it until now.

Actually, I think I saw a photo of Adam Cox's plate in either Minicycle/BMX Action or BMXA one time (if I remember correctly) and that was what I was trying for. Now that I think about it, Adam's was probably inspired by yours

Hell, you guys all have serious custom plates in that shot. Did you make the one for that Panda rider? Looks like some of your handywork.

That is John Bear, from Arizona, with the #1. No I did not make his.

LOL I definitely did not make the 1311. THAT IS BOB HARO!!!

I crossed paths with Adam Cox a few months ago. He might have copied me. He said he definitely remembered me from our time racing the same tracks BITD.

do you throw anything away....EVER?

AHH... nope. LOL

so Ken, we can assume the cockiness really set in about mid-83? ha ha

quote:

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so Ken, we can assume the cockiness really set in about mid-83? ha ha

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You crack me up Scott

And yes, right around there....