| STANDARD MOTORCYCLE 1997-PRESENT |
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The regular graphic 1997-base 5x8" motorcycle plate ("MC") was produced by Waldale starting at 1AA01 and remained unchanged until the mid-CW series was reached in 2009. These plates could be personalized for a fee of $100 plus GST. |
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A small number of personalized MC plates were produced by Hi-Signs in 2002-03. |
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All graphic colour elements were darkened on personalized and regular series MC plates in 2009 somewhere between 5CW59 and 6CW82. Old-stock regular series 5x8" plates can still be found in a few issuing offices but can no longer be personalized. |
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In 2012/13, approximately 8000 5x8" plates were produced in two batches across number range 5DT01 to 4EB99. The new 4x7" form factor MC plates that emerged in April 2013 onwards resulted in a major drop in demand for these larger 5x8" plates. The late-issue highs progression was 2DT78 (2014), 2DT79 and 2DT91 (2015), 3DT17 in 2019 and 5DT43 in 2023. Black-bison 6DT50 observed in 2024 may be the highest-numbered plate issued in the long-running 5x8" format which debuted in 1952. |
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Production start was 5EB01 for the new circa-2013 4x7" plates with low observation 5EB55. I have spotted several EB-series plates that appear to be newer issues without stickers. This version lasted to FM. |
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Sticker box outlines dropped from FN to FS-series plates produced after 2017. |
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Numbers shifted to center of plate, province name enlarged and 3M High Definition (HD) sheeting appeared at series FT in 2021. This is the current type personalized MC plate which is allowed max five characters, still for $100 plus GST. |
***MC versions of some (but not all) specialty graphics started appearing in April 2013, see my dedicated webpage or the MPI website for details.***
| Veteran, Bilingual and temporary motorcycle |
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The new MC option for Veteran plates was announced to the public as 5x8" size in November 2012. By the time Veteran MC plates became available for ordering (April 19, 2013), they had been resized to 4x7". These plates may not be personalized and only veterans officially certified by the Royal Canadian Legion qualify for them. Some minor changes in the V200-series plates included centered numbers, larger province name, no sticker box outlines and HD sheeting. |
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Bilingual personalized and regular JB series MC apparently available as of November 2013 yet plates not discovered until 2016. The high regular series reached 1JB12 in 2024 for a grand total/average of just over ONE plate issued per year. These are not advertised or stocked by issuers and must be ordered. I have not seen more than seven (7) Bilingual MC plates total. |
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Temporary MC permits as of 1997 were just a regular sheet of paper designed to be folded/taped to inside front window of a car and showed no outwardly-visible number. Quite impractical for visual law enforcement as well as motorcycles which do not have an obvious and consistent mounting location. They were finally improved in 2021 with the introduction of a new, two-part laminate permit for both passenger cars and motorcycles. While the artwork and number series are the same for both vehicle types, motorcycle permits are printed on smaller 4x7" cut-outs to be mounted in the usual rear plate spot. The second document part of the permit should be carried in the rider's pocket and produced to law enforcement on demand. |
| VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE 1985-PRESENT |
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The Vintage Motorcycle licence plate category was introduced in 1985 for classic bikes that are at least 30 years old and operated only in parades, shows, to/from repair shops and other events as approved by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles. The initial 200 plates were made by Western Tools in black on reflective white featuring large black on clear bottom "VINTAGE MC" sticker. They were numbered 1000-1199 and it took a full 27 years for warehouse inventory exhaustion. |
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Waldale has produced almost all Manitoba plates since 1997 but the original 1980s batch of Vintage MC plates lasted well past that point. Finally in 2012 some vintage bikes started receiving a new fully-embossed Waldale-made plate from series 1200-1499. These were far more popular than the original design as data suggest nearly 85% were issued in just seven (7) years. My high observation reached 1466 in 2019 and inventory started running out in 2021-22. Plates 1498 and 1499 were issued in 2024. |
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In keeping with the new 4x7" size for all MC types, Vintage MC plates were resized in 2021 starting at 3000 and now use HD sheeting. In 2024 the high has already reached the mid-3100 series but most issuers stock slightly-lower numbers. |
| COLLECTOR MOTORCYCLE 2014-PRESENT |
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Yellow Collector plates were introduced in 2014 for motorcycles at least 25 years old and can be driven without the restrictions of Vintage plates. The original batch ranged from CL001-200 and featured small province name and sticker box outlines on traditional sheeting. Approximately 40 per year are registered but in 2024 I have not seen more than 18 of these plates in total. Demand for this type remains very low due most likely to lack of an insurance discount. Issuer stocks confirmed as high as CM849 after more plates were produced (CL and CM series) and distributed by 2023 but most appear to be gathering dust. Some numbers conflict with old 1983 base trailer or 2013-series Curl Manitoba motorcycle plates. |
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Sticker box outlines were dropped, province name enlarged and sheeting updated to HD starting at CL201. Most of the precious few Collector MC plates I've seen were personalized rather than regular series. |
| MOTORCYCLE AND TRAILER DEALER |
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Motorcycle and trailer dealers used 5x8" size plates with D prefix and "DLR" caption starting with D2501 in 1997. All graphic colour elements were darkened around D5700 first appearing in 2011. The circa-2018 high was D6437 and inventory started running out in 2019. Update: July 2024 spotting of 5x8" size D7481 from a trailer dealer. |
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Several years after all other MC plates had been revised to 4x7", matching dealer plates were finally observed in 2019. Low range D6631-6825 plates confirmed with original sheeting and sticker box outlines. Current highs D7135 and D7138 featured centered numbers, larger province name, no sticker box outlines and HD sheeting.. |
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