I'd call my "KATE W-650"  a  Classic , but its only 21 years old ?

Does Vintage mean most parts are still available ?

I think Antique means you make your own parts out of what-ever you can find ?  

Sometimes I've thought that running in the cross country canon-ball on a "Antique" bike might be fun ?  

As JCstokes states - I don't think there is any possible way to strictly define what Classic/Vintage/Antique vehicles are. And in Kentucky the license plates for vehicles 25 years or older are labeled "HISTORIC".

I personally have a hard time believing anything newer than me (1955) is potentially Antique or Historic!

In my mind the "antique" classification fits vehicles that are from the early era of transportation and are somewhat primitive.  Gas lights, mechanical brakes, hand or foot starters, leather seats, exposed rockers arms, gravity fuel systems, magneto ignitions, etc.  For me this era goes into the late 1920's.....the bodywork of cars and trucks from this era was reminiscent of buggies or coaches and they had steps or running boards to help you get inside.

The Vintage era for me starts when automobiles and trucks had electric starters as standard, 4 wheel hydraulic brakes, windows with cranks to roll them up/down, valves and rockers arms were enclosed.  The bodywork was streamlined and the bumpers were often part of the bodywork and not just bolt on "options".

The Classic era for me is the 1950-1960 vehicles.

I am not sure what to classify the 70's and later vehicles as......they just don't seem old or primitive enough to have a special classification.  It just seems wrong that vehicles as new as 1996 qualifies for "HISTORIC" plates.....in 5 years I will be able to get HISTORIC plates on the 2002 Chevy truck that I own - that is just completely weird!

In Sweden its like this.. "veteranfordon", in English Vintage vehicles!
30 years old vehicles.. that is used as collector vehicles/hobby vehicels, have special rules.

One still need to go to an inspection every second year, but they only inspect the safety issues, like brakes, lights, turn signaling and that kind of stuff.

And to the benefits, no vehicel tax, and a Vintage insurance, but this have caveats, its only for vehicels that are used sparsely!

I think this is fair enough.

 I contacted a friend at MECUM and a few that work in "antiques" etc.  One lady was on the original Antiques Roadshow.  

 An antique is over 100 years old.

 "Vintage" is 20 - 99 years old and then it gets pretty open ended.  For the most part I hear that an item must capture a sense of nostalgia that’s relevant to the culture or subculture in some way.

 "Collectible" is something that is worth more than what it was originally purchased for.

 "Classic" is completely open ended, everyone had a different answer.  I imagine a 1996 Honda Civic hatchback could be a "Classic" depending on who is evaluating it.

 I know where I lived they tried to start a rivalry football game between two schools and called it the Pigskin "Classic" on the first year.



 In CO there are a few options for vehicle registration and plates.  32 years old is the minimal cutoff for vehicles in CO.

"Street Rod" plates =  Vehicles manufactured in 1948 or earlier.

"Collectors" plate (5 years) = Vehicles must be (a) Model year 1975 or earlier; or(b) Model year 1976 or later that was registered as a collector's item prior to September 1, 2009; except that a vehicle so registered is not eligible for registration as a collector's item upon sale or transfer to a new owner; OR (c) A model year at least thirty-two years old unless the vehicle was registered before September 1,2009, and meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of this subsection (2). if the vehicle is being registered under this paragraph (c) and in the program area, as defined in section 42-4-304: (i) The vehicle must have passed an emissions test meeting the standards of part 3 of article 4 of this title within the last twelve months before being initially registered by the owner as a collector's item; and (ii) The owner must sign an affidavit DR 2839 that the vehicle will not be driven on roadways for more than four thousand five hundred miles per year. All taxes and fees shall be five times the annual taxes and fees normally assessed.

Colorado Revised Statute 42-12-101, 42-12-102 and 42-12-401


 There is also a "Year of Manufacture" option where you can supply an original plate and can only use the vehicle for special events.

 "The Year of Manufacture license plate is an original plate for motor vehicles valued principally because of the vehicle's early date of manufacture, design, or historical interest or value as collectors' items."