You could, I think, if you turn the bottle 180 degrees. The hangers eyelets may not be in the middle of the bottle. But it is true, that the hook is obsolete here. I mean - may happen that on a sudden hard braking you will find your bottle next to battery... so I think it is better to have it, if you have it.
Enclosing mine as well. Automatic, Euro, March 70. All brackets were black.