Tail light installation on 2011 B5

[mattsz]

I'm thinking of simplifying the rear end of my B5 by removing the stock tail light assembly and replacing it with a stand-alone unit:

N-Field Gear's "Classic British-Style Taillight" #Z90453:
http://nfieldgear.com/enfield-store/aftermarket-parts-accessories/lighting/classic-british-style-taillight.html

or, the same unit I think:

Hitchcock's "STOP/TAIL LAMP WITH MOUNTING BRACKET" #92669:
http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-electrics-lighting#part_4532

I've seen a number of these installed on bikes in the gallery, but I'm wondering if anybody can comment on the fit for the B5, which presumably has the older Bullet-style "humped" rear fender?

[Chiefharlock]

I have a copy of the Miller rear lamp on mine.  It's the one with the chrome bezel that says "STOP" accross the top.  I picked mine up from Debrix cycles and it came with the mounting/license plate bracket with it.

[mattsz]

I like that look, but I want a more visible tail and brake light than that one offers...

[barenekd]

The Z90476 Trials tail light has the same lens as the Classic British-Style Taillight, but and open frame that will fit around the hump. I'm assuming the ridge (hump) down the middle?

[Chiefharlock]

You could always pull the divider plate out so the whole thing glows and then gets brighter as you apply the brake....

[GlennF]

The standard B5 round light mounted on a flat plate seems to me to be a modern (larger and brighter) attempt to copy the Lucas MT211 style round lamp found on war era BSA's etc.

The lights you are looking at were more common around the 60's through to early 70's.

Depends what period you are trying to emulate. I was actually thinking of swapping out my standard B5 lamp for a WWII style offset MT211 but thought better of it after everyone called me an idiot and said I would not be visible from more than 3 feet away at night.

If you do go with a 60's style tail-lamp you will lose your indicator mount points but could probably swap to the "mini bullet" style indicators and mount them under the seat.

[gremlin]

So MATT -

It looks like the modification bug has bitten you !

Think twice, mod once.

[mattsz]

I was actually thinking of swapping out my standard B5 lamp for a WWII style offset MT211 but thought better of it after everyone called me an idiot and said I would not be visible from more than 3 feet away at night.

If you do go with a 60's style tail-lamp you will lose your indicator mount points but could probably swap to the "mini bullet" style indicators and mount them under the seat.

GlennF - I also want to retain some semblance of visibility from the rear, so I'm steering away from those cool small older lights.  I want to get rid of that big black box on my rear fender, and I like the look of those lights I mentioned.  I was thinking about those bullet-style indicators - I've seen a number of installations I like in the gallery.  Here's a gallery pic from Tiny Tim showing one with holes which looks like there may have been signals mounted right to the light fixture:

So MATT -

It looks like the modification bug has bitten you !

Think twice, mod once.

Don't worry, Gremlin, I'm thinking a lot more than twice... 

[CGP]

I have a  2012 c5 bullet and was thinking of removeing red len light fixture from the plate and putting one of the ones that say STOP. has any one tried this. also I tried to get the plate off that holds the tail light and one of the nuts does not want to come off the screw turns but does not come out. any ideas

[mattsz]

I bought the "Classic British-Style Taillight", it's basically like this one:



I don't think it fits.  Bare, the B5's "hump" is in the fender curve itself.  The C5, and I assume the G5, have a smooth uniform curved shape, like this military version:



The B5 is the "old Bullet style"; the rear fender is not a smooth uniform curved shape.  It's taller, and rather flat on top, then drops down more steeply to the back.  Maybe not too easy to see here, but notice how the fender stays follow the curve, and compare it to the one above:



Anyway, I finally got around to removing the stock tail light, and when I hold the new light up to the fender in the place where it should go, so that it's angled right, it rests on the sharper curve so that there is a rather unsightly gap, especially at the top of the light - a gap of almost 1/4 inch.  I can reposition it so that it rests on a portion of the fender that better matches the light's curved surface, but it's either way down low with the light pointing towards the ground, or way up high so that it's mostly under my rack, and the license plate is almost horizontal.  No pics, unfortunately.

Anybody run into this?  Any suggestions?  Maybe some sort of chunk of black rubber or closed-cell foam I can cut to fit in there and fill the gap?

[mattsz]

60 mph wind gusts today, so the boat is tied up for the moment!  Here's a photo-intensive post...

The B5's "humped" fender:




Here's the light held in place about where it should be - a little low, perhaps, but you get the idea.  Note the gap in the top where it meets the fender:




Here's the light moved down low to where it meets the fender with a pretty good "seal" - obviously too low!




And, here's the light moved up to where it best fits the curve of the fender - too high:




Any suggestions?  Other than "send it back"? 

[mattsz]

The Z90476 Trials tail light has the same lens as the Classic British-Style Taillight, but and open frame that will fit around the hump. I'm assuming the ridge (hump) down the middle?

Bare, the Trials light might be a trade-off, but NFG sells it for $140!  Hitchcocks has it for approx US$75, plus shipping.  I'm thinking that it ends up being too much like the factory installation, though...

[gremlin]

........Any suggestions?  Other than "send it back"? 

Post the dealer name, part number of the product, and, photos of it's epic fail on the largest user forum in your country.

Then - send it back.

[motorat]

i put one simular on a bonneville i had several years ago.
i remember having to "shape" the light with a file until it fit the way i liked it.
the only problem is once you start to massage the light you cannot return it.

[mattsz]

Gremlin - a bit extreme... I'm not that mad yet!

Motorat - not a bad idea!  Why didn't I think of it?  I've done the same thing many times fitting wood bits to a curved instrument soundboard.  Throw an old sanding belt on the belt sander and shape the light over one of the drums...  gotta do it right the first time, though!  And gotta be careful of the chrome...