Topic: tail light mods

[evinrude7]

never been super thrilled with the stock tail light.  i bought a "british style" looking aftermarket tail light from 4 into 1 some years back thinking the screw holes were close enough.  not quite.  please share your tail light mods.  looking for ideas that are close to stock but more sleek.  not into led strip lights across the grab rail or major mods.  i've installed smaller turn signals which i like.  shooting for something that compliments them.  preciate'cha

photo of bike attached

[newday777]

Have you looked at the 69-71 taillight which is smaller than yours is?
Yamiya has smoked lense and clear lense for them.

https://www.yamiya750.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=246_251_185_117

[newday777]

69-71 Smoked lense

https://www.yamiya750.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=246_251_185_117&products_id=3948

[bryanj]

To fit the earlier light you need the bracket as well as the hole spacing is different, the UK ones had the small light through til 77 i think, check uk ebay and if seller wont ship i will be middle may for post cost

[PeWe]

My K6 has the early light, K1 style.
Bracket and license plate holder and fender needed.
It got the K1 blinkers too.
Europe never got the "brick stone" rear light.

Find a good looking K1 fender with rear light.

[BenelliSEI]

My son fitted the early style light to our K3. The chrome on the bracket was gone, so he tossed it in with some other stuff I was getting powder coated black. I think we used an early fender, to avoid the extra holes.

These lights are available as inexpensive aftermarket units and will work on a “rear fender eliminator” as well (see vintagecb750.com). Personally, I think they are ugly, but seem to sell well.

[CycleRanger]

Have you looked at the 69-71 taillight which is smaller than yours is?
Yamiya has smoked lense and clear lense for them.

https://www.yamiya750.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=246_251_185_117

That's neat. I did not know Yamiya offered clear and smoked lenses.

[Stev-o]

I like the look of the smaller K1 style tail light but the safety aspect of the larger light!

Wondering if that is why Honda increased the size?

[MauiK3]

I used the K1 light and fender on my K3. I just like the look better.
I found a NOS setup still wrapped up on Ebay.

[BenelliSEI]

I like the look of the smaller K1 style tail light but the safety aspect of the larger light!

Wondering if that is why Honda increased the size?

North American DOT Regs for minimum tail light sizes. The bigger turn signals in ‘75/‘76 for the same reason.

[Deltarider]

I like the look of the smaller K1 style tail light but the safety aspect of the larger light!

Wondering if that is why Honda increased the size?

North American DOT Regs for minimum tail light sizes. The bigger turn signals in ‘75/‘76 for the same reason.

Another example of this childish and deeply rooted stupidity that bigger is better.

[Don R]

 Here's my K1, I drilled the fender brace welds out, moved the fender up to where I wanted it, cut off the excess and re-welded the fender to the bracket. I was able to hide two welds under the Lucas type taillight, the rest are under the seat. The bolt holes are also covered.

[grcamna2]

Here's my K1, I drilled the fender brace welds out, moved the fender up to where I wanted it, cut off the excess and re-welded the fender to the bracket. I was able to hide two welds under the Lucas type taillight, the rest are under the seat. The bolt holes are also covered.

Do you run that same one on the Rat Race now Don ?

[Don R]

Here's my K1, I drilled the fender brace welds out, moved the fender up to where I wanted it, cut off the excess and re-welded the fender to the bracket. I was able to hide two welds under the Lucas type taillight, the rest are under the seat. The bolt holes are also covered.

Do you run that same one on the Rat Race now Don ?

 Yes that's the one, it's a copy of one that came on a drag bike I bought but it didn't have a brace under it, the bolt holes were wobbled out. I liked the look but needed it stronger.

[MauiK3]

I think I'll try to get an LED to fit in the light, it may be a lot brighter.

[Oddjob]

This may offend some Honda people but I fitted the rear light off an 1980s Yamaha RD250/400. It seems to suit the back end quite well on my 500/4 but the real reason I did it was for safety. Back then I was almost living on my bike, typically 25000 miles a year was put on my engines back then, my 1971 500 has over 260000 miles on it and my 1972 500 has just short of 150000 miles. I found that the rear bulb was constantly failing on both bikes, as it was behind the rider and just a single bulb sometimes you didn't notice the rear light going out until cars were beeping you and you did risk getting rear ended. For a quick fix I'd pull up the rear brake light switch so it sat on top of the frame bracket, that meant at least some light was showing at the back to get me home at night. Eventually I decided a twin bulb setup was a better solution and the Yam light fitted without any modifications except in the wiring and that was simple enough.

As I said this may upset some purists but I'd sooner be safe and avoid unwanted police attention than stick to stock.

I am considering going back to stock on my restoration this time but I'm going to modify the light and fit an LED plate in there instead of the bulb, used to make a decent living on doing LED conversions on car dashes a few years ago and still have hundreds of them lying around. Thinking maybe 30 leds for the tail light and maybe the same for the brake light but of a higher lumen rating, might work might not but sometimes you don't know until you try.

[BenelliSEI]

Good points above! Last time I took a cb750 for a really long ride (over 20 years ago), I had the tail light from  a later cb (900 maybe?). I picked it up at a flea market and liked it because it had two bulbs, doing the same jobs. Makes total sense.

[MauiK3]

Maybe and LED is the answer.

[jgger]

They make L.E.D.'s that flash like 5 to 7 times ( I think)  when the brakes are 1st applied. Good if you are commuting, plus brighter than incandescent.

[PeWe]

Maybe and LED is the answer.

I hope LED bulbs are better today than ca 5 years ago when I tried LED bulbs in the K1 style rear light my K6 and K2 have.

The 2 models of LED bulbs I tested had bad brake light, not much difference when braking plus poor licence plate illumination.

So the old style 5/21W bulb is still used.
Brake light is important to be seen when lit.

General about rear light, not that important as headlight. If cars are closing up, you ride too slow!!

LED H4 front is OK.

[Oddjob]

Not strictly true Pewe, you stop at junctions, traffic lights and roadworks, cars close up at all of those, tail light just as important as headlight, traffic should be on the other side of the road so headlight whilst very useful and important isn't as critical to safety as tail lights IMO. Mate of mine was killed when he was rear ended on a motorway, only 18 at the time, car was doing over 100mph at the time, most SOHC Hondas from the 70s would struggle to cruise at that speed.

[PeWe]

Yes, I know. I could not resist a little fun.
I had never thought that stock rear lamp is too weak.

But, in city riding today when most cars have blinding white LED lamps, smaller red rears might drown in all light, I'm sure  when raining.
I rode long distances in the 80's in heavy rain and darkness. No problems then. This was before the blinding LEDs most cars got +25 years later.

[grcamna2]

I want to switch to a set of 4) bright LED turn signals;I want to install a pair of double filament front turn signals from a VF500C Magna in the rear.
The idea is to have 3) rear taillights,including each turn signal;I will use 1157 bulbs on each rear,inside(space/length is limited in there)the turn signals.
I have 1156 bulbs in the front and want some bright ones up there.
Do they make good LED 1157 bulbs now? I bought a set of flat LED's and tried installing them into a double bulb rear taillight a few years back;no improvement,rather a lot less light and I couldn't see the bulbs in bright sunlight(and no license plate illumination)so I went back to incandescent.
I still want to use them in the taillight.

I want to switch-over to LED's,but don't want an LED bulb that's lame;I hope the LED bulbs are strong enough to press them into the sockets.   
Yeah,I've got No experience at all on LED's    Need to learn how to retro-fit them onto an older light socket. 

[BenelliSEI]

I want to switch to a set of 4) bright LED turn signals;I want to install a pair of double filament front turn signals from a VF500C Magna in the rear.
The idea is to have 3) rear taillights,including each turn signal;I will use 1157 bulbs on each rear turn signal.
I have 1156 bulbs in the front and want some bright ones up there.
Do they make good LED 1157 bulbs now? I bought a set of flat LED's and tried installing them into a double bulb rear taillight a few years back;no improvement,rather a lot less light and I couldn't see the bulbs in bright sunlight(and no license plate illumination)so I went back to incandescent.

I want to switch-over to LED's,but don't want an LED bulb that's lame;I hope the LED bulbs are strong enough to press them into the sockets.   
Yeah,I've got No experience at all on LED's    Need to learn how to retro-fit them onto an older light socket. 

Assuming you do, I have a few sets of red turn signal lenses (1969-75 style), if your state requires red on the back?

[grcamna2]

I want to switch to a set of 4) bright LED turn signals;I want to install a pair of double filament front turn signals from a VF500C Magna in the rear.
The idea is to have 3) rear taillights,including each turn signal;I will use 1157 bulbs on each rear turn signal.
I have 1156 bulbs in the front and want some bright ones up there.
Do they make good LED 1157 bulbs now? I bought a set of flat LED's and tried installing them into a double bulb rear taillight a few years back;no improvement,rather a lot less light and I couldn't see the bulbs in bright sunlight(and no license plate illumination)so I went back to incandescent.

I want to switch-over to LED's,but don't want an LED bulb that's lame;I hope the LED bulbs are strong enough to press them into the sockets.   
Yeah,I've got No experience at all on LED's    Need to learn how to retro-fit them onto an older light socket. 

Assuming you do, I have a few sets of red turn signal lenses (1969-75 style), if your state requires red on the back?

I bought some reflectors and installed the lenses into the VF500C double filament turn signals.
I'm running  #P21/5 bulbs in both these signals along with the stock Honda taillight;LED's wanted.
I hope the local constabulary isn't offended.