Topic: Bought a cafe side mount taillight/license plate bracket problems with wires

[jesus freek]

 As the title says I bought the side mount  kit and the light only has 2 wires one black one red. On my 75cb550 there are 3 wires 2 green and 1 brown. If I remember correctly the brown goes to the light to illuminate the plate and the 2 greens, one for the running light and one for the brake light. Has anyone had any success on fixing this prob and how?
Thx in advance.

[fuzzybutt]

sounds to me like theres no brake light in it. just taillight

[jdigga]

Does the bulb in it have two filaments?  My taillight only has two wires (red and black) and a ground wire needs to be attached with a screw to the metal backing plate.

[Shenanigans]

I got an after market tail light and it also only came with 2 wires. One goes to a wire that always has power and the other goes to what ever wire gets power when the brakes are activated. I don't remember what it went to but I think the third wire from the bike was a ground which would be unused in an after market light because the light itself is a ground. I think... or that was atleast how it was on mine.

[jesus freek]

I'm pretty possitive the black wire would be negative. Im gonna pick up a dual filament bulb tommorow on my way home from work,I dont think the kit came with a dual filiment bulb.Correct me if Im wrong but wouldnt a dual filiment bulb require 2  possitive wires and not one. Would it work as running/brake light {dual filiment}with the one red wire and one black wire as the kit has provided? I tried experimenting one green was a brake light the other green was a running light and the brown seemed to ground things out tommorows another daY  thx all

[Triffecpa]

look inside the socket where the bulb fits.  If it has two round contacts, it's set up for a dual filament bulb.  If it has one round contact in the center, then it is set for a single filament bulb.

My guess is that the two wires are for the running light and brake light circuits and the ground is picked up externally via the mount to the frame.

TR

[cafe750]

According to the wiring diagram in my Honda shop manual, the taillight wires are as follows.
Green- Ground
Brown- Running/taillight
Green w/ yellow stripe- Brake.
Hope this helps!

[hopterfixer]

Make sure the bracket has a good ground to the frame.  I ran a ground wire attached to the back plate of the taillight to the wire harness ground, that way I know I am set. 

[jesus freek]

  Thx for all the tips guys.The "WINGS" are on tonight so no garage time. Cafe750 thx for the info on the wires Im still not sure how to hook mine up with only 2 wires.If the red which I know for sure is positive,and the black would possibly be a positive  then I think I might be ok, if the light grounds itself{Triffecpa}please please please!! or find a way to ground it Thx to all. I sincerly appreciate all those that have  and will respond.

[Shenanigans]

  Im still not sure how to hook mine up with only 2 wires.

As long as its grounded, you should only have 2 possible combinations of wires.

[hopterfixer]

Try red for the running light, black for the stop light and the light base for the ground.  If the wrong element lights up, swap the black and red.  It is really fairly simple. 

[jesus freek]

A little late on the post and reply but a hardy thx to all that did reply. The bulb did have 2 contacts and or 2 filiments. Cafe 750 the wiring colors you sent helped out a bunch as did running a seperate ground,I did attach it to the green ground wire on my bike as recommended by hopterfixer. works like a charm.  ;)Once again, thx I could not put this cafe together with out the help of this forum.

[hopterfixer]

That is what we are here for.