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Author Topic: How to attach Tail Light?  (Read 2315 times)

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Offline robdrobd

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How to attach Tail Light?
« on: January 11, 2010, 06:08:19 PM »
Does anyone have any good ideas for attaching a tail light without a cafe cowl or the rear fender on a bike. I thought of maybe a fabrication from the grab rail. Any ideas or pics of examples?
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Offline socalenduro

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2010, 07:16:38 PM »
i just made a simple bracket that attached to the two bolts under the seat that the fender used to bolt into
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Offline domer

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2010, 08:34:56 AM »
one 4" wide peice of sheet metal, a couple of bends to get the placement just right and bolted in place of the fender. do not do as i did with the license plate. it did not survive the first pot hole and is now zip tied to my passenger peg. i can take better pics if you like...
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Ryan 550k

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2010, 08:39:04 AM »
Quote from: domer on January 12, 2010, 08:34:56 AM
one 4" wide peice of sheet metal, a couple of bends to get the placement just right and bolted in place of the fender. do not do as i did with the license plate. it did not survive the first pot hole and is now zip tied to my passenger peg. i can take better pics if you like...

I'd like to see more pics.  This is something I'm going to be tackling here in a bit as well.
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Offline robdrobd

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2010, 09:32:22 AM »
Quote from: domer on January 12, 2010, 08:34:56 AM
one 4" wide peice of sheet metal, a couple of bends to get the placement just right and bolted in place of the fender. do not do as i did with the license plate. it did not survive the first pot hole and is now zip tied to my passenger peg. i can take better pics if you like...

I would like more pics as well if you can do it. Maybe some close-ups?
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Offline domer

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2010, 09:57:21 AM »
check back in a couple hours... ill get some detailed pics when i get off work.
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Ryan 550k

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2010, 10:48:46 AM »
Quote from: domer on January 12, 2010, 09:57:21 AM
check back in a couple hours... ill get some detailed pics when i get off work.

Sweet!  Thanks man :)
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Offline domer

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2010, 02:44:48 PM »
so... it is still not finished as i am playing with different lights/positions. nothing but a peice of sheet metal. it was a little flimsy with the weight of the license plate. but my tire took care of that for me and ripped the sucker off (hence the little peice hanging under the light, which im going to fold flat underneath the light as kind of a rock guard) with out the plate it holds just fine... any q's
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Ryan 550k

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2010, 05:03:52 PM »
Have you thought about, and I'm sure you have, using a thicker, heavier piece of metal that won't have so much give with the plate on it?  Or maybe something harder but lighter?  I don't know, there are tons of different types of metals out there.  Maybe I'm over thinking this :-X
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Offline domer

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2010, 05:50:29 PM »
this was supposed to be so i can just match a thicker peice of hopefully aluminum. this way i can get it bent just right the first time... but honestly this works fairly well and considering my budget.... will do for now ;D
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Ryan 550k

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2010, 11:25:30 PM »
Quote from: domer on January 12, 2010, 05:50:29 PM
and considering my budget.... will do for now ;D

I hear ya there bubba  :D
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Offline KB02

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2010, 05:07:02 AM »
I am planning on doing something very similar with my bike. You seemed to have plenty of room under the plate for the tire to clear even when bottoming out. Did you bracket bend when you hit the pothole causing the plate to catch on the tire?

Just brain storming out loud, really. My state has passed a law that all license plates must be mounted horizontally, so mounting the plate off to side isn't an option for me (vertical is okay looking, but side mount horizontal just wouldn't look right on my bike).
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Offline domer

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2010, 08:05:23 AM »
im sure it flexed a little, but if it is that close in the first place.... ill pass. id hate to see what would happen if i used a thicker chunk of metal and the plate caught the tire.... 
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Offline socalenduro

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2010, 12:06:37 PM »
here is where and how i did mine....
i need to remake it in 1/8 steel so it will stop vibrating so much...

as for clearance it might be worth taking the springs off and letting the rear wheel cycle all the way thru the travel to be sure it wont hit....
the license plate will give and rip before anything else...calis are made out of tinfoil

where i bolted it down



shows the bend a little better

« Last Edit: January 13, 2010, 12:20:13 PM by socalenduro »
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Offline Alan F.

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2010, 05:39:39 PM »
Quote from: socalenduro on January 13, 2010, 12:06:37 PM
i need to remake it in 1/8 steel so it will stop vibrating so much...

It'll weigh like 8lbs if you do that, maybe you can get to a bead roller and roll some nice ribs into it for added rigidity without adding any weight?
-Alan
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Offline socalenduro

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #15 on: January 13, 2010, 06:30:26 PM »
yeah i know... i wish i has a way to weld a support piece.... on the plus side i shortened the seat by about 2.5 inches, so thta gets rid of alot of material off the bracket
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Offline Alan F.

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #16 on: January 13, 2010, 06:38:48 PM »
Maybe you could find a horse-shoe shaped piece of tubing from a lawn chair or something and pop-rivet it underneath?
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Offline socalenduro

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Re: How to attach Tail Light?
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2010, 08:20:17 PM »
good call....

Domer, every inch out away from the seat you move that license plate you gain ALOT more tire clearance
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