taillight

[hubcapsc]

Taillights are "unavailable" now. There's a guy over on the Classifieds looking
for one.

I was noticing a non-Valkyrie Honda beside me on the road the other day,
its taillight looked very familiar. I just checked the Shadow parts page.
That taillight looks like ours, and the lens has the same part number
as ours.

Anyone ever compared them side-by-side in real life?

-Mike

[RonW]

haven't seen them side by side, but the Ace 1100 tailight is identical outside. It's how they're bolted to the rear fender that differs. Ace 1100 tourer's tailights use a bracket to interface the rear fender with threaded male posts. Valk tailights are molded with threaded female inserts (bottom pic.). Also, a Valk's rubber gasket is way better.

[Bagger John - #3785]

Any of the Shadow taillights that are top-of-fender mounted should work. I ordered smoke lenses for my Valkyrie, and the listed fitments covered a very wide range of VT- models.

ETA:

A modification to the Shadow light's mounting bracket will be needed - cut the bottom mounting stud off flush with the bracket then treat for corrosion protection.

I see a couple of cheap ones on the auction site and have a rear fender floating around in the stash on which to test it. Might do that if no one else does.

[Jess from VA]

The lens is the same part, the mount is not but can be made to work.

[longrider]

The lens itself is available here in canada.  Ordered one today as the old one has lost its surface and doesnt appear as bright.  I didnt ask about the mount.  Also ordered a kickstand mount bolt. 

[Bret SD]

Has anyone installed a blue glass lens in the tail light? I've been thinking about doing it, saw a bike with one and it was definitely more noticeable, I think the blue stands out pretty well.

[Bagger John - #3785]

Has anyone installed a blue glass lens in the tail light? I've been thinking about doing it, saw a bike with one and it was definitely more noticeable, I think the blue stands out pretty well.

A more modern way to do it is to replace the taillight bulb with a Radiantz unit:



Replace the lens with a clear or smoke version (available on eBay and from several other sources)

Then remove a circular pattern of 6 or 7 red LEDs from the Radiantz circuit board and replace them with these:



You get the same "blue dot" effect and can go back to a stock setup quickly if desired. I may try this on the unit in my I/S, as its LED array has an intermittent that I need to re-solder.

[Jess from VA]

I have the Raidantz multi led under the stock red lens (plug and play, though sometimes just a bit of internal shaving of the lens is necessary to get the circuit board to fit flat), and it is great.

No blue dot.

Check your state DOT laws and regs, blue light is very often reserved solely for the coppers (or emergency vehicles).

A little blue dot in red the lens cover (over a standard bulb) is probably not going to give you any trouble (they've been out there aftermarket for many years), but adding in a cluster of superbrite blue LEDs in the circuit board under a clear lens might give you trouble (even surrounded by red leds).  

[Bagger John - #3785]

We also have these, which AREN'T blue:



Yesterday morning, I rode past a pickup that had blue running and reflector accent lights in place of its OEM yellows up front. OSHP is known for being idiots, but if they'll let THAT fly I doubt they'll take exception to a small, steady-burning blue accent at the rear of a vehicle.

In my chopper and cafe race daze, I ran PLENTY of the blue and purple rear markers on my bikes, with nary a glance from any of them. I got more hassles with my 4x4 (which, besides a brush guard and off road light bar was stock appearance and no lift kit) than I ever have with my bikes.

[Bret SD]

I have the Raidantz multi led under the stock red lens (plug and play, though sometimes just a bit of internal shaving of the lens is necessary to get the circuit board to fit flat), and it is great.

No blue dot.

Check your state DOT laws and regs, blue light is very often reserved solely for the coppers (or emergency vehicles).

A little blue dot in red the lens cover (over a standard bulb) is probably not going to give you any trouble (they've been out there aftermarket for many years), but adding in a cluster of superbrite blue LEDs in the circuit board under a clear lens might give you trouble (even surrounded by red leds). 

Thanks Jess, I looked at the LED option on their site, it looks easy enough and safer than what I'm running now.

The blue light is cool but I don't want any unnecessary attention from law enforcement. They generally leave bikers alone around here unless you do something to draw attention to yourself.

[Bret SD]

We also have these, which AREN'T blue:



Yesterday morning, I rode past a pickup that had blue running and reflector accent lights in place of its OEM yellows up front. OSHP is known for being idiots, but if they'll let THAT fly I doubt they'll take exception to a small, steady-burning blue accent at the rear of a vehicle.

In my chopper and cafe race daze, I ran PLENTY of the blue and purple rear markers on my bikes, with nary a glance from any of them. I got more hassles with my 4x4 (which, besides a brush guard and off road light bar was stock appearance and no lift kit) than I ever have with my bikes.

Thank you John, appreciate the good info.. don't think I'm going to mess with the blue lens, too much work for the risk involved. Once the lens is drilled it's too late, if I got a ticket for it that would make me very unhappy. Paying a ticket and re-doing it would be one of those kick myself in the rear moments.

[Bagger John - #3785]

I have a pack of clear purple LEDs awaiting pickup at my post office. I also have my I/S ready to go into winter storage for the year, so I think I'll take the opportunity to pull the Radiantz assembly and modify it.

There's a stock tail light, stock lens and a smoked lens in the parts stash. I'll take before and after pics with each type of lens and post pics of the results.

If anyone wants to duplicate this as a D-I-Y project, I might design a PCB and upload the artwork to GitHub along with a parts list. ExpressPCB or a similar fab house should be able to make these; you source the LEDs and the bulb base used to connect the board to the taillight socket. Some soldering required, of course.

[pancho]

You can put a glass blue dot in the tail light lens, but it does not fit perfectly flush on the curved surface of the lens..

If you decide to go the old school route, I wouldn't attempt to make the hole with hand tools. A drill press with a vice or a milling machine will give a true bore.

[Bret SD]

You can put a glass blue dot in the tail light lens, but it does not fit perfectly flush on the curved surface of the lens..

If you decide to go the old school route, I wouldn't attempt to make the hole with hand tools. A drill press with a vice or a milling machine will give a true bore.

Thanks Pancho, haven't messed with it, been busy. I may do the blue dot eventually, or just pay up and do Jess's fix.. dunno yet.