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Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
- ThatYeti
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17 Apr 2024 06:34 #897721
by ThatYeti
'76 KZ400
Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding? was created by ThatYeti
With the front end cleaned up on my '76 KZ400 I'm wanting to clean up the rear lighting with something a little less bulky and more cafe-esc. Not a fan of cutting things or making permanent changes to the frame, etc. so I was hoping someone may have come up with a solution that allows me to mount something like an LED light strip for the brake and signal lights while getting rid of all the bulky old lenses. Ordered a few light strips and can see that they'll all work, but don't have any way to mount them as I believe they're all meant to be stuck to a new rear 'hoop' that's welded on after cutting the last inch or two off the rear of the frame. Open to any/all ideas, but was sort of imagining like a drop in/bolt on bracket of sorts that would have a space to slip in the led light strip. Terrible at drawing unfortunately so we're going to have to work on imagination here, but I think about it similar to a weld on rear frame hoop, but one that just bolts into the holes where the rear blinkers are stock and slides into the slots for the rear seat back bar while having a space for the light strip.
Hopefully that's not too confusing but let me know if I can clarify and thanks in advance for any guidance as always.
Hopefully that's not too confusing but let me know if I can clarify and thanks in advance for any guidance as always.
'76 KZ400
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17 Apr 2024 07:15 #897726
by ThatGPzGuy
Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"
Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
I could see why you would want a different set as the KZ400 rear light is remarkably trailer-like.
I have one of these on my cafe bike. LED Tail Light Brake Rear Lamp For Motorcycle eBike Brake Light Assemblies | eBay
You may have to make a simple bracket adapter if you don't want any new holes.
I have one of these on my cafe bike. LED Tail Light Brake Rear Lamp For Motorcycle eBike Brake Light Assemblies | eBay
You may have to make a simple bracket adapter if you don't want any new holes.
Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"
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17 Apr 2024 08:13 #897732
by ThatYeti
'76 KZ400
Replied by ThatYeti on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
Thanks and yes exactly my thought, hoping to have it looking less like a rental trailer from behind haha. Not what I was thinking at all but don't hate this idea. What did you do for turn signals and the license plate if you went this route? and did you keep the full rear fender? Considering swapping it for a shorter one but not real sure how exactly it comes off, or cutting it down potentially.
Was initially thinking of using something like this to handle both but really don't have any way to mount it without adding a new rear hoop:
www.amazon.com/dp/B07DCW4QRS?psc=1&ref=p...dt_b_product_details
Was initially thinking of using something like this to handle both but really don't have any way to mount it without adding a new rear hoop:
www.amazon.com/dp/B07DCW4QRS?psc=1&ref=p...dt_b_product_details
'76 KZ400
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17 Apr 2024 08:17 #897733
by Wookie58
Replied by Wookie58 on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
Could you mount it around the lower edge of the seat pan ?
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17 Apr 2024 08:32 - 17 Apr 2024 08:32 #897735
by ThatYeti
'76 KZ400
Replied by ThatYeti on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
Don't think it sticks out past the end of the seat so don't think that's an option unfortunately
'76 KZ400
Last edit: 17 Apr 2024 08:32 by ThatYeti.
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17 Apr 2024 08:36 #897737
by ThatYeti
'76 KZ400
Replied by ThatYeti on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
'76 KZ400
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17 Apr 2024 09:03 #897738
by ThatGPzGuy
Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"
Replied by ThatGPzGuy on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
Jim
North GA
2016 Yamaha FJR1300ES
1982 GPz750 R1
1974 Kawasaki H1
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Yamaha XS650 cafe'
2001 KZ1000P
2001 Yamaha YZ426
1981 Honda XR200 stroked in an '89 CR125 chassis
1965 Mustang
1967 Triumph GT6
1976 Bronco
"If you didn't build it, it's not really yours"
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- Nerdy
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17 Apr 2024 09:47 - 17 Apr 2024 09:49 #897741
by Nerdy
1979 KZ400 Gifted to a couple of nephews
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R
Replied by Nerdy on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
I did a rear fender delete on a KZ400 and installed one of these:
Note that these are only tail/brake lights; they are not turn signals. Both are on when the bike is running and both brighten when the brakes are applied. And I mean BRIGHTEN.
For the turn signals I made 90-degree brackets that attach to the taillight frame via the upper license plate bolts. This puts the signals at the rear of the bike and ensures there's a little bit of distance between them. I used K&S incandescent turn signals, which are also very bright.
Edit: forgot to mention that the bottoms of the taillights are clear and serve as the license plate light, as you can see in the pic.
Note that these are only tail/brake lights; they are not turn signals. Both are on when the bike is running and both brighten when the brakes are applied. And I mean BRIGHTEN.
For the turn signals I made 90-degree brackets that attach to the taillight frame via the upper license plate bolts. This puts the signals at the rear of the bike and ensures there's a little bit of distance between them. I used K&S incandescent turn signals, which are also very bright.
Edit: forgot to mention that the bottoms of the taillights are clear and serve as the license plate light, as you can see in the pic.
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R
Last edit: 17 Apr 2024 09:49 by Nerdy.
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17 Apr 2024 10:00 #897742
by ThatYeti
'76 KZ400
Replied by ThatYeti on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
Thanks, that might work. Do you have any pics of the rear fender delete?
'76 KZ400
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17 Apr 2024 10:15 #897744
by Wookie58
Replied by Wookie58 on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
What I had in mind was a piece of sheet metal or plastic sheet bent to the shape of the seat (pink line) mounted to the bottom of the seat pan then the LED mounted in the new piece (green line)
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17 Apr 2024 10:16 #897745
by ThatYeti
'76 KZ400
Replied by ThatYeti on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
Exactly what I'd had in mind as well, and it could use the existing holes for the signals to mount. Was just hoping someone else might have already made one either out of metal or 3D printed, etc.
'76 KZ400
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17 Apr 2024 10:20 #897746
by Wookie58
Replied by Wookie58 on topic Smaller Cafe Style rear lights without cutting/welding?
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