Chasing my tail

[MisterCinders]

I cannot decide which way to go with my new tail-light.

The seat pan rear face shows (badly) in this pic:



I want to mount the lighting on that face to break it up a bit. After scouring for possible lighting units, I have zeroed in on a pair of small rounds or squares.

Round:



Squares:



My dilemmas are girlish and many.

Q1 - Round or square?

Q2 - Mount the pair vertically or horizontally?

Q3 - If squares, mount straight or on angle (e.g., diamonds)?

Go.

[DevanJones]

Square diamonds.

[MAJikMARCer]

It really needs a trapezoid light. Is there a salvage yard in the area with motorcycle parts? Maybe you can find something that would look right from a more modern bike?

[MisterCinders]

It really needs a trapezoid light. Is there a salvage yard in the area with motorcycle parts? Maybe you can find something that would look right from a more modern bike?

There are loads of trap lights on eBay, but they struck me as pretty meh.

Recall that I already have bullet signals etc., so I fear a trapezoid would look too modern.

I have considered a Lucas style, but cannot get a good size estimate on them. Also they tend to come with fender mounting, which I would have to work around or remove to fit it to the seat back.

[TheCafeKid]

I've always rather liked the old school hot rod round "blue dot" tail lamps with the stainless or nickel plate frames around the lenses. I'm sure there are lots of reproductions out there. Something with a little more character than just a light will fit your cafe style more methinks. But that's just me. I picked up a set of H4 "tri-bar" knock off head lamps cheap on eBay. The beam pattern is not quite right for a bike, but it was damn bright enough. Looked the chit too.

[old_skool]

Not a very good drawing, but, what about 5 smaller lights wired together, different.

[Tim Tom]

I say twin round lights. Mounted horizontally to each other. Would look the most balanced I think.

[Reaper0001]

i like the square ones mount them in the best way to accomodate the lights in the tail piece mabey two square ones on the bottom left and right and one round one in the middle top

[MadCapsule]

I like this, personally.

Lucas-style, LED, fairly compact, should have a bunch of mounting options and the have specific dimensions listed.

[MAJikMARCer]

I dig that one. Still has some classic look to it, but the shape would fit nice.

I like this, personally.

Lucas-style, LED, fairly compact, should have a bunch of mounting options and the have specific dimensions listed.

[airbornespud]

i know it sounds overly simple, but go cut out some dummy lights out of cardboard and stick them on there. if you're really ambitious, you can color them red. mess around with some different sizes, shapes and arrangements until you get it right.

[Flyboy]

I think square is the wrong shape for an old school cafe, it has to be round, none of the bikes of that era had square lights.
And I agree with TCK, something with a metal frame or bevel of sorts to give it that real retro feel would work a charm.

[MisterCinders]

I like this, personally.

Lucas-style, LED, fairly compact, should have a bunch of mounting options and the have specific dimensions listed.

Not spending $100 on a tail-light, though that one is pretty sweet.

Ended up grabbing a pair of Land Rover lights, shamelessly bogarting EvilEnfield's design. It's cool though, he somewhat borrowed my other paint scheme, so we are bros.

The lights are en route and look ideal. Small and round, but the lenses are kind of bullet-shaped.

Here's a crooked pic of his bike with the lights.



The ones I ordered don't have those chrome bezels though. I need to hunt some down for sure.

[old_skool]

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[MisterCinders]

old skool, for some reason your pic comes through all pixelated, like it's covering up some nasty bits. Sadly, that is not the case.