Rear light stopped working - break light works though...

[MrP_Lon 89]

Hello,

 

As the title says, my rear light has stopped working (i.e. there is no constant red light on when the bike is working). However, when I use the break, the light goes on as bright as usual.

 

Not sure whether you guys ever had similar issues on any of the bikes you have owned and whether you know of a solution? Would appreciate any help.

 

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Panos

[Rocker66 34,463]

Have you checked the bulb? Quite possible that the rear light filement has broken whilst the one for the brake light is OK

[Guest Hati]

Have you changed the globe? It's a dual filament one, most likely the park light filament burnt up. It's not really an issue, globes on vehicles are consumables, just like brake pads... 

[ChrisCB 6,672]

My gasp is constantly being flabbered!

[MrP_Lon 89]

Thanks a lot for your replies guys.

 

Haven't changed the bulb just yet, as I noticed last night and I'm at work at the moment.

 

If it's (probably) as easy a solution as changing a bulb, I might just pop by the Honda shop on my way home tonight (they are open until 7pm apparently) to have them do it on the spot. Doubt they'd charge more than £20 for this, given that the bulb actually costs £3.5 and the sooner it's changed the safer my riding will be. Might even buy a couple more for any future problems. 

Edited January 28, 2016 by MrP_Lon

[steelhorseuk 1,690]

Dude, buy and change the bulb yourself for zero labour cost.

-Mark-

[CFB 4,601]

£3.50 for a bulb!

Gold plated possibly?

Pop into halfords and buy one.

1/2 hr to fit it yourself.

All you need is a cross head screwdriver and a 8mm socket

[Englishman 165]

You would be unlucky for it not to be the bulb which is a 12v-21/5w, change it yourself, go on how hard can it be?  

[MrP_Lon 89]

Thanks guys. Oh I'm planning to next time this happens (hence I'll buy more online to have spares). But after being rear ended recently, I don't want to ride the bike without a rear light in the dark, hence going to the dealer that is 5min away. Panos aka Mr Paranoid.

[Guest robin]

Any garage sells bulbs along with your petrol.

[michael 324]

Reminds me of a time when my riding buddy's tell me "Michael, your brake light isn't working, but the tail light sure is bright."

 

My mind goes to "no brake light," and removing the panels to get at it. Peering into the bulb (yes, still too hot in the hands and hoofing and blowing to cool it) and seeing nothing wrong.

 

My mechanic buddy ((the kind of fellow that can repair a Ducati clutch slave cylinder in a parking lot with locally sourced (read: auto parts store) parts and a large dose of mechanical genius)) wanders up and points to the rear brake pedal, "that's usually where the problem is," he mildly comments.

 

Yup. Brake light switch out of adjustment. A few hand moves and presto, voila. All is working well, as the brake light was permanently on.

 

I work in an industry that has a fair share of "peel that onion and find out what's really going on," so occasionally neglect the altruism-the simplest solution is usually the best.

 

After all this, I have to go out into the garage and confirm my spare tail light bulb is still where it should be on the bike……(when you've only got one rear light…it's good to have it lit and carrying a spare ensures I'm not in some dark corner looking for a replacement)

Edited January 28, 2016 by michael

[embee 7,288]

I am always wary of bikes with a single lamp in the tail light too. After a bit of searching I came across this item on the auction site (item 281534453215).

 

At great risk I ordered one, what the heck, money is only money. At £3-25 I was expecting it to be gold plated ............ seriously though, an absolute bargain. It is virtually indistinguishable from the OE NC reflector, it works well as a reflector and all the LEDs work evenly. It even has an "E" mark! The Chinese will provide one on anything if you ask nicely I'm sure.

 

The fixing is M6 instead of M5, and you need to open up the location peg hole enough to allow the wires through, but otherwise you'd never know the difference.

 

Nice to have the reassurance that you're not likely to end up with no tail light. I wired it with the tail/brake spliced directly onto the std wiring sub-harness but with the earth going to a separate accessible fixing (Integra rear seat bolt) so I can simply disconnect it for the MOT (saves any questions if it is simply the reflector). If the LEDs fail at some point I can just disconnect it and it is a reflector as the original arrangement, otherwise a new one will not break the bank.

[Slowboy 20,506]

Embee, as ever a good shout. Just ordered one, as like you I'm not dead happy with a single point of failure for the rear light. I think I could rig up a switch for MOT time...

[MrP_Lon 89]

Reminds me of a time when my riding buddy's tell me "Michael, your brake light isn't working, but the tail light sure is bright."

 

My mind goes to "no brake light," and removing the panels to get at it. Peering into the bulb (yes, still too hot in the hands and hoofing and blowing to cool it) and seeing nothing wrong.

 

My mechanic buddy ((the kind of fellow that can repair a Ducati clutch slave cylinder in a parking lot with locally sourced (read: auto parts store) parts and a large dose of mechanical genius)) wanders up and points to the rear brake pedal, "that's usually where the problem is," he mildly comments.

 

Yup. Brake light switch out of adjustment. A few hand moves and presto, voila. All is working well, as the brake light was permanently on.

 

I work in an industry that has a fair share of "peel that onion and find out what's really going on," so occasionally neglect the altruism-the simplest solution is usually the best.

 

After all this, I have to go out into the garage and confirm my spare tail light bulb is still where it should be on the bike……(when you've only got one rear light…it's good to have it lit and carrying a spare ensures I'm not in some dark corner looking for a replacement)

 

Yes, had that when fitting the lower foot pegs. Made the adjustment when someone pointed out how bright the tail light was

[MikeBike 5,005]

Ordered one of those LED reflector / tail / stop lights as a back-up to the tail/stop light. I appreciate it removes any doubt re MOT having a switch, but is there any known reason it may be doubtful MOT wise? Also with dayime running light LED's?

[MrP_Lon 89]

So popped by the dealer's and basically the bolts were all stuck so they couldn't stip the mud guard to change the bulb tonight, before the mechanic leaves (only arrived there 30min before close). Used power tools to no avail.

They said I better leave it tomorrow morning. But he did mention (if I'm not mistaken) that they might need to drill to get the bolts off? DRILL? THE HELL? Anyone else had similar experience?

As always, any advice would be more than appreciated.

[fred_jb 10,265]

So popped by the dealer's and basically the bolts were all stuck so they couldn't stip the mud guard to change the bulb tonight, before the mechanic leaves (only arrived there 30min before close). Used power tools to no avail.

 

And that's when the simple job we were all urging you to do yourself becomes a not so simple job!   Still - better to find out now than when you need to change the bulb while away on a trip.

 

Fred

[MrP_Lon 89]

It seems that way Fred. Chances are I'm going to have to pay though the nose for something that should have been dead simple... Ah, well, it's just my luck, isn't it?

Any ideas on how to loosen the bolts without ending up drilling through them?

[Guest Hati]

On a (slightly) different note, I replaced my tail light globe with an LED version only because I converted the headlight to LED first and the front park light to matching colour. You can get the exact same replacement globe in LED for piece of mind. Both "filaments" are very similar in light intensity to the standard globe.

[fred_jb 10,265]

It seems that way Fred. Chances are I'm going to have to pay though the nose for something that should have been dead simple... Ah, well, it's just my luck, isn't it?

Any ideas on how to loosen the bolts without ending up drilling through them?

I suppose the standard thing would be to try spraying some WD40 on them and leave overnight, though others may be able to suggest other solutions.   You could also try tapping the bolt heads sharply with a hammer to try to break the seal.   Heating might be possible, but probably not if they are holding on plastic parts (don't have my NC now to take a look at the offending bits!).

 

Fred 

Edited January 28, 2016 by fred_jb

[embee 7,288]

I'm afraid it's another stupid piece of design and choice of fasteners. There are 3 M6 button head (or raised head) setscrews holding the tail lamp housing on, which have to come out in order to get to the lamp holder. Stupid design. One is into a blind insert in the plastic, the other 2 are into steel panel nuts clipped onto the plastic.

 

The fasteners have those shallow hex sockets which combined with soft material, dry assembly and very tight the first time you undo them mean it's very likely they'll round out. Being the smooth raised heads there's nothing to grip with anything else. Mine were very tight to get out first time, though with some grease applied they're now fine. At least they are not too hard to drill the heads off, but stupid design.

Can't recall whether there's room for other head type, like simple hexagon setscrews as replacements.

 

I feel your pain.

[fred_jb 10,265]

I'm afraid it's another stupid piece of design and choice of fasteners. There are 3 M6 button head (or raised head) setscrews holding the tail lamp housing on, which have to come out in order to get to the lamp holder. Stupid design. One is into a blind insert in the plastic, the other 2 are into steel panel nuts clipped onto the plastic.

 

There seems to be a lot of stupid design in motorcycles, and cars for that matter.  It's as if different teams design each layer of the bike's construction in turn, and the next team just have to bolt their stuff on in any way they can, no matter how complicated, and so on, until the bodywork goes over the top, held on with horrendously complex fittings, and hiding all the horrors underneath!

 

I would love to be involved in a fully integrated design process for a bike, where everything is designed to be fully complementary with everything else, and with simplicity of construction and maintenance being primary drivers for everything, right down to the location of the last nut and bolt.

 

Fred

[CFB 4,601]

So popped by the dealer's and basically the bolts were all stuck so they couldn't stip the mud guard to change the bulb tonight, before the mechanic leaves (only arrived there 30min before close). Used power tools to no avail.

They said I better leave it tomorrow morning. But he did mention (if I'm not mistaken) that they might need to drill to get the bolts off? DRILL? THE HELL? Anyone else had similar experience?

As always, any advice would be more than appreciated.

Unfortunately, yes. It's the one under the cover flap that's the problem. Stuck solid on mine, but I managed to et it out with a centre punch and hammer. Gave it a good dollop of copper grease when it went back in though.

I've also replaced the bulb with one of these...

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/380-Ultimate-Canbus-92-SMD-LED-Bulb.html

much brighter then the stock bulb for both stop and tail functions.

[MrP_Lon 89]

Unfortunately, yes. It's the one under the cover flap that's the problem. Stuck solid on mine, but I managed to et it out with a centre punch and hammer. Gave it a good dollop of copper grease when it went back in though.

I've also replaced the bulb with one of these...

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/380-Ultimate-Canbus-92-SMD-LED-Bulb.html

much brighter then the stock bulb for both stop and tail functions.

 

Thanks Clive.

 

I think I might just buy the LED bulb and have it fitted myself at a later stage. Is this a direct replacement?

[CFB 4,601]

Yup Panos, it is.