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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Streebek on March 13, 2009, 11:23:52 AM

Title: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Streebek on March 13, 2009, 11:23:52 AM
Hey guys.  I have become curious about something else.  lol

I was wondering if you guys had any ideas for options as far as replacing the stock taillight on my '89 GS.  I was kinda hoping to find something compatible with little or no modding required.  I am just not sure how much i like the stock big red box.   Is it possible to fit a taillight from the newer E models?
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: lawman on March 13, 2009, 12:16:19 PM
Clear alternatives led.  ebay away.
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: fred on March 13, 2009, 12:45:42 PM
Quote from: Streebek on March 13, 2009, 11:23:52 AM
Hey guys.  I have become curious about something else.  lol

I was wondering if you guys had any ideas for options as far as replacing the stock taillight on my '89 GS.  I was kinda hoping to find something compatible with little or no modding required.  I am just not sure how much i like the stock big red box.   Is it possible to fit a taillight from the newer E models?

Early Yamaha R1 taillights fit with little work... Just get the lens and your old bulb holders should fit in it. If not, the R1 taillight has the same connector on it, so you can just unplug the stock stuff and plug in the new. It doesn't get much easier...
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Farakin on March 13, 2009, 01:16:11 PM
Quote from: lawman on March 13, 2009, 12:16:19 PM
Clear alternatives led.  ebay away.

+1  I am just waiting for money to miraculously appear in my wallet.
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: joshr08 on March 13, 2009, 01:21:49 PM
i think the R1 tail light in the old body style gs looks good
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: lowcountrygs on March 13, 2009, 01:27:19 PM
R1 light was one of my fav mods I did to the bike and the cheapest. I got my for about $5 shipped and really makes the tail look 100x better
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: bill14224 on March 13, 2009, 11:35:00 PM
I have a bid on an R1 tail light on eBay.  Don't try to outbid me!  :2guns:  I would do the same for you!
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Streebek on March 14, 2009, 01:47:01 AM
Lol.  I am not even sure where to begin with an R1 tail light.   Does it matter what year?  I mean...If I needed the whole unit then I would need to find one with the mounts in the middle, right?  But would other R1 lenses fit to just replace the stock '89 lens?
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Lukewarm Wilson on March 14, 2009, 03:33:22 AM
I think the Honda Blackbird is the same so anything that fits them  :thumb: :cheers:
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: joshr08 on March 14, 2009, 05:03:38 AM
97-98 cbr1100XX is the same as the 01+ tail not the 89-00 tail
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: fred on March 14, 2009, 01:25:46 PM
Quote from: Streebek on March 14, 2009, 01:47:01 AM
Lol.  I am not even sure where to begin with an R1 tail light.   Does it matter what year?  I mean...If I needed the whole unit then I would need to find one with the mounts in the middle, right?  But would other R1 lenses fit to just replace the stock '89 lens?

Here you go, Pablo has a good discussion of it:

http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id55.html

Those are actually pictures of my bike, before I owned it...
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Streebek on March 14, 2009, 05:34:56 PM
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170310461854&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

Would this type work ok?

or how bout this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320349405519&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=


Thanks for the help guys.  I really appreciate it.   :D
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Infinite Dimentia on March 14, 2009, 06:22:32 PM
I opted for the Clear Alternatives clear lens then got led converstion 1157 bulbs and love it.
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: bill14224 on March 15, 2009, 07:10:40 AM
Streebek, the first one is what you want.  It has the same rectangular base and mounts as our stock light.  That's what you're looking for.  The second one is wrong.  It's from a 2000+ model.  The lamp I ordered says it comes from a 2001, but it's not.  It's rectangular just like the first link you posted.  I looked it up on BikeBandit first so I know what the correct part looks like.  Don't trust eBay sellers' descriptions.  They often don't know what they're selling.  Always look-up OEM part years and models yourself ahead of time before you go eBaying.  That's what I do.

Infinite, he wants to do it cheap.  He doesn't want to spend $100 on a tail light and LED's, cool as they may be.
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Streebek on March 15, 2009, 11:11:21 AM
From the looks of the r1 taillight...It seems like there might be a little empty space above the lens when its on the bike.  Am i wrong?
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: LucPro on March 15, 2009, 11:41:51 PM
u can modify the oem ones...

I am waiting for some parts in the mail and maybe I will post a how to ...
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: fred on March 16, 2009, 12:38:00 AM
Quote from: Streebek on March 15, 2009, 11:11:21 AM
From the looks of the r1 taillight...It seems like there might be a little empty space above the lens when its on the bike.  Am i wrong?

Nothing I've really noticed... But my bike never had the stock light. I'll have to compare it to my project GS which still has the stock light. I usually park them in opposite directions, so I never look at both taillights at the same time...
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: Streebek on March 16, 2009, 01:04:48 AM
That would be cool if you could post a comparison pic!   :D
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: w00derson on March 20, 2009, 12:12:54 PM
Quote from: bill14224 on March 15, 2009, 07:10:40 AM
Streebek, the first one is what you want.  It has the same rectangular base and mounts as our stock light.  That's what you're looking for.  The second one is wrong.  It's from a 2000+ model.  The lamp I ordered says it comes from a 2001, but it's not.  It's rectangular just like the first link you posted.  I looked it up on BikeBandit first so I know what the correct part looks like.  Don't trust eBay sellers' descriptions.  They often don't know what they're selling.  Always look-up OEM part years and models yourself ahead of time before you go eBaying.  That's what I do.

Infinite, he wants to do it cheap.  He doesn't want to spend $100 on a tail light and LED's, cool as they may be.

The R1 tail light on the bike seen here ( http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id55.html ), looks like it has the oval base. I am assuming both style tail lights work then?
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: fred on March 20, 2009, 01:47:21 PM
Quote from: w00derson on March 20, 2009, 12:12:54 PM
Quote from: bill14224 on March 15, 2009, 07:10:40 AM
Streebek, the first one is what you want.  It has the same rectangular base and mounts as our stock light.  That's what you're looking for.  The second one is wrong.  It's from a 2000+ model.  The lamp I ordered says it comes from a 2001, but it's not.  It's rectangular just like the first link you posted.  I looked it up on BikeBandit first so I know what the correct part looks like.  Don't trust eBay sellers' descriptions.  They often don't know what they're selling.  Always look-up OEM part years and models yourself ahead of time before you go eBaying.  That's what I do.

Infinite, he wants to do it cheap.  He doesn't want to spend $100 on a tail light and LED's, cool as they may be.

The R1 tail light on the bike seen here ( http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id55.html ), looks like it has the oval base. I am assuming both style tail lights work then?

That link was already posted in this thread...

It isn't as much about oval and square base as it is about mounting point. The earlier R1 taillights have mounting points in the exact same place as the GS taillight so the conversion is super crazy easy... I think the later R1 taillights have mounts nearer the top instead of the middle or something along those lines..
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: bill14224 on March 20, 2009, 06:54:26 PM
Hi Fred.  I just learned something.  The 2001 R1 tail light doesn't fit the GS.  The studs are about 1/4" further apart, and the housing and lens are a little too wide.  This after looking-up R1 replacement tail lights and finding lights for 1998-2001, making a reasonable person think they're the same.  They're not, and I just wasted 13 bucks!  :2guns:  I found oval and rectangular lights listed for the same model years.  I'm not even going to try to explain that, other than sloppy listing practices.  The oval light must be the right one.  If not, both are wrong, and I know that isn't true!

I'm not interested in shimming my light with cardboard either.  If that's how it goes, I'll keep the stock light.
Title: Re: New Taillight Ideas-Got any??
Post by: fred on March 20, 2009, 07:00:02 PM
Quote from: bill14224 on March 20, 2009, 06:54:26 PM
Hi Fred.  I just learned something.  The 2001 R1 tail light doesn't fit the GS.  The studs are about 1/4" further apart, and the housing and lens are a little too wide.  This after looking-up R1 replacement tail lights and finding lights for 1998-2001, making a reasonable person think they're the same.  They're not, and I just wasted 13 bucks!  :2guns:

I'm not interested in shimming my light with cardboard either.  If that's how it goes, I'll keep the stock light.

Bummer. I don't know what year my R1 taillight came from. It was installed by my friend when he owned the bike. There is no shim under the light anymore. If there was one mentioned on Pablo's site, it has long since fallen out without any consequences. It is just held in place by pushing the light's studs through the stock bushings and secured by a couple of screws with washers. That's all it seems to need and it stays in place and looks fine as far as I'm concerned...