Tail lights

If it's broken or just needs tweaked

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Hue
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Tail lights

Postby Hue » Tue Oct 03, 2006 4:28 am

You know, I could have sworn they worked on the way home. Went out tonight and started the bike up and "ta-da" no tail lights. The blinkers work fine, the break light works fine, but no tail lights. Fuses look good, bulbs do not look burned.... any sugestions?
1980 CB650 CUSTOM

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Ibsen
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Postby Ibsen » Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:54 am

I experienced the same problem this summer. But when I turned the ignition switch to the Park position all the way to the right, the tail light worked. I located the problem on my bike to a worn and loose ignition switch base plate, and that is not an uncommon problem. Several Honda models are using the same base plate btw. I fixed the problem by securing the base plate properly to the bottom of the lock with duct tape. So far it has worked, but I also bought a new base plate on Ebay for $9.99 just in case. When you take off the baseplate (if that's your problem) it will fall apart easily, and it is important to get it back togeter and onto the lock correctly. The rod inside the lock that moves the switch around and that is turned with the ignition key wil fit into the switch in one position only.

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Chris
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Postby Chris » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:39 am

I lost my tail light this summer as well. My problem was a little more difficult to diagnose. Turns out that for some reason Honda routed the wire all the way back under the tank to a junction with several(4 or 5) of the same colored wires. A short had developed there and burnt the wire for the tail light/instrument lights(probably because I replaced a constantly blowing fuse with a larger one). Sorry, I don't have any good pics of it for you, but it was in the harness back past the coils where it goes through a hanger on the backbone of the frame. I think it was a brown/white wire. It took days of frustration and I rebuilt the ignition switch a couple of times before I found the problem with a multimeter and reluctantly opened up the harness from the headlight bezel to the source of the problem. Good luck with yours.

Be sure to check the easy stuff first like bulbs and grounds and check that fuse with a multimeter just to be sure. Sometimes blown fuses don't look blown.

By the way, mine worked in the park position as well. That made diagnosis all the more frustrating :evil: .
1980 CB650c

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Hue
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Postby Hue » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:01 pm

Ok... maybe im not saying this correctly. I have running lights in with the blinkers on the front. On the back, just blinkers. The break light works fine. Its on and when you push the break it gets brighter. Shouldnt the back blinkers have constant lighting like the front along with blinking when the blinker is actaviated, or am I just over thinking it? The front blinker light bulbs have two wires in them... one for running light, one for blinker. My back ones only have one wire in the bulb im guessing for blinker. Do I have the wrong bulbs in the back blinkers - or is the break light the only back running light on the cb650?
Im sorry if I sound like an idiot.... this is my first bike and im just trying to work out any bugs.
Last edited by Hue on Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1980 CB650 CUSTOM

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Vatch
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Postby Vatch » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:14 pm

Hue, the back blinkers should be off except when you hit the turn signal. So your bike is just fine. Constant red lights on the rear of a vehicle are fine, but constant orange or amber are illegal.
'99 1500 Drifter

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Hue
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Postby Hue » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:17 pm

how about the front? is it wrong for the front orange lights to be on all the time? oh... and THANK YOU!!! I thought I had a bad thing going on. Now im feeling a bit more at ease. :)
1980 CB650 CUSTOM

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Vatch
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Postby Vatch » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:29 pm

No, the front should be on all the time and flash. The back are off unless flashing.
'99 1500 Drifter

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Hue
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Postby Hue » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:40 pm

THANK YOU VATCH!!! Now, I need to replace the headlight bulb (no high beam, only low) run some sea foam in the tank and I will be set! Thanks again Vatch!
1980 CB650 CUSTOM

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Vatch
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Postby Vatch » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:04 pm

Hue,
Instead of replacing the headlight bulb, consider getting a sealed-beam halogen bulb. You can pick them up at most auto parts stores. The whole part pops right in and provides much better illumination than the stock incandescent bulb. I went with a sealed beam 55/65W, and it is so much better than the old bulb. I no longer feel like a guy riding down the road holding a boy scout flash light. Some people have gone for slightly more powerful replacements, but the 55/65W does not drain the battery while running. This is a consideration given the alternator on these bikes. I forget the exact diamter of the headlight, so measure that before you go, but it is a standard size and ends up being the same bulb for an early 80's Ford F-150. There will be no change in the appearance of the bulb, just brighter. Anyway, I think it cost about $13.00. 8)
'99 1500 Drifter

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Hue
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Postby Hue » Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:28 pm

considering I work nights (dark when i go to work, dark when i leave) and my college class's get out at night I think it would be wise to do as you say about the headlight. I need to see. Thanks again.
1980 CB650 CUSTOM

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Chris
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Postby Chris » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:35 pm

That makes two of us, Hue. I wondered the same thing when I got my bike. If you ever run into a similar situation where there's a question as to whether or not you should have a one or two filament bulb in the socket, look to see how many contacts are in the socket. Between that and the wiring diagram that somebody was nice enough to share with me, I figured out that the amber lights in the rear should be off unless signaling a turn.

Thanks for the info on the halogen headlight, Vatch. I've been considering that upgrade. Maybe I can get one real cheap off a Ford at the junkyard. :)
1980 CB650c

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Volker_P
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Re: Tail lights

Postby Volker_P » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:43 am

Does this mean you don't have the H4 55/60W bulbs in US as standard but the 40/45W Bilux?
I think all European models should have H4 reflectors with bulbs.

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Hue
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Postby Hue » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:53 am

not sure.... havent taken it off to look yet. will do tomarrow and let you know.
1980 CB650 CUSTOM

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Volker_P
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Re: Tail lights

Postby Volker_P » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:13 am

No need to take off anything:
If it is a H4 reflector, I would expect the "H4" is stamped into the glass right in the center of the headlight.
Bilux bulbs have spherical glass while H4 glass look cylindrical.
A Bilux bulb inside a H4 reflector is possible but would give a poor headlight

Oh, I forgot:
Welcome here! :D

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Vatch
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Postby Vatch » Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:44 am

Not sure what it was designated as, but it was not halogen. The bulb looked like a large version of a two-filament turn signal bulb.
'99 1500 Drifter


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