Rear brake light LENS removal DIY?

[Riko_imp]

I am thinking of replacing the rear brake light with this LED version from Endurance:
http://japan.webike.net/products/21853501.html






I like the LED look of it, but I don't like the smoked or the clear lens they provide with the kit...so I want to keep the stock red lens.

So today I decided to take a look at the rear light module and saw that you could remove the lens, but I wasn't too keen on forcing too much that would brake the tabs holding the lens in place.
2 tabs at the bottom, 2 tabs at the top.




Is there a technique to unclick that lens from the module?


Thx

[Randy B]

Not really. And they don't sell the lens separately, only as a unit. The price to me would be prohibitive for any experimentation as well.

This place has the best price I could find on a replacement lens housing.
#1 in the pick list:

http://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/.../taillight

[Riko_imp]

yeah a whole unit is not an option, $98, no thanks.

I might as well try to untab the sucker.

When a bulb needs replacing you have to untab it too...but it seems nobody had a bad rearlight bulb
Problem is the tabs are very tight and bulky, I fear to force and brake em..

[Elipten_imp]

I replaced rear bulb without untabing. But it is tight to turn that bulb holder


2014 CB1100 DLX
2013 CB1100 Std
1990 BMW K75 RT

[Riko_imp]

great, so how did you remove the lens first?
Used a small flat screwdriver at 2 tabs at once?

[Olyrider]

Think "outside the box" Riko.

The bulb is removed from the back of the housing. Push in and turn counter-clockwise.

I replaced the oem bulb with an LED bulb. None of the "rope lines" of the lens you are looking at but definitely brighter than stock. $5 fix.

[Riko_imp]

okay lol, you missed it all than

My goal is to replace the LENS, not the bulb....read my first post.
You guys had to replace the bulb and it seems for that you dont have to detach the lens, thats why the confusion.

I assume than nobody here ever detached the lens itself. Crap.

Tho your led bulb sounds interesting as well. Any pics?

[Olyrider]

Well... I was responding to your post, #3 in this thread, where you wrote it was necessary to remove the lens to replace the bulb.

I was only saying that isn't the case.

I know it didn't address your about removing/replacing the lens itself. Just saying that replacing the bulb is a breeze.

No pictures of my LED bulb. It's just brighter. No big deal.

[Huladog_imp]

You might find a suitable LED replacement here:
[url=https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/tail-brake-turn/filter/Base_Type,1157,1,41:?view=standard]SuperBrightLEDS.com

I had one of their earlier versions for motorcycles that had some LED's radially mounted to throw some light to the sides, to help fill the reflector with light but it didn't work so well. The light tended to have those small hot spots of light, but not much diffused light to fill the tail light like the stock tail light. Just something to think about.

That was in a Lucas-style replacement tail light and it didn't have a well designed reflector like the stock tail light so that didn't help spread the light either. I ended up sticking a couple more LED running/brake lights in there just to be safe but never felt it was throwing enough light to fill the tail light especially when on the brakes.

Newer style LED's might work better now, seems they have other designs that diffuse some light into the tail light housing.

Another thing to think about (you can find some references on the SuperBrightLEDS site) is the color of the LED (red or white) and the color of the lens (again, red or white). I think they recommend a red LED with a red lens (yeah, not as cool looking at a red LED with a clear or smoke lens) having something to do with the wavelength of red light and how the different lens colors filter out the red light or enhance the red light so drivers can see your brake light.

Aloha,
Huladog

[White Dog_imp]

I repalaced the stock brake light bulb with a tailBlazer blinking bulb. On the 2014 the lens is held in place with 2 hex head bolts.