Limey Hooligan
Parking Attendant
US/British/Canadian. Not easy!
Posts: 21
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posted September 19, 2008 06:33 PM
Reorientation of rack round side reflectors
OK, I'm not big on side reflectors, so I removed the front ones on my Connie and wanted to remove the rear ones located on each side of the rack. However, you can't just unscrew them as they're part of the rack mount! So, I decided to try and re-orientate them to the rear.
My thought is that I'm much more likely to be rear-ended by a car (while waiting at a traffic light, for example) than be "side swiped" or t-boned at the rear of the bike. Therefore, I decided to turn the rack reflectors to the rear.
First, I took a reflector mounting bracket off, and then using channel locks and some pliers, I bent the side arm of the metal 90 degrees downward. Below is the left/port side bracket:
Next, using the same technique, I bent the little tab without the mounting hole down 180 degrees. Be careful not to bend the long piece with all the threaded holes, or your rack may not go back on again!
Now, using a 3/16ths drill bit, I drilled a matching hole in that bent tab:
Now it was just a matter of re-attaching the reflector through the new hole:
And re-mounted the left side reflector, which now faced to the rear:
Do the same for the other side, and this is how it looks:
Now I have multiple rear reflectors, making me more visible to cars coming up from behind. This just makes more sense to me than having rear sideways reflectors...
My 2 cents! 
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'08 Concours14 ABS
'01 ZRX1200R - Sold
'80 KZ1000 - Sold
  
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FaStEsTBuSaArOuNd
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
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posted September 21, 2008 07:30 PM
You gotta be kiddin' -- they were made to be seen from the sides; it's not like you don't have enough light on the rear of the bike to start with....man that looks funny... 
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FYYFF!!!
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Limey Hooligan
Parking Attendant
US/British/Canadian. Not easy!
Posts: 21
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posted September 22, 2008 10:21 AM
Sure, there's some light at the back, but there's never too much, IMO. Doesn't someone sell reflective tape to go on the back of the bags? Same idea...
In my early riding years I was almost run over sitting at a stoplight that just turned green, because I forgot to hold the brake while there (hence no brake light for cars to see). So I'm much more aware of getting hit from behind, than I am thinking I'll be hit from the side.
I actually like the look of them too, especially with the bags on. Just an idea I thought some others might like to do. 
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'08 Concours14 ABS
'01 ZRX1200R - Sold
'80 KZ1000 - Sold
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted September 22, 2008 10:41 AM
What is needed here is a rectangular reflector for rearward facing AND keep the round one for side reflection. The rectangular would fit the design much better. Although one could use those license plate bolts that have reflectors on them.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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