My 2010 has one connector up under the seat for the whole rear assembly.

Most of the rear light assembly is chromed plastic so make sure your paint accommodates that.

 

The light assembly is fed by a bundle of wires all taped together. They connect with the main loom somewhere under the front of the seat, so there's quite a lot of wire attached. Get the light assembly off and trace the wires forward along the rear mudguard. Unplug the connector, release any clips holding the bundle to the body, and winkle it out.

 

hmm, I'd still have to cut wires to get the tail light assembly apart. The light bulb holder and reflector are one unit, and the wires then go through a very small hole in the assembly.

 

From memory when I removed my rear fender actually getting the lights off the fender was a PITA. After bending the tabs on the bottom of the fender to release the cables the light assembly still didn't want to come away easily. Might I suggest using the fender to 'support'the lights, taping and plastic-bagging the fender to protect from overspray.

I would think you'd need to prep the chrome plastic pretty exhaustively - in my experience chrome plastic doesn't take paint that well - perhaps a specialist primer or an aggressive key with wet/dry.

 

When I replaced the rear lights, I had to cut the wiring to do so. It appears that the harness is installed prior to final assembly, and later additions leave only enough space for the wiring itself, not enough for the plug to go through.

 

Strange. On my 2010 the light assembly was easy to remove and connector came right out through the hole in the fender. Didn't have to bend tabs; tight fit but just slipped the cable out of each tab--replacement cable went snug into the clips.

 

On my 2009 thruxton , the connector also fit thru the hole.
I used fine grit sandpaper 180, just sanded enough to give the paint something to
adhear to. (fine scraching of the chrome) then rattle can specifically for plastic paint.
Has lasted almost two years with no pealing of the paint.

 

Owenbrau, that's what I'm going to have to do...

It's not the hole in the fender that's a problem, it's the hole between the stop-light part of the assembly and the bottom half that bolts to the fender. They're both chrome bits, and they look like one unit, but they're actually two!

 

The part I had trouble with is the hole the wires go through to go into the battery compartment.