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Scale and Proportion...

5K views 21 replies 12 participants last post by  Rusk 
#1 ·
Many on here have an artistic eye and therefore thought I would pool the collective borg for opinions. I have decided to adios the ET rear tail light and accompanying stock satelite orbs in favor of something a bit more understated. Thrux-ton-up has one of the keenest eyes on here so thought I would show his tasteful Black and Red T-100. Take note of his rear tail light arrangement which looks pretty nice. By contrast, look as the same Lucas styled tail light with retro Lucas turn signals which are larger in diameter. Which do you prefer? The shape of the Lucas tail lights is compelling but the size tends to overpower the Lucas remake tail light....the orginal Lucas rear light being much bigger and therefore more in scale with the retro Lucas turn signals which for some reason were not reproduced smaller like the rear brake light. :)
Let me know your thoughts if you would as each is compelling in its own right.
Thanks,
George
 

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#3 ·
They are closer in however the smaller Lucas style tail light seems to accentuate the size of the Lucas turn signals.
I am also torn about decoupling the turnsignals from the tail light also like how you did... or perhaps behind the shocks. Can't decide so thought I would canvas the board.
Thanks David,
George
 
#6 ·
I have different ideas on the lights that I'd like to change over to.

If I decided to go the Lucas route for the tail light I'd use this style, which can be had from Norntherneagle.ca


But a large part of me wishes to go the vintage Ducati route for lights, which I quite dig. A good supplier for such parts is:
www.bevelheaven.com

The tail light I like is this one:


And the turnsignals I would go with the ones that came on my father's 900GTS minus the reflectors, which look like this:



Part of me really wishes I could go really old school and use the Vincent STOP light and an old school plate bracket like the one I have on my Enfield, Triton, and Norton:


But I'm just not sure it'd look at all right on the new Bonnie. The new Bonnie is too big, which is why I think the vintage Ducati parts would suit it better, because the 900GTS is the same size as the T100 where as the T100 seems to dwarf my older English bikes, and so the bits made for the really older styled ones almost seem like toys on the T100.
 
#10 ·
Thanks a lot everybody. I have attached a pic of a Bonny with round back light. Not my cup of tea but cleaner than the big factory brake light.

The last four pics shown represent the shock mount config. that I will likely go with. I ordered the Thruxton front turn signal relo. bracket and block off plates from British Customs to lower the turn signals down for two reasons really...one is better key access when mounting closer to the side of the head light and two...with the square signals in particular they look better lowered out of the plane of the headlight. I think the round turn signals look fine at the horizontal centerline of the headlight but if moving them in closer, they now interfere with the ignition key.

I am leaning toward the square turn signals both front and back behind the rear shocks and a Lucas style brake light. See last four pics accordingly.
Please keep your suggestions coming and thanks again,
George
 

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#11 ·
George,

You are on the right track. Seperating the turn signals looks very good. ThruxTonup's rear light look great as well.

I say this with some training. I am an architect with 20 years of design experience and a graduate of an expensive art school on NYC for whatever thats worth. I am forever looking at the sizes of lights , mostly on buildings but on bikes too. its critical to get the size correct and you are right on with your observations and critiques.

I thought there was a sport light kit which essentially made the turn signals into little led ights front and back.

Sal
 
#12 ·
Hi Sal,
I too have a design background so for guys like us, proportion is like a neon sign. Since is it hard to find a rear turnsignal and brake light combination that doesn't overwhelm the shape of the bike, I believe the cleanest approach is to decouple the rear turn signals from the rear brake light as many members here have. It is more than the cluster-f of having a brake and turnsignal combination..it is the relative size and shape of the two working together that is a challenge. I therefore like the behind the shock mount approach because it integrates the best...shocks distracting the presence of the turn signals. After too much consideration ;) I believe I will go in that direction.
Many on here like yourself...some trained and some just natural talent have a great eye and why I thought I would ask for input and show some ideas other members had.
Thanks for your input Sal,
George
 
#21 ·
The thing about the early Honda CB's and Triumphs is...the rear brake light was a lot bigger which by proportion didn't accentuate the large size of the Lucas turn signals. Also, many of the early Bonnies had the turn signals mounted away from the rear tail light which created less of a focal point.
George
To me the vintage Bonnevilles were simply beautiful. An example below that illustrates the turn signals mounted off the seat grab handle.
 

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