Tail light lens

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  • Robert Luland
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2007
    • 2075

    #1

    Tail light lens

    Check this out on fleese-bay. Weren't all sporsters and pans tail lights running plastic by 1963? #120470441445. Bob
    AMCA #3149
    http://www.thegoodoldmotorcyclepartscompany.com
  • jmanjeff
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2008
    • 252

    #2
    It is a repop
    Jeff Bowles
    Arkansas
    Membership # 14023
    1957 Sportster

    Comment

    • bmh
      Senior Member
      • Feb 2007
      • 901

      #3
      Think lenses were glass till 67. The profile is different also. the glass ones are almost flat, the plastic ones stick out of the trim ring about a half inch.
      Brian Howard AMCA#5866

      Comment

      • moon wolf
        Member
        • Jul 2009
        • 83

        #4
        Originally posted by bmh View Post
        Think lenses were glass till 67. The profile is different also. the glass ones are almost flat, the plastic ones stick out of the trim ring about a half inch.
        Nope, they were plastic. There are two versions of the early flat lens. The later one has sae aftaer Guide 55.

        I think that the very early lenses, perhaps 55 only may have been glass--I've seen glass lenses that I'm fairly sure were original--but I'm not sure of the years. I know for certain that by 57 they were plastic.

        Comment

        • murph
          1959 xlch
          • Jun 2009
          • 226

          #5
          I am no expert but know of an original 56 with a plastic lens and heard that the 55 year was the only glass lens. Again I am no expert just my opinion.
          1959 XLCH

          Comment

          • Coolbreeze
            Long Rider
            • Aug 2007
            • 320

            #6
            I have heard the same thing: '55 may have been the only year the glass lens was used. When I searched for the correct lens for my '60 CH, the only one I could find was a V Twin repop made of glass. I guess it is better to have a correct looking glass lens than a plastic lens that sticks out too far.
            George Tinkham
            Springfield, IL
            www.virmc.com
            AMCA # 1494
            1941 Indian 841
            1948 Indian Chief
            1956 H-D KHK
            1960 CH
            1964 BMW R69S
            1966 Honda Touring Benly (aka "150 Dream")
            1984 Moto Guzzi V65Sp

            Comment

            • Chris Haynes
              Curmudgeon
              • Jul 2002
              • 5942

              #7
              The pattern in the glass len was completely different than the plastic lens. The repops share the same pattern as plastic. Neither have a pattern like the eBay lens. This lens shape was also used by Chevrolet, GMC and others.
              Be sure to visit;
              http://www.vintageamericanmotorcycles.com/main.php
              Be sure to register at the site so you can see large images.
              Also be sure to visit http://www.caimag.com/forum/

              Comment

              • panheadron
                New Member
                • Aug 2009
                • 8

                #8
                Tail light lens

                Originally posted by Robert Luland View Post
                Check this out on fleese-bay. Weren't all sporsters and pans tail lights running plastic by 1963? #120470441445. Bob
                In 55 you would see the GUIDE RH-55 in plastic only,. Some time in 1959, there was a change. I have both lenses. The round reflector section in the plastic was moved from the bottom to the top. The year script was moved from the bottom to the top. It then read SAE-STDB-59. Again, both thin plastic.

                Comment

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