Taillights Unlimited, page 1
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We might as well start at the beginning. This is a catalog illustration of a 1938 BMW R71, CJ's grandpa. The taillamp also illuminates the license plate.
This is a reproduction found on a CJ that's been fitted for WWII re-enacting duty.
Same here.
This is an R71 with a coffee can taillight much like those seen elsewhere on this page.
 
The M72 was a Soviet copy of the R71. This modified but equally puny taillamp was used.
As you might imagine, this type of taillamp isn't very effective due to its small size.
Here's Ronald Smith's M72 with the same type of taillight.
This improved variation is found on Frans de Wit's M72. (Check out the sidecar light in the enlarged image.)
 
The earliest Changs were virtually identical to the Soviet M72. The original CJ750 taillight was very similar to those found on the M72 as illustrated here. (LRM) These were also used on sidecars.
 
From the parts book comes this illustration of the later type of taillight used on CJs. These lights are still in use on sidecars.
This LRM restoration is a perfect example of how one of these assemblies looks. The bike belongs to Stephen Boyce.
Here's the taillight on the LRM Alpha Project.
And this one is found on the LRM Beta Project.
This CJS bike uses one as well.
This one is on my CJS bike.
Fred Balanay's CJS bike also has one.
Here's a chrome plated example.
This chrome example is accompanied by blinkers. Nice try, but no cigar.
 
Then along came this thing. It's the plastic fixture commonly seen on factory-assembled bikes.
This example is from the DTE web site. These were also used on Donghai 750s.
 
In keeping with BMW tradition, coffee can taillights have become very popular. This example was once mounted on my grey bike.
This is the most common type of arrangement we see nowadays. It has bullet blinkers.
From behind. In some places this would meet the minimum standard for visibility.
Miin Leong's CJS bike has painted blinkers.
These lights will sometimes be chromed like this one on a BSS M1M solo.
Coffee can on the sidecar fender? Forget it!
 
The J.C. Whitney Model A taillamp. It's no longer listed in their catalog but it's still available elsewhere.
A Whitney light on my grey bike. It was bead blasted then primed with zinc-chromate before painting.
These cheap brackets were bent, drilled and ground to make...
...these assemblies for mounting the Model A taillights.
Very sturdy bracket—and it looks fairly decent too.
Tony Linz was the guy who first suggested Whitney lights. He went a step further and incorporated blinkers. He also opted to keep the stainless steel finish.
Dan Mullins knows a place that sells a variety of different lenses for the Model A taillight including this STOP lens that was on my grey bike last year.
And here's the one on Dan's bike—illuminated. Click here to see what other lenses and fixtures are available from the Taillight King.
In the US, a two-color lens like this is illegal—but nobody has bothered me for having them on my bike.
The upper part is the brake light and the bottom is the running light. I have one on the sidecar as well.
Taillights 1   Taillights 2