A cheap change to rid yourself of the ugly license plate bracket

[Tim Walters]

1st off, I love my Honda CRF250L but didn't like the tail light/license plate assembly.  After looking at aftermarket alternatives, I came up with my own idea that cost me just pennies and a couple hours of my time.  They say a picture is worth a 1000 words so here we go:

 

  I removed the tail light and license plate ass'y.  This picture shows where I cut off the bracket to preserve the portion under the tail light so it will continue to be protected from dirt and mud.  I carefully made the cut with my band saw.

 

Since I wanted to be legal to ride at night, I removed the clear lens from the license plate light housing, cut a shaped hole in the bottom of the tail light bezel, trimmed the lens to fit and and epoxied it on to the bottom of the  bezel as shown. 

 

  This view of the bottom of the taillight assembly shows the modified bracket installed below the modified tail light.

 

  I wanted the license plate to be at an angled so I cut a tapered wedge cut from a piece of 1/2" thick plastic.  The license plate backing/mounting plate was fabricated from a piece of aluminum traffic sign recycled from the dump.  These parts were painted flat black and fasten to the tail light using the tail light shroud mounting screws.  I did purchase two longer screws.

 

  This picture shows the final product that looks very similar to the expensive aftermarket tail light assemblies.  It also shows the parts that were eliminated although I intend to attach the reflectors to the side of the taillight shroud.  I would show this installed on my bike but it is in storage for the winter.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Tim Walters

[USMCVietVet]

LOOKS great thanks-- ? ?

[sloerolla]

i used some red reflecting tape on the side of the tail light shroud . .  the exhaust from the fmf mod kept melting my reflectors .  perhaps you may like the tape idea .. 

[easygojoe]

I need to do this

[USMCVietVet]

They have a black tape out there that reflects white light--i bought some years ago and it works well--i think i got it off e-bay but not sure :ride:

[Tim Walters]

Hi Bud,

 

I trimmed the clear plastic to fit the shape of the tail light bezel, used a marker and traced  it on to the bottom of the bezel then made the cut slightly smaller.  I then used epoxy to glue the clear lens on to the tail light bezel.   If you make the modification, please let me know how well the license plate is lighted and whether or not the change in any way affects the brightness of the tail/brake light.  As I said in the blog, my bike is in storage on the other side of the state.  I wish now that I had brought it home.

 

Tim

[USMCVietVet]

I'm only 100 miles from Clarkston Washington--be glad to go ride your bike and keep the battery charged?? :devil: ?

[Redwdrdr]

WOW That is such a great mod i did it to my bike last night when i found it. i went a little over the top and ground away a lot of excess metal on the bracket its self.  it doesnt need to be as strong now with all the hanging weight removed from it.  this is  absolutly a must do mod if your into saving a little green and love doing things for your self.  i didnt need any new hardware. i made a licence plate bracket out of some old sheet metal from the side of my dads trailer. and yes the i was using the crutch in the picture, i did this on my second day after knee surgery. boy i was going stir crazy lol

[easygojoe]

Yeah, I just got done doing this also. I just fabbed up a bracket for the plate out of some aluminum I had. I wasn't able to get the upward tilt of the plate though. And I also, rather than cutting out the hole in the bottom of the red light, I drilled four 3/8 holes into the bottom, and then epoxied the clear lens over that. Works fine. 

 

I definitely think the white light for plate illumination is downgraded a bit, but I'm not too worried about it. I don't ride at night much, and even if I did, I think it's enough to avoid any potential legal issues. It IS LIGHTED after all.  It cleans up the back end a lot. 

[Tim Walters]

Just got my bike out of storage so I have attached a picture that shows the completed installation.  

 

[eyeopenher]

this is how i did my license plate bracket... got the piece of aluminum from home depot i believe...  painted it black and sprayed it with some rustoleum...  

 

 

 

and i used the little red reflectors with the wing nuts to hold on the plate...  works like a charm.... other then that... all other mods were done the same as OP...

 

[shiftline]

I did a fairly similar mod to you except I made new holes in the plate and used all the stock mounts

http://www.crfadventures.com/crf250l-modifications/crf250l-diy-fender-eliminator.html

Edited April 25, 2014 by shiftline

[eyeopenher]

so while i was working on my buddies softail for him (so he can say he did the work.. lol) i took his license plate holder...  it would work perfect for anyone who has one to get rid of the stock penguin tail...

 

i would remove the extension and only use the main holder with the 45* bend in it...  it would fit perfect with the already excisting bolt holes if you removed the plate lite...  then cut out the brake like bottom and epoxy in a piece of clear plastic for your new plate light...  

 

 

[USMCVietVet]

If you added that to a CrF would that make it a Honda -Davidson??? ??

[eyeopenher]

hell yeah it would!!!!  then the harley guys cant hate on me so much...    especially since all they will be seeing is that license plate holder!!!  hahahaha

[motorboy]

What I did to clean up the rear end was to remove the license plate bracket and that stupid license plate light take the reflector off the bottom bracket and bolt it to the rear fender where the light was- as it is over seas- and bolt the plate right to the fender    much better

[hockeyrick]

1st off, I love my Honda CRF250L but didn't like the tail light/license plate assembly.  After looking at aftermarket alternatives, I came up with my own idea that cost me just pennies and a couple hours of my time.  They say a picture is worth a 1000 words so here we go:

 

📎P1000871.JPG  I removed the tail light and license plate ass'y.  This picture shows where I cut off the bracket to preserve the portion under the tail light so it will continue to be protected from dirt and mud.  I carefully made the cut with my band saw.

 

📎P1000870.JPG Since I wanted to be legal to ride at night, I removed the clear lens from the license plate light housing, cut a shaped hole in the bottom of the tail light bezel, trimmed the lens to fit and and epoxied it on to the bottom of the  bezel as shown. 

 

📎P1000874.JPG  This view of the bottom of the taillight assembly shows the modified bracket installed below the modified tail light.

 

📎P1000876.JPG  I wanted the license plate to be at an angled so I cut a tapered wedge cut from a piece of 1/2" thick plastic.  The license plate backing/mounting plate was fabricated from a piece of aluminum traffic sign recycled from the dump.  These parts were painted flat black and fasten to the tail light using the tail light shroud mounting screws.  I did purchase two longer screws.

 

📎P1000880.JPG  This picture shows the final product that looks very similar to the expensive aftermarket tail light assemblies.  It also shows the parts that were eliminated although I intend to attach the reflectors to the side of the taillight shroud.  I would show this installed on my bike but it is in storage for the winter.

 

Its ok but still a clump of shit on the end!

[Tim Walters]

Well Hockeyrick everyone is due their opinion even if it is less than tactful.

[wild.coast]

Any thoughts on whether removing the fender so much causes spray on the riders back? I don't look the look of the fender, but I also want to stay dry and not covered in mud!

[iznthesky]

On 6/24/2021 at 4:50 PM, wild.coast said:

Any thoughts on whether removing the fender so much causes spray on the riders back? I don't look the look of the fender, but I also want to stay dry and not covered in mud!

Best way to stay dry and not covered in mud……….Don’t ride in the wet…or ….mud. 
 

does the original fender extension keep you dry….or keep the mud off of you ?  
 

if you ride in the wet…..your going to get wet.  If your in the mud….your going to get muddy.

at least you will look cool without that “Tail” hanging an extra 12 off the back of your bike..