High-level brake light

The modification described here is a greatly simplified version of the one found on German C1 bikers’ websites.

Materials required

• 1 additional LED brake light
• 2 wire-tap connectors (if not supplied with the light)
• 2 cable ties, preferably black, at least 15 cm long
• 2 other cable ties
• 2 self-adhesive cable-tie mounts
• A cross-head screwdriver
• 2 small flat-bladed screwdrivers
• 1 craft knife
• The Torx key from the C1’s standard tool kit
• Pliers
• A tool for making holes in plastic (I used a screwdriver!)
• The wind-protection kit’s rear window, already fitted!

Let’s start with the item itself: an adjustable, additional 36-LED car brake light (Fig. 1), available from any DIY store or supermarket for about €11.50.

First remove the 2 self-adhesive mounts (one is secured with a screw) intended to fix the additional brake light to a car’s rear window (Fig. 2). Next, drill 2 holes, perpendicular to the plane of the light, through the protruding cylindrical part that previously sat in the mounts. They must be large enough for the black cable ties. Thread the ties through these holes, keeping both the wire outlet and the tie heads at the top. Hold the light in position and pass the ties behind the brackets supporting the C1’s rear window (Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 blue and red arrows).

Now route the wire behind the rubber support/spoiler (Fig. 4 green arrow) until it reaches the body panel. Pass it over the top, then insert it between the panel and the rubber cover (also Fig. 4 green arrow). Continue downwards, gently levering up the panel with one screwdriver and using the other to push the wire CAREFULLY into the gap (Fig. 5 red arrow). Remove the backrest…

When you reach the green arrow in Fig. 5 , undo the mounting screw completely, lift the rear-window mounting bracket, feed the wire behind the joint’s tab between the two black plastic parts, and into the space behind the backrest, passing behind the fuse holder. Make sure the seat belt does not interfere with the wire, to avoid damaging either. Refasten the parts, this time positioning the rear-window bracket below the black lip to leave a little extra room for the wire. Find the opening between the space behind the backrest and the battery compartment, feed the wire end through it and retrieve it from the rear storage compartment.

Open the rear-light cover and check the wire colours. On mine they were: brown, common earth (−) (Fig. 6 yellow arrow); red/green, brake-light positive (Fig. 6 red arrow); yellow/black, position-light positive. Remove the bulb holder for easier access and make the electrical connections with the wire-tap connectors. Remember: if the additional brake light has coloured wires, red is positive and black is negative; if both are black, the one marked with a white stripe is positive.

Once connected, use the craft knife to make a small groove (Fig. 6 blue arrow) in the edge of the rear-light opening, to prevent the cable we are fitting from being damaged or even cut through. Carefully refit the cover and position the two adhesive mounts to secure the wire firmly (Fig. 7). Et voilà (Fig. 8). Reassemble everything and the job is done: your C1 will now be much more noticeable when braking!

Incidentally, in Figure 8 you can also see the additional position lights… but that’s another story… ;-)