Motorcycle Headlights, See and be Seen
Long before automobile manufacturers started building cars with daytime running lights, motorcycles had their headlights turn on as soon as they started up. Why did the auto makers make the change? One reason, safety. They were pushed into making the change, based on multiple safety studies. A vehicle with its headlights on is more visible to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. The greater your able to see what lies ahead, the better you’ll be able to safely avoid possible hazards. We will be discussing complete LED headlight assemblies in this article. In the above photo, which motorcycle is easier to see?
More is Better?
Have you ever been blinded by someones oncoming headlights? Some motorists, auto and motorcycle, believe you can’t have too much light. They find headlights and auxiliary lights so bright they could be used as aircraft landing lights! Then to make it worse, they don’t have their headlights aimed correctly, say on the road ahead, not directly into oncoming drivers eyes. A driver coming towards you that is blinded by your headlights may react in an unexpected manner resulting in a crash.
Today’s new headlights are very bright, especially the LED lights. Once you have decided on the motorcycle headlight and have it installed or install it yourself, double check to make sure it is aimed correctly. Same goes for auxiliary lights.
LED Motorcycle Headlights
Some motorcycles are being equipped with LED headlights straight from the dealer. Halogen headlights used to be the best and brightest you could have. LED headlights are brighter, run cooler and last much longer.
Let’s briefly explain the brightness of headlights here, keeping the technical lingo to a minimum. The amount of light emitted is measured in lumens. This is not only for LED lights, but any light emitting source. Most LED motorcycle headlights are measured between 3000 and 4000 lumens. Anywhere in between is bright enough for on road motorcycle riding. The low beams may fall under the 3000 lumens with the high beam closer to the 4000 lumens.
A second measurement is the Kelvin system of measure for LED lights. Typically, the range for motorcycle LED headlights is between 3000K and 6000K. A 3000K light is what is termed a warmer light, meaning it is more yellow in color, closer to the color of sunlight. The 6000K is a bright white light that can seem slightly blue and can be harsher to oncoming motorists if not aimed correctly. Most aftermarket headlights will be closer to the 6000K.
Where to Purchase
Any time you make a purchase of a product that may be costing you hundreds of hard-earned dollars, you want to feel comfortable you are making an informed decision. We’ve put together a list of quality aftermarket LED headlight sources that are reputable and offer highly rated products. These brands and companies offer headlights and other LED lighting products that are vehicle specific to your motorcycle. Most are plug and play that will require little to no hassle installations of the headlights. Other lighting options may be more involved to install.
- Motodemic – https://motodemic.com Made in USA – $200 to $1,400, High Quality, *Adaptive LED headlights available, limited models, mostly sport, founded in 2015
- Hogworkz – https://hogworkz.com Made in USA – $200 to $500, Good quality LED headlights at a mid-range price, Only for Harley Davidson and some Indian models, founded in 2012
- Eagle Lighting – https://www.eaglelights.com USA Company – $200 to $350, Best Buy, Good Quality, priced to not break the bank. Model Specific, most makes and models, solid company founded in 2005
- Custom Dynamics – https://www.customdynamics.com Made in USA – *Adaptive LED Headlights $500 to $900, founded in 2002. Model Specific for Harley Davidson and Indian motorcycles only.
- Baja Designs – https://www.bajadesigns.com Made in USA – $200 to $500, Good quality lighting and highly rated company. Founded in 1992. Model specific lighting kits for dirt and off-road bikes
* Adaptive LED headlights automatically direct the headlight light array towards the angle of lean when the motorcycle is entering a turn. Built-in advanced electronics direct the light to fill in the road ahead towards the right or left depending on the direction of the turn.
The lower priced cheaper LED headlights that are all over the internet tend to be lower quality in construction and durability and throw a dispersed light pattern as opposed to the focused beam pattern of the higher quality and more expensive LED headlight manufactures we’ve listed above. Buyer Beware!