Many motorcycle owners get very excited about customizing their motorcycles and upgrading various parts and pieces on their pride and joy, in fact an entire aftermarket exists around customizing motorcycles. While it is sexy to upgrade your exhaust or your seat, it seems that sometimes functional upgrades like upgrading your motorcycle headlight are often either overlooked completely or are one of the very last things to be upgraded.
Motorcycle headlight technology has dramatically improved over the years and you may be shocked to find how many different options are available for your motorcycle OR what a dramatic difference upgrading to a high tech LED motorcycle headlight or something like an HID motorcycle headlight. The technology that these motorcycle headlights bring to the table are a far cry from the older style headlights that most of us are used to using.
LED Motorcycle Headlight
LED technology is most often found on the blinkers and taillights of motorcycles but there have been some recent products that have hit the market that make an LED motorcycle headlight a very feasible upgrade opportunity. The advantages of LED technology compared to your stock motorcycle headlight bulbs are many, including the following:
- Improved light quality that projects further and wider than regular headlights.
- Solid state design resists impacts and vibration and makes for a longer lasting bulb. Offers up to 50x longer life than a regular incandescent motorcycle headlight.
- Low amp draw allows utilization of stock motorcycle headlight wiring harness in most cases, varies by bulb and motorcycle though.
So all of these advantages AND they look cool at the same time. If you are considering a headlight upgrade then consider an LED motorcycle headlight.
HID Motorcycle Headlight
HID Motorcycle headlights are a very high tech option for a custom motorcycle headlight for your bike. There are several advantages and a few cons to this style of motorcycle headlight bulb. The biggest downside to this type of headlight is typically the cost, these little babies are expensive compared to a regular halogen bulb.
H.I.D. stands for High Intensity Discharge and this refers to the type of lighting technology that this bulb utilizes, it relies on an electrical charge to ignite Xenon gas inside of a sealed bulb. The advantages of an HID motorcycle headlight are:
- An HID bulb should provide approximately three times the light output of a standard halogen headlight but use less energy doing it.
- HID motorcycle lights are designed to last up to about 5x as long as a regular halogen style bulb.
- Typically require a wiring harness upgrade but this is part of the purchase of an HID bulb in most cases. Motorcycles vary so you will have to check yours.
These might be expensive but they typically offer a super cool custom motorcycle headlight look that not only looks great but also dramatically improves the vision that you will have riding your motorcycle after the sun goes down. If you take into account the extra life that they provide and improved vision then this may seem like a deal. It all depends on what you are looking to do with your motorcycle.
Custom Motorcycle Headlight Options
There are a number of other options on the market for motorcycle headlight upgrades, some that include an LED type setup, others that offer an HID bulb and even other customer motorcycle headlights that are based on an old school halogen bulb. The trick is to determine what you want your headlight to look like and then what you want your headlight to function like and then find the perfect match.
Most motorcycle headlight upgrades can be accomplished in a approximately 20 minutes to a few hours at the most, depending on the motorcycle and can be completed by a person with average mechanical abilities and a few tools. Just make sure you read the directions and take your time.
Enjoy!