CHOOSE YOUR MOTORCYCLE HEADLIGHT

How to choose are motorcycle headlight?

This is a difficult question to answer, which is why we want to provide you with the most information in order to choose the headlight that will go with your motorcycle.

You don't have to settle for narrow, dim motorcycle headlights. Being able to see and be seen is essential to riding your motorcycle, day or night. A quality motorcycle headlight can improve the safety and quality of your ride at any time of the day. Over the years, the secondary market has steadily advanced the quality and number of options available. From LED lights to directional lights, you can find what you need to upgrade your headlight.

When replacing your motorcycle headlight, you need to consider both functionality and style. You want the replacement to match the style of your motorcycle, but you also want it to improve your lighting. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of styles and performance levels for all types of motorcycles. You just have to choose the one that matches what you want.

LED headlights for motorcycles have become the first option when it comes to performance. They produce a very powerful, yet even beam of light. Their light is quite close to the color temperature of the sun, making it look like daylight. LED headlights also consume much less energy. They are much easier to use for your motorcycle's electrical system and free up power for other accessories.

There are also more traditional aftermarket headlights for motorcycles. Incandescent bulbs are the most traditional, but don't provide the brightest light. High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps are the next step and are very bright. Their only drawback is the amount of current they require. Direct replacement headlights are available if you want to maintain the style of your original equipment.

At Dennis Kirk you will find a large selection of motorcycle headlights for any motorcycle you ride. We keep most of them in stock and ready to ship to you the same day you order. So you can get back on the road with headlights as soon as possible. And when your order is more than $89, we will ship it to you for free. Use the vehicle selector at the top of the page to find all the headlights that fit your specific machine. Also, don't hesitate to contact our knowledgeable technical team if you have any questions about what's best for you and your bike.

WHY CHANGE YOUR MOTORCYCLE HEADLIGHT?

• Increased visibility. Replacing your headlight with a brighter or larger one can give you more visibility at night. This will help you see further and broader and help other drivers see you better.
• Custom look. Changing your headlight can completely change the look of the front of your motorcycle. This can give your bike a custom feel and a style that's unique to you.
• Reliable performance. If your motorcycle headlight is an old school stock version, replacing it can make it more reliable. Consider changing your traditional reflective headlight to an LED model for more reliable and longer performance.

 

Advantages of motorcycle headlights
Increased visibility. Replacing your headlight with a brighter or taller one can give you better visibility at night. You will be able to see farther and wider and other drivers will see you better.
A personalized look. Replacing your headlight can completely change the look of the front of your motorcycle. It can give your motorcycle a custom look and style that is uniquely yours.
Reliable performance. If your motorcycle's headlight is an old production model, replacing it can make it more reliable. Consider replacing your traditional reflective headlight with an LED model for more reliable and longer lasting performance.

Which type of headlight for your type of motorcycle?

SCRAMBLER:

LED or VINTAGE grid supplement

CAFE-RACER

LED or VINTAGE

BOBBER

TYPE OF LIGHT

- Ampule

- motorcycle led headlight : MAKE AN ARTICLE ABOUT LED HEADLIGHTS

Types of Motorcycle Headlights

REFLECTOR

This is the traditional and simplest form of motorcycle headlight that has been used since the beginning of motorcycles. It uses a tungsten filament bulb that mounts in the center. Then surrounding the bulb is a reflective material. The idea is to reflect the light produced towards the road in front of your bike. More modern versions of this style of light are better at concentrating the light into a centralized beam to better light the road.

These headlights are the most cost-effective and will give your motorcycle a retro feel. The reflective material tends to be shiny and quite noticeable on the front of your bike.

PROJECTOR

This style of headlight is modern and a bit high-tech. You could consider them an improvement on the traditional reflector. The housing is much smaller, thanks to a compact design. There's no need for a large reflective housing. Instead, there's a magnifying lens in the middle of the headlight. This lens will focus and project the light down the road in front of you.

You'll find that this style of headlight is more expensive than reflective headlamps. They also come in a wider range of sizes and designs. This enables you to create a more customized look for your motorcycle.

LEDs

The newest addition to the motorcycle headlight lineup are LED versions. These are considered the most modern and energy-efficient option. LEDs can be quite small, which means this style of headlight can also be the most compact of the three headlight styles.

LEDs give you complete freedom in the level of brightness and temperature of light. They also last longer than other bulb options and consume less power.

The downside of LEDs is that they aren't repairable. When your LED headlight reaches the end of its life, you'll need to replace it. While this can be expensive, it will rarely happen thanks to an incredibly long useful life.

Types of motorcycle headlights
REFLECTOR
This is the traditional and simplest form of motorcycle headlight that has been used since the beginning of motorcycles. It uses a tungsten filament bulb that mounts in the center. A reflective material then surrounds the bulb. The idea is to reflect the light produced towards the road in front of your motorcycle. More modern versions of this style of headlight are more adept at concentrating light into a centralized beam to better illuminate the road ahead.

These headlights are the most cost effective and give your motorcycle a retro look. Reflective material tends to be shiny and quite visible on the front of your motorcycle.

PROJECTOR
This style of headlight is modern and a bit high-tech. It can be considered as an improvement of the traditional reflector. The case is much smaller, thanks to a compact design. There is no need for a large reflective box. Instead, there's a magnifying lens in the middle of the headlight. This lens focuses and projects light onto the road ahead.

This type of headlight is more expensive than reflective headlights. They are also available in more sizes and designs. This allows you to create a more custom look for your motorcycle.

LEDs
The light-emitting diode (LED) versions are the newest in the range of motorcycle headlights. They are considered the most modern and energy-efficient option. The LEDs can be quite small, which means this style of headlight can also be the most compact of the three headlight styles.

The LEDs give you complete freedom in the level of brightness and the temperature of the light. They also last longer than other bulb options and use less energy.

The disadvantage of LEDs is that they are not repairable. When your LED headlight reaches the end of its life, you need to replace it. Although it can be expensive, it will rarely happen thanks to an incredibly long useful life.

TYPE OF SUPPORT

- Quoted

- Below

TYPE OF STYLE

- vintage motorcycle headlight

- Modern: motorcycle led headlight

- motorcycle headlight plate

motorcycle headlight grille

SHAPE TYPE

- round motorcycle headlight

- triangular headlight

- double round lens

COLORS:

- White

- Yellow motorcycle headlight yellow

PRICE:

Motorcycle Headlights Pricing

• Under $50: These are your basic low-quality headlights. They won't have fancy designs or innovative features. Headlights in this price range are focused on giving you the basic amount of light and keeping you compliant with the law.
• $50 to $100: The majority of headlights will fall into this price range. They're decent-quality and dependable. You'll find a variety of bulbs and construction material options.
• Over $100: These are high-end headlights that typically come with a well-known brand name. They have the latest technology, highest quality materials, and more reliable performance.

motorcycle headlight prices
Under $50: These are the basic low quality headlights. They don't have fancy designs or innovative features. Headlights in this price range are intended to provide you with the basic amount of light and keep you in line with the law.
$50 to $100: The majority of headlights fall in this price range. They are of decent quality and reliable. You will find a variety of bulbs and building material options.
Over $100: These are high-end headlights that usually carry a well-known brand. They feature the latest technology, highest quality materials and more reliable performance.

ADVICE BEFORE PURCHASE:

Media choice

Brightness

The number one thing to look for before buying any motorcycle light is the amount of brightness it outputs.

Checking the brightness of a give bulb is as simple as checking the number of lumens it outputs when set to high beam. The more the number of lumens, the more powerful a light is.

While still at it, you'd also want to check the color temperature of the produced light as it affects how the light looks like. This is usually denoted in Kelvin (K).

Ideally, you want to get a headlight that produces light that looks white as daylight for increased visibility and safety on the road.

BULB-STYLE

You have a few different bulb options when buying a headlight for your motorcycle. A common and standard bulb style is halogen. They have a filament and come in separate or combined low and high beam lights.

Another option is HID bulbs. These are brighter and can produce a whiter light than the traditional halogen bulb. Their downside is that they are sensitive and can go bad easily. Just touching them with your bare hands can cause them to malfunction.

A third option is LED. These are a modern bulb and tend to be the most expensive. They are also the most durable and have the longest useful life.

BIKE COMPATIBILITY

Before you buy any headlight, you need to confirm that it will work on your bike. You can confirm this by checking with the manufacturer of the headlight. You can also look at your current headlight setup and confirm that it has the same setup as your future headlight.

The easiest solution is to buy one that's compatible with a plug-and-play option. If you're a bit more experienced with working on bikes, then you can venture beyond plug-and-play and change the setup for your headlight. This could require you to use a conversion wiring harness or other hardware.

CONSTRUCTION

Your motorcycle headlight is going to get exposed to the elements. This means it needs to have a fully-sealed and solid construction. That way, you don't have to worry about water getting in the headlight and causing it to malfunction.

You should also look for one that's solidly built. This will prevent vibration or road bounce from knocking the bulb, wiring, or headlight housing loose.

Another point to consider is that some headlights have a sealed construction. This means that the headlight housing and bulb are an all-in-one construction. If the bulb goes bad, you'll have to replace the whole housing, not just the bulb.

BULB STYLE
There are several bulbs to choose from when buying a headlight for your motorcycle. The most common and standard style of bulb is halogen. They have a filament and are available as separate or combined low and high beams.

HID bulbs are another option. They are brighter and can produce whiter light than the traditional halogen bulb. Their disadvantage is that they are sensitive and can deteriorate easily. It is enough to touch them with bare hands for them to malfunction.

A third option is the LED. This is a modern bulb that tends to be the most expensive. They are also the most durable and have the longest useful life.

MOTORCYCLE COMPATIBILITY
Before buying a headlight, you need to confirm that it will work on your bike. You can confirm this by checking with the headlight manufacturer. You can also review your current headlight configuration and confirm that it is the same as your future headlight.

The easiest solution is to buy a compatible headlight with the "plug-and-play" option. If you have a little more experience servicing motorcycles, you can go beyond the "plug-and-play" option and change your headlight setup. This may require the use of a conversion wiring harness or other hardware.

CONSTRUCTION
Your motorcycle headlight is going to be exposed to the elements. This means it must have a solid, fully sealed construction. So you don't have to worry about water getting into the headlight and causing a malfunction.

You should also look for a solidly built headlight. This will prevent road vibrations or shocks from causing the bulb, wiring, or headlight housing to come loose.

Another point to consider is that some headlights have a sealed construction. This means that the headlight housing and the bulb are an all-in-one construction. If the bulb is faulty, you will need to replace the entire housing, not just the bulb.

INSTALLING A HEADLIGHT:

HEADLIGHT BRACKETS:

ADDITIONAL MOTORCYCLE HEADLIGHTS:

custom motorcycle additional headlight

motorcycle headlight bracket

homologated motorcycle led headlight

IS THE HEADLIGHT COMPATIBLE?

Most felt motorcycles have H4 plug sockets.

Otherwise it is possible to

US blog post:

Best Motorcycle Headlights (Review & Buying Guide) in 2020 (thedrive.com)

10 Best Motorcycle Headlight Reviews By Expert (2021) (bikersrights.com)

https://purposebuiltmoto.com description:

Motorcycle LED Headlights | Flashpoint Headlights | Purpose Built Motorcycle

Tips

• While motorcycle headlights are usually quite durable, they can wear out and turn yellow. One way to clean it is by sanding the polycarbonate surface. You can buy a specialty product, or it can be as simple as rubbing it down with toothpaste.
• Most bikes have 7-inch headlights. However, measure it before purchasing a replacement. Also, make sure the bulb size is compatible if that's all you need to swap out. Remove the bulb from the housing using a screwdriver, and look at the information on it to determine its size.
• Most bikes come stock with halogen headlights. However, they are not as durable as other options, including Xenon and LED. Decide which type will work best for your particular bike.

FAQ's

Q: CAN I CONVERT MY HALOGEN HEADLIGHT TO LED?

HAS: Yes, but you will need an LED conversion kit. Determine what type of bulb your bike uses, and find a compatible kit. Simply remove your old bulb and replace it with the new one by following the product's instructions.

Q: HOW DO I MAKE MY MOTORCYCLE HEADLIGHT BRIGHTER?

HAS: First, check your electrical system. The brightness of your headlight can be affected by a weak dynamo or poor wiring. Alternatively, you can replace the bulb with one that is stronger.

Q: HOW DO I AIM MY MOTORCYCLE HEADLIGHT?

HAS: In simplest terms, park your bike on a flat surface about 25 feet away from a light-colored wall or garage door. Then adjust the light until the beam hits the proper spot on the wall.

FinalThoughts

Our pick for the best motorcycle headlight is the Eagle Lights 7-inch Round Generation 2 Projection LED Headlight .

For a more budget-friendly option, consider the OCTANE LIGHTING 5-3/4" 6V Motorcycle Halogen Headlight .