Many people who buy their first bike aren’t pleased with the way their headlights look, which is why they start looking at the different aftermarket replacement options available. Regardless of whether you’re one of those people or your headlights aren’t performing up to standards anymore so you want to try a different type of headlight this time around – worth knowing is that there are a couple of very important factors to consider when shopping, in order to get the best headlight for your money.
The truth of the matter is, out of all different motorcycle parts motorcycle riders will at some point definitely replace their brakes, tyres, and headlights. So, even if you’re not in the market for brand new headlights right now, all of this information can be valuable at a later point. Just like most other motorcycle parts motorcycle headlights incorporate different types of systems – reflector, projector, and multi-directional LED systems.
Reflector systems are equipped with a tungsten filament bulb which is surrounded by reflective material that helps provide proper illumination by reflecting the light that comes out of the bulb. Projector models are slightly more complicated, and they come equipped with reflectors and lenses. The lenses are responsible for transmitting the light through the reflector. The light intensity from projector headlights is better, and the directional light won’t be inconvenient for people coming from the opposite direction.
Multi-directional LED systems create a lighting pattern that provides high-performance illumination. You can program these lights to deliver a specific output. However, worth knowing is that you won’t find this type of headlights easily available for motorcycles yet.
Furthermore, you have to consider the bulb type. The most popular bulb type nowadays is LED, with halogen bulbs falling behind as they dim and don’t have the ideal construction and choice of gas. There are also Xenon HID headlights, but those aren’t road legal at the moment. LED bulbs are capable of emitting high lighting outputs which are calculated in lumens. You still have to pay attention to the colour temperature, which is measured in Kelvins. Look for light bulbs that have about 5000 Kelvins.
If you find a set of headlights that you really like, but they have a halogen lightbulb, you can use a LED conversion kit that usually comes with instructions on how to convert it. It’s important that you find the bulb type you’re using and buy a compatible kit.
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