Motorcycles must have headlights for you not only to see where you are heading but also to be seen by other drivers. Motorcycle light systems that are functional and suitable for the road can make the difference between a safe trip home and one that is not. The terms “Halogen” and “LED” are well-known, but what do they represent, and—more importantly—what are the advantages?
The Benefits Of Halogen Motorcycle Headlights
Halogen lighting is the most commonly used headlight on motor vehicles, including motorcycles. An incandescent light uses a filament housed in a halogen-filled bulb. When these bulbs are powered up, they send an electrical current through these filaments. The current flow heats this tungsten filament until it gets white-hot, at which point it emits light.
The fact that these bulbs require a lot of electricity to illuminate them means that they can get hot enough to discolor the housing of the lights on your bike. However, the bulbs are relatively simple in their design because of how easily you can replace them and how inexpensive they are.
Assuming you ride your bike to work for approximately three hours each day, which is a reasonable assumption if you have a halogen bulb with a lifespan of roughly 2,000 hours, you could get about two years’ worth of use out of it.
The Benefits Of LED Motorcycle Headlights
Unlike halogen lighting, LED lighting does not need filaments. Instead, they are composed of semiconductors, which, when activated, release photons that ultimately result in light emission. LED lights are fundamentally more expensive to create since they require more complicated circuits, which may include heat sinks and fans.
The advantages, in this case, are that they use less power and last a lot longer than standard halogen lights. Even though they generate some heat, it is not much compared to halogen lights’ heat output. In contrast to halogens, LED lights can operate for up to 20,000 hours. Many industries have switched to using LEDs instead of halogen lights because of their significantly increased lifespan.
Due to their widespread use, LED motorcycle lights are now being mass-produced and are available in many designs, even for older motorcycles. Daytime running lights in recognizable patterns, halo rings, and even projector-style headlights are a few of these types.
LEDs enable manufacturers to create complex designs that are highly aesthetically beautiful. Given that they provide excellent lighting for riding off the beaten path, these spotlights are also growing in popularity among adventure bike riders.
However, despite increasing popularity, LEDs are still more expensive than halogen lamps. Due to recent modifications to the motorbike MOT, switching from halogen to LED is more challenging than simply changing the bulb. Instead, you would have to overhaul your bike’s lighting setup.
CONCLUSION
It would help if you always considered legal considerations when deciding whether to switch from halogen to LED lights. Since so many goods are available in the aftermarket, you can spend money on something you can’t legally install on your bike. There are some murky areas regarding the legality of LED replacements. The motorbike MOT requirements have also just changed, as we have hinted at in this article. This is directly from the recommendations: “High-intensity discharge (HID) or light-emitting diode (LED) headlamps may be installed on some motorcycles.
Using HID or LED bulbs with existing halogen headlamps is not recommended. If such a conversion has been made, the headlight must malfunction. Simply put, the entire lighting system must be replaced rather than replacing your old halogen bulb with an HID or LED one.
