Powersports Vehicle Headlight Primer
As an off-road enthusiast, it’s easy to take additional features like headlights for granted. After all, if you’re doing most of your riding during the day in bright sunlight, what good are headlights? In fact, headlights on your powersports vehicle are just as important as headlights on your car or truck, but there are some distinctions that need to be made, as there are certain conditions that require headlights to be installed on your vehicle.
Main Street Cycle in Tishomingo is your Mississippi powersports dealer, proudly serving the Deep South. Here’s a quick primer on powersports vehicle headlights so that you can equip your ATV or UTV with the brilliance you need to see the way ahead in dimmer riding conditions.
Do You Need Headlights?
The short answer is “yes.” Off-road vehicles that are ridden on any type of paved roads, also known as “street-legal” vehicles, absolutely must be equipped with a good set of headlights. Depending on the type of vehicle you have, you may even need to have headlights when off-road riding, especially before dawn and after dusk or in poor visibility conditions such as fog or rain.
Headlights let you see other riders and let them see you so they know to give you space. A good set of headlights also helps you to see obstacles on the path ahead, which could be animals, hikers, campers, rocks or stalled vehicles.
Choosing Between Types
Headlights designed for powersports vehicles come in a few different styles and each type of headlight may also require different bulbs.
Halogen and LED Headlights
Halogen bulbs are a standard option on most powersports vehicle headlights, although some types of headlights may be able to accommodate LED lights instead. The nice thing about LED bulbs is that they’re brighter and more intense while also being more efficient and longer-lasting.
High-Intensity Headlights
Otherwise known as “projector” headlights, high-intensity bulbs cannot be installed in an average halogen headlight set-up. If you have to upgrade your bulbs for more light, then you will need to get a set of projector headlights, too. High-intensity headlights can also accommodate high-intensity discharge or HID bulbs.
Custom Headlights
If you have the extra money to spend, you can invest in a set of custom headlights designed for your particular make and model, equipped with the features you need. Custom lights can also suit a particular aesthetic better than what you can buy off the shelf, so if style is an important factor, you may want to shell out for custom lights.
Cleaning Headlights
One essential thing you need to do is keep your headlights clean so that they burn brightly. Dirty lights won’t be any good at all if they’re caked with mud to the point that very little light shines through them. To clean your lights, you can use baking soda and vinegar together or you can try toothpaste to scrub away debris. There are also headlight restoration kits available. If all else fails, a professional may be able to help you get your lights cleaned up.
When Do You Change Your Lights?
Powersports vehicle headlights last for a long time since you aren’t using them constantly every single day. You can wait until your lights burn out completely, but as a bulb reaches the end of its life, it won’t burn as brightly, and you don’t want to get caught out in the middle of nowhere with burned-out bulbs at night. Try to change out the bulbs on your headlights every two years or check the bulb manufacturer’s website to see what timeframe they recommend.
Looking to invest in a new powersports vehicle? Browse through our website to check out our fine selection of new and used powersports vehicles for sale at our dealership location in Tishomingo, MS. Talk to our staff about our financing options if you’d like to make use of them to fund your powersports vehicle purchase. Main Street Cycle proudly serves all of our Deep South customers in Florence, AL, and Corinth, MS.