• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Motorcycleall

Motorcycle Blog & Reviews for Riders

  • Motorcycleall
  • Home
  • Brands
    • Honda
    • Yamaha
    • Suzuki
    • Kawasaki
    • KTM
    • Hyosung
    • Buell Blast
  • Accessories
    • Battery
    • Gps Tracker
    • Gps
    • Engine Parts
  • Blog

by John Watson Leave a Comment

All about Motorcycle Headlight Bulb: Guide for Brightest One

Everyone knows just how handy a headlight is to his motorcycle – “to see” or “to be seen”. Whether riding in darkness or foggy conditions, you will ride safely, provided your bike has a working headlight with the brightest bulb. Choosing one is not easy, with many brands claiming to offer the most powerful light. However, after deep dissection, we’ve got a list of the best motorcycle headlight bulbs, as presented hereunder.

Best Overall – Philips Racing Vision H7 or Bosch Plus 90 H7

Premium – HIKARI UltraFocus H4

Brightest Bulb (150% Extra) – Philips Racing Vision

Best For Harley Davidson – AUXITO H4

Best Halogen – PHILIPS Diamond Vision H7 or Sylvania H4

Best LED – AoLEAD H4 or MZS H7

Best Xenon – SeaLight H4

Best Budget – DayWalker H4 or DZG H4

Best For BMW Moto – HIKARI HyperStar or HIKARI VisionPlus

Types of Motorcycle Headlight Bulbs

Halogen

Most bikes have Halogen bulbs on them straight from the factory. Some competitor manufacturers claim the bulbs are not as bright as said. Never fall for the lie! Halogen bulbs are bright and most riders never have issues riding on dark roads.

Xenon

The bulb is similar to halogen bulbs, but the Xenon ones use a combination of Halogen and Xenon gases. However, unlike the halogen ones, Xenon bulbs emit crisper, brighter, and blue-like light.

LED

LED bulbs boast exceptional durability when compared to halogen or Xenon bulbs. The bulbs are also famous for emitting brighter beams since they can use more power than most common bulbs. However, these bulbs are not regularly used on motorbikes making them rare to find.

HID

Since HID is the latest headlight using the latest headlight technology, they are super bright and clear. Such lights are popular on newer vehicle models and bikes. They emit blue-whitish beams, making them brighter than other bulbs.

What Size Bulb Fits Motorcycles?

H1

H1 are halogen bulbs with a single filament. They use 55 watts at 12 volts. If your bike needs two single filament bulbs, this is the size to go for. Every bulb comes with a reflector, and a rider will need two of those – one bulb to use on a full beam and the other with a dipped beam.

H4

These are dual filament halogen bulbs and emit brighter beams. The bulbs use 60 or 55 watts at 12 volts. Any rider can use the dual filament to alternate between full and dipped light. 

H7

Unlike H4 bulbs, this bulb comes with two divided attachments and can fit into various bulb sockets. Also, they come as a single filament bulb.

Motorcycle Bulb: Brightness Levels

Typically, halogen bulbs produce yellow-like light at around 2400K. On the other hand, some other bulbs emit over 6000K. LED bulbs usually emit brighter beams at about 4000K. Such brightness on all bike bulbs can easily penetrate the darkness. A brighter bulb offers the extra night vision you need most while on the road.

However, different bulbs come with various brightness levels. With that in mind, choose any depending on your brightness requirement. Whether you choose an LED, HID, Xenon, or even a Halogen headlight, you will find your perfect match.

Best Motorbike Headlight Bulbs – Top Table

Are All Motorcycle Headlight Bulbs the Same?

Every bike has different lights and so they need varying bulbs. Along with different bulbs come various bulb fittings depending on the bike model. Fitting refers to the shape and size of the bulb base to fit well on the bike. For that reason, make sure the headlight bulb you choose will fit into your bike since they do not fit universally.

How to Fit a Bulb on Your Motorcycle Headlight?

Ensuring the headlight bulb fits well is crucial in ensuring your motorbike remains legal on the road. If unsure of how to fit them, ask an expert’s help. For a DIY, grab a screwdriver and follow the following steps:

  1. Secure the bike- Make sure your bike remains in a stable position by propping it up with a kickstand. Alternatively, you can ask someone to hold the bike firmly as you work on it.
  1. Loosen the screws securing the headlight- The best way to determine the correct ones is by consulting the bikes manufacturer manual. Place all the screws in a tray to avoid losing any of them.
  1. Disconnecting the bulb- Once you remove the covers, disconnect the previous bulb. You can do so by holding the base and applying some pressure. Avoid grabbing the glass since it can break.
  1. Fit the new bulb- Hold the base of the new bulb and place it on the previous bulb slot. Put back the screws to make sure the bulb is secure in place.

Avoid These Type of Headlight for Your Bulb

We always ask you to avoid buying a headlight bulb that is not ECE certified. We love it when people use products that are safe and tested.

Headlights are not different. Other than uncertified headlight bulbs, avoid using LED bulbs as halogen replacement since they may not offer the required light.

Things can be thought of in reverse. While halogen bulbs work well, they are not universal. Using them as a replacement for an LED bulb may not yield a better fit.

One also needs to avoid buying headlight bulbs from questionable brands, check user reviews to know what other consumers think of the product.

Is Xenon Brighter than LED?

The Xenon headlight bulb emits brighter beams than LED and delivers white-blue light, which is three times brighter than LED bulbs. The headlights use more energy and are hotter than LED BULBS but become dimmer over time.

In Xenon bulbs, electric currents go via the Xenon gas-producing an arc between two electrodes. The arc created produces intense white-blue light, which is usually brighter than LEDs. We know one good thing about LEDs. Even though they are not as bright, their light lasts longer than Xenon ones.

Is HID the same as Xenon?

No, they are not the same. HID is a form of light fixture creating brighter and long-lasting beams. On the other hand, Xenon is an HID subtype containing Xenon gas rather than other alternatives. Xenon bulbs do not need to warm up like HID lights. However, HID is the better one since they are the latest headlight technology. They yield brighter beams compared to all other bulbs.

How to adjust the brightness of headlight bulbs?

  1. Consult the manual- Before adjusting the headlight brightness, consult the manufacturer manual. Some brands do not allow headlight adjustments.
  2. Secure the bike- Place the bike on level ground for a better experience.
  3. Creating a center axis- Place the motorbike six feet far from the wall 
  4. Headlight distance measurement– measure and know the difference between the headlights to make sure they match.
  5. Prepare for adjustment- Adjust the vertical field and the horizontal field. After that, fine-tune the adjustment before testing the headlights.

Concluding Remarks

Motorcycle headlights are a crucial component of a bike for the rider’s safety. It does not matter how far you wish to ride at night. The most important thing is to have fun with protection. Just make sure the bulb in the headlight lights up your trail brightly.

Filed Under: Accessories, Headlight

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Footer

  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclosure
  • Terms of Services
  • Privacy Policy

Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT