| Aftermarket lighting has greatly evolved over the last | | | | are very bright but offer little forward illumination. |
| few years. With companies offering many different | | | | This is improving however is some time off for an |
| options for off road riding the choices can become | | | | affordable option. There are plenty available for the |
| cloudy to say the least. This article will focus on | | | | bicycle industry, But for off road motorsports they |
| helmet mounted lights for dirt bikes, atvs and | | | | simply don't cut it. |
| snowmobiles. First, what use does a helmet mounted | | | | HID |
| light have? Helmet lights provide light wherever the | | | | Hid lights put out a very bright beam and use less |
| rider looks, this is very useful to spot landings, see | | | | power than Halogen lighting. The color temp of the |
| around corners, view side trails or terrain, climb and | | | | available commercial HID helmet lights are from 5600k |
| descend steep hills, etc. Over all they make night | | | | to more than 6500k. That's the bluish light that you |
| riding much more safe and fun. For racers they can | | | | see when looking at the light. Although Hid lighting is |
| mean the difference between winning and being the | | | | brighter to look at than halogen it offers little in |
| first loser. Many racers actually see their lap times | | | | secondary illumination, that's the light that spills over |
| improve at night. Although that appears to be focus | | | | away from the main beam. The hid helmetlights will |
| and concentration related. | | | | also have a tendency to create shadows from rocks, |
| Helmet lights are also incredibly stable, as your bike | | | | roots and jump faces. Hid lighting requires dc power |
| mounted lights bounce up and down, your helmet | | | | You can run them from battery packs. Most |
| lights remain very stable, your knees and body are | | | | machines require stator modifications to run HID |
| taking up most of the shock from the woops or | | | | lights. HID bulbs / ballast are very expensive to |
| rough terrain. A stable light source will allow you to | | | | replace. Hid helmet lights are great for higher speeds |
| ride with more confidence, therefore you will be | | | | where you already have a hid headlight. |
| riding faster and safer. A helmet mounted light should | | | | Halogen |
| also be adjustable on the fly. It is amazing how much | | | | Halogen helmet lights require more power than HID |
| you look down while riding, the faster you go the | | | | lights. They can run off ac or dc power. They can |
| more you look down. Not that your moving your light | | | | run from a stock machine, provided that there is |
| all around while riding the same track, but that you | | | | enough power to run them. The quality of a halogen |
| do adjust for different riding conditions. In tight trails | | | | light(any light for that matter) is largely due to the |
| it will be farther forward than on more open areas. | | | | reflector. Good halogen helmetlights generally have a |
| A helmet mounted light system should also not be | | | | very strong secondary beam, that provides a strong |
| hard mounted to the helmet .The lights need to | | | | glow around the primary beam. That makes halogen |
| come off during a crash or hitting a obstacle. A | | | | powered helmetlights much more useful in trails or for |
| impact with a hard mounted light could cause serious | | | | use as your only lighting source. Halogen bulbs are |
| injury or worse. That's why some helmet lighting | | | | inexpensive. There are claims that HID lighting is 3 to |
| manufactures use hook and loop type fasteners, | | | | 5 times more powerful than halogen. That may be |
| they hold very good and separate without the rider | | | | true if your looking into the light. That's due to the |
| or the light being damaged. Some helmet light | | | | higher kelvin rating of the bulb. It absolutely is false |
| manufactures offer a chin mount system while | | | | when comparing beam usefulness. Its not about what |
| others believe that top mount is best. A few | | | | light is brighter. Its about what light offers better |
| manufactures allow provisions for top or side mount. | | | | overall illumination, and beam pattern. |
| Helmet light technology | | | | Remember, we're not talking about the difference in |
| There are 3 basic types of technology used in | | | | your automobile or larger lights here, only helmet |
| helmet lights on the market. | | | | mounted lights. |
| LED - light emitting diode | | | | Take a serious look at what type off night riding you |
| HID - high intensity discharge | | | | really do and look at what products are available. If |
| HALOGEN - halogen gas | | | | you ride fast desert with 8 inch HID head light go |
| There are pros and cons to each of these | | | | with a HID helmetlight. If you ride trails or need a |
| technologies | | | | backup/single light source go with a high powered |
| LED | | | | halogen system. |
| In the future this technology looks promising. LEDs | | | | |