Motorcycle headlight bulb buying guide 2024 - The pros and cons of LED, HID and halogen tech

In the warmer months when the sun rises early and sets late, we hardly give a thought to our headlight bulbs. The headlight just comes on when we start our bike and goes off when we power down. But for those of us who ride through the cold months, with dark foggy mornings, rainy evenings, and long winter nights, the humble headlight bulb is one of our most important allies.

Whether we’re commuting, cruising, or negotiating twisty rural roads, our ability to see and be seen can make all the difference between a safe ride and one fraught with unnecessary risks. If it wasn’t for those little bulbs casting such a big spread of light on the road before us, who knows where our pride and joy might end up?

Jump to:

• Halogen bulbs
• Facts about Halogen bulbs
• HID/Xenon bulbs
• Facts about HID/Xenon bulbs
• LED bulbs
• Facts about LED bulbs
• Summary
• Headlight bulbs we recommend
• Other headlight bulbs to consider
• How do headlight bulbs work?
• How do I replace my headlight bulbs?
• How MCN tests products

If the headlight on your bike is not giving you maximum visibility in less-than-ideal riding conditions it’s relatively easy to do something about it. Headlight bulb upgrades supported by well-placed auxiliary lights can vastly improve the lighting performance of older bikes especially. Upgrading from halogens to HID/Xenon or LED headlamps is possible with a dedicated conversion kit and they have to be properly aimed in order to pass an MOT.

What are the benefits or drawbacks of upgrading or converting from one lighting technology to the other? Let’s compare!

Halogen bulbs

These were the standard headlight bulbs since the motorcycle shared the cobblestones with the horse and cart. But just as we’re seeing old-school light bulbs disappearing from our houses, the tungsten technology in our motorcycle headlights is steadily being replaced by more energy efficient and brighter light sources. 

Saying that, halogen bulbs are still quite popular since they’re the cheapest and most widely available. The modern halogen no longer casts a dull yellow beam even though they still pass electricity through a filament into a glass case filled with halogen gas. These days they’re brighter and are more than adequate in urban areas with lots of street lighting.

But venture outside of well-lit urban safety zones and halogens are clearly not the brightest. Their beam range isn’t as long and wide as Xenons or LEDs.

Related: Keep your bike safe in the city

Facts about Halogen bulbs

Standard halogens give off a yellow glow and historically have been the most common headlight bulbs. Their lifespan averages 500 – 1000 hours, which means you’re more likely to need to replace them during your ownership of a bike than longer-lasting technologies.

Much of the energy that halogens produce is converted into heat rather than light, which isn’t particularly efficient seeing as your battery is working hard to produce that energy. 

The warmer light given off by a halogen bulb is less dazzling to other drivers and one reason they’ve been considered safer as headlights for so long. But even though yellow light cuts through rain, snow and fog better than white or blue, and contrasts better against darker environments, it can be harder to see with them in clear conditions than Xenons or LEDs. Most new bikes now have white lights as standard.

Related: Best winter motorcycle kit

HID/Xenon bulbs

People often choose HID (High Intensity Discharge)/Xenon bulbs because they give off that stylish white-blue light. They are brighter and shine further than standard halogens and can last up to 3000 hours. Some can discharge up to five times as much light as standard halogens. 

This can be a problem, though. If they are not properly aimed you are in danger of blinding oncoming traffic which would break Rule No. 114 of the Highway Code Section 4. It would also be an immediate MOT failure.

Halogen bulbs can be upgraded to HID set-ups with a dedicated conversion kit. You can also buy halogen bulbs that contain some Xenon for a whiter/bluer light.

Facts about HID/Xenon bulbs

HID/Xenon bulbs use a different technology to halogens. Instead of relying on a filament they use an electric arc between two electrodes within a tube filled with xenon gas. When the electrodes are arcing, the gas produces a clear, crisp white light that casts a far superior beam to standard halogen bulbs.

Xenon gas is also used in halogen bulbs, giving them that white colour and increasing their brightness without raising the wattage or a need to change the headlamp housing.

Not all motorcycles are designed for HID/Xenon bulbs. For a retrofitting to be road legal it would require a conversion kit with a dedicated HID headlamp housing that includes additional components, potentially making it quite costly. There are strict standards for HID retrofits, and we would advise riders to do further research on regulations as they apply to their bike.

LED bulbs

LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs are now used as standard in many modern motorcycle headlights. They produce a white light which is as close to daylight as you’ll get. They’re also at full brightness as soon as you turn your bike on.

Riders who want long-lasting, energy-efficient bulbs with both a long and wide spread of light, will often opt for LEDs. Because they use less power than both halogens or HIDs they put less of a strain on the motorcycle’s electrical system.

LED bulbs can last up to 25,000 hours and can handle shocks and vibrations better than the others. And being able to see further and better with LEDs means you can react sooner to incidents or obstacles. If your LED headlights are complemented by LED auxiliary lights you’re as likely as a car to be seen by other road users (the ones who actually look!).

Facts about LED bulbs

LEDs are different because they use solid state semiconductors that produce light when electricity passes through them. Because of the amount of light they generate they need adequate cooling. That’s why they are manufactured with heatsinks, and sometimes fans, which makes them bigger and prevents them from fitting into traditional headlight housings.

If you’re thinking of changing from halogens to LEDs it’s the same story as HIDs – you need to change your bike’s entire lighting system for it to be legal and pass an MOT. And they need to be properly aimed.

Summary

Each type of bulb has its strengths and weaknesses. Your choice will depend on your budget, typical riding conditions, and legal considerations. If you don’t ride much outside of well-lit urban areas, stick with halogens – they’re affordable and easy to replace. But if you want to upgrade your lighting game, go for LEDs. They’re bright, energy-efficient, and built to last. HIDs are a great middle ground, especially for riders who want brightness with a bit of style and don’t mind the extra fuss of proper installation. But they’re still powered by gas, whereas LEDs are really the future of motorcycle headlight technology.

Motorcycle headlight bulbs we recommend

Other headlight bulbs to consider

FAQs

How do headlight bulbs work?

‘Normal’ headlight bulbs (usually halogens) produce light by passing a current through a wire which is encased in a glass vial, filled with gas to help prevent the wire degrading. The current causes the wire to glow and this produces light. However, it also produces a huge amount of heat, meaning that they aren’t very efficient.

Traditionally, the light produced was yellow in colour and the amount of light, measured in Watts like a normal household bulb, was limited to 55W for dipped headlights and 60W for main beam units. However, replacement bulbs not only purport to offer a greater amount of light emitted for the same power, but they also change the colour of the light to aid vision at night.

Light ‘colour’ is expressed as a temperature, in Kelvin. Normal halogen light bulbs emit yellow-ish light, or ‘warm white’, at around 2400K while sunlight is 6000K. Most LED bulbs and those that promise a brighter ‘white’ emit light at around 4000K and on the road, this can penetrate further into the darkness, giving you valuable extra vision when you need it most.

How do I replace my headlight bulbs?

Most bulbs are supplied for cars, so you get two in a pack which gives you coverage for some time if your bike uses a single bulb, though there is a selection of motorcycle-specific bulbs included as well. However, be aware that uprated bulbs may not last as long as traditional ones, thanks to their improved performance.

A word on replacement of halogens with LED bulbs. Some of these tend not to work particularly well as they don’t produce a properly defined beam pattern and as a result, may not to illuminate the road properly. You also need to check the legality of your method of fitment when you do an LED upgrade. Most modern bikes come with LEDs pre-installed.

How MCN tests products

At MCN, each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of bikers… because we are one. We regularly test and review all motorcycle kit and accessories. We don’t test our kit to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions. That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on.

If you can’t see a review against the motorcycle headlight bulbs on this page, it’s because we haven’t personally tested them yet. We’ve included them because we think they would be useful for our audience based on their specs and features, recommendations from other bikers, and our own research. Rest assured, though, we will be bringing you reviews of different types of headlight bulbs as soon as they’ve been tried and tested by our team.

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