We all know how important our vision is when driving a car on and off road. Investing in quality driving lights is important to keep ourselves and others safe. Riding a motorcycle or an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) shouldn’t be any different.
Visibility is king, especially on a bike or ATV, where being aware of your surroundings is that much more important. Compared to cars and trucks, you’re far more vulnerable to injury from smaller mistakes and accidents that don’t involve other vehicles.
High performance lights can be the difference between a near miss with a small animal or ditch and disaster. Like the factory headlamps on your car, those on your bike or ATV may not be adequate for long-distance or peripheral visibility.
A survey by the Transport Accident Commission of 900 people who had been injured on a motorcycle while off road, found that 49% of crashes were due to trail conditions. 22% were the result of rider error.
With a quarter of those accidents on terrain with “trees and bushes around” and half with “lots of corners”, it’s easy to see how better lighting can help prevent crashes and injuries when out on the track and even on your own property.
For on road riders, the same research estimates that one-in-ten motorcycle accidents in urban areas occur at night.
LEDs are the ideal light tech for a motorcycle or ATV. They pack significant power into very small packages, which is ideal for handlebars that have little room for mounting. The other major advantages of LEDs are their individual bulbs (and therefore reflectors) and energy efficiency.
Depending on the reflectors with each LED diode, LEDs can achieve anything from focused and long-range beams, down to extremely short and wide beams.
You would choose an LED with a high spread beam, rather than a distance beam. This is because, on your own property or in the bush, you’re much more maneuverable and typically travelling at lower speeds. It’s important that your peripheral vision is as clear as possible, to account for your frequent twists, turns and uneven ground.
You would choose an LED with a narrower beam that projects light further ahead. Similar to a car on the road, being able to spot danger from a longer distance gives you more time to react. Because you’re on a smooth road and less likely to be weaving through your surroundings, your peripheral vision is less crucial than it is for off road riding.
