Xenon on your motorbike: what to watch out for

Extra safety, with a seriously large helping of light

Want to upgrade your motorbike's headlight (or headlights) from halogen to motorbike xenon? We'll help you get started so you can make the best choice. For many riders, being seen in traffic matters a great deal.

There are a few things you can do to be more visible, and upgrading the headlight is one of them. Converting from standard halogen to blindingly bright xenon is very easy. You get up to 70% more light, and you are far more visible to other road users. Read more about how to recognise a good xenon kit.

Xenon on a motorbike: what matters in a kit, and what to look out for

1. Choose the right fitting. There is a handy tool to work out which fitting you need. You can of course also check the bike's owner's manual or pull the bulb out of the headlight. The most common fitting sizes for motorbikes are H7 and H1. All other fitting sizes can be ordered too. For the H4 and HB5 fittings we recommend the bi-xenon kits. They give the best beam pattern and put xenon on your high beam as well.

2. Pick the colour of the xenon bulbs. Because being seen is what counts, we recommend 6000K. By far the best-selling colour for motorbikes, simply because it is the best mix of eye-catching colour and high light output. About 7 different colour temperatures are available if you fancy a different flavour.

How do I install the motorbike xenon kit?

Installation is very simple and in most cases done in half an hour. There are exceptions, of course: bikes with little space, such as a naked bike. There it takes a bit more work to hide the wiring neatly. We have a manual for this. It was demonstrated on car headlights, but the connection works in exactly the same way. Also read the how-to from a Pilot xenon customer. The plug connections of the xenon kits are waterproof, so they can take a puddle or a proper downpour.

Aiming the headlight

In most cases you do not need to adjust the headlight. We advise pointing the bike at a wall or garage door with the halogen light on and marking where the cut-off line sits. If it is the same with xenon, you do not need to adjust anything. If it differs, first check that the xenon bulb is seated properly in the headlight. Then use the adjustment screw to aim the headlight higher or lower, so you do not dazzle oncoming drivers.

Also worth a look!

• What is the best xenon kit for my car or motorbike?
• Xenon and a faulty on-board computer!? Prevention beats cure...

What's in a motorbike xenon kit?

A motorbike often has just one headlight, which is why Solo kits exist: one xenon bulb and one ballast. Take the H1 Xenon Kit, Hilox Evolution II Black, Solo as an example. According to the product details it contains:

• 1 x H1 xenon bulb, available in 5500K or 6500K
• 1 x Hilox Evolution II ballast with IC chip, which keeps the current steady and prevents overheating and flickering bulbs

The ballast has a CAN-bus II module for motorbikes and cars with CAN-bus or lighting monitoring, and the bulb and ballast come with a 2-year warranty. There is a Solo kit for H7 too. Separate H7 xenon bulbs from this series are 35W and give 4,200 lumen per bulb.

Note: according to the product information, these kits have no ECE or E-mark approval and are not intended for public roads, but for racetrack and private land. If you are unsure about the lighting rules for your motorbike, ask the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority).