Whether you’re a casual rider or a night ride enthusiast, good high-quality headlight is necessary. Headlights provide safety and visibility when riding in low-light conditions. Halogen and LED are the two most common headlight choices, and choosing between these two can be overwhelming.
This post will be your comprehensive guide to choosing the right headlight. We will cover
1. Brightness
Halogen Headlights
Light Output: The light emitted is warm and yellowish. It has a lower lumen compared to LED. Average halogen headlights have a low beam of around 1000 lumens and a high beam of around 1200 lumens. They can be bright but not as an LED.
Beam Distance: A halogen headlight typically casts a beam up to 100 meters. Osram Night Breaker 220 halogen bulbs claim to cast a beam covering 150 meters.
LED Headlights
Light Output: The light emitted is brighter and whiter. It has a high lumen count between 2000 and 4000.
Beam Distance: An LED headlight casts a beam of more than 200 meters.
2. Energy Efficiency
Halogen Headlights
Power Consumption: They use 90% of the energy to produce 10% of light. This leads to high heat production. A halogen bulb uses 35-100 watts per hour.
LED Headlights
Power Consumption: They use 10% of the energy to produce 90% of light. LED bulbs only use 7-20 watts per hour.
3. Lifespan
Halogen Headlights
Durability: Halogen bulbs are more prone to burning out as they produce more heat. Also, the filament is sensitive to vibrations and electric surges. The brightness can go down as time goes by. It can experience 70 - 80% light degradation before it reaches its usability life.
Lifespan: The lifespan of a halogen bulb can range from 500 - 1000 hours.
LED Headlights
Durability: As there are no moving parts in LED they are more resistant to vibrations and impacts. An adequate heat sink can offer prolonged durability.
Lifespan: LED can last anywhere from 25000-50000 hours. It means you’ll never need to replace them as long as you own the motorbike.
4. Cost
Halogen Headlights
Initial Cost: The upfront cost of buying a halogen bulb is cheaper.
Long-term Cost: As these bulbs are prone to faster wear outs they need to be purchased regularly, which makes the long-term cost higher.
LED Headlights
Initial Cost: The initial price is higher compared to halogen.
Long-term Cost: Since they last longer, there is no need for regular replacement. So, they are cost-effective in the long term.
5. Environmental Impact
Halogen Headlights
Eco-friendliness: As halogen bulbs are less energy-efficient and need to be replaced at regular intervals, they produce more waste making them less environmentally friendly
LED Headlights
Eco-friendliness: The energy efficiency and longer lifespan make LED bulbs more environmentally friendly.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Motorcycle Headlight Types
|
Halogen |
LED |
|
|
Light Output |
1000-1200 lumen |
2000-4000 lumen |
|
Beam Distance |
Up to 100 meter |
200+ meters |
|
Power Consumption |
Use 90% energy to produce 10% light |
Use 10% energy to produce 90% light |
|
Watt |
35 - 100 watts |
8 - 20 watts |
|
Lifespan |
500 - 1000 hours |
25000 - 50000 hours |
|
Cost |
Low initial cost, Higher long-term cost |
High initial cost, Low long-term cost |
|
Environment Impact |
Not environmental friendly |
Environmentally friendly |
Final Thoughts: Which one should you choose?
A halogen headlight will be a good option if you are looking for a budget-friendly option. Also, you only ride your motorbike occasionally and night rides are not frequent, so you don’t require long-lasting, high-powered lights.
An LED headlight will be a good option if you are a frequent night rider or in low-light conditions. Their long lifespan, energy efficiency, brightness, and overall performance make them the superior choice.
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