Indian motorcycles are one of the most popular styles of motorcycles, and they’re making a huge comeback in popularity. However, an experienced rider will recognize that these bikes aren’t perfect and could use some improvements when they leave the factory. That’s why these bikes have a very active aftermarket scene as people like to improve them with upgrades. When looking at the best upgrades for these bikes, it’s essential that you consider upgrading the lighting on Indian Motorcycles.
Why Lighting Upgrades Matter
While there are many potential upgrades you can get for your motorcycle, you’ll find that lighting is one of the most important things worth upgrading. Understanding these reasons will help you make the best decisions when choosing between lighting options.
They Increase Personal Safety
Lighting is all about increasing your safety while on the road. Driving in dark conditions isn’t safe as you can’t see the road or obstacles that may block your path. Good lighting will light up the area in front of you so you can see where you’re going. Upgrading your lights can help you reveal more in the dark so you can see further and light up more of your surroundings.
They Increase Visibility
Lightning isn’t just to help you see in the dark; it’s also to help others see you. Motorcycles can be quite difficult to see in the dark because they are small and can disappear into the darkness. However, good lighting on a motorcycle will help others quickly identify one on the road. This way, drivers can avoid hitting your bike. Improving your lights can make it easier to see you.
They Improve Visibility for Everyone
Good lighting doesn’t just affect your ability to see the path forward but also lights it up for others. When you have good lighting, others benefit from the extra light and can see more of the road, just as you benefit from their lights and how they illuminate your surroundings. That’s why every vehicle needs to have good lighting—it helps everyone stay safe.
They Save Money
Another reason to upgrade your lights is to save money on the factory lights. The lighting that comes with an Indian motorcycle is useful for driving but isn’t as efficient or long-lasting as many other options. This means they’ll burn out sooner than many of the LED options you can upgrade to. You’ll spend a lot more on replacements for factory lights than you would to upgrade your lights to LEDs.
They Last Longer
One of the bigger dangers that come with using factory lights with your bike is how they burn out. Not only do these lights burn out quickly, but they do so by dimming slowly until they eventually flicker out. This means you get less and less light as time goes on, while LEDs won’t dim as they age. This means you get as much light as possible every day, whereas factory lights may dull over time.
They Follow Local Regulations
Another reason why it’s so important to upgrade your lights is because every community has its own regulations on what’s allowable and required for your bike’s lighting. For example, some states have laws against lighting of certain colors or additional lighting, while others require headlights with a certain brightness. You’ll need to alter your bike to follow your local regulations to prevent any issues.
The Essential Upgrades
When it comes to lighting, some upgrades are more important than others. To help you find the ones that really matter, here’s a look at some of the upgrades that will benefit your Indian motorcycle the most. At the very end, we’ll cover a few other lighting upgrades that can benefit your vehicle but aren’t as necessary.
Taillights
When it comes to increasing visibility for other drivers, taillights are vital to your safety. You want to do everything possible to help others see you from behind as the lights back there aren’t as bright as the front. Taillights are so important because if drivers cannot see you from behind, they could rear-end you.
Brake lights
Your brake lights are just as important as your taillights because they increase visibility while also indicating where you are. For an Indian motorcycle, you’ll likely need taillights that combine with the brake lights due to the design of the vehicle. It’s much easier if you upgrade both at the same time because of this.
Red Turn Signals
Turn signals are important parts because they indicate to other drivers what you’re going to do. It’s important to upgrade these lights as you want everyone to clearly see when you’re slowing down to turn. Otherwise, you put yourself at risk as other drivers don’t know how to predict your next actions. Additionally, there are a lot of regulations around turn signals, which means you’ll likely need to get new lights for them.
Headlights
One of the most important parts of your lighting system is the front-facing headlights as they produce all the light that brightens up the road in front of you. Without these lights, it’s nearly impossible to drive in the dark, and improving these lights will have the biggest impact on your driving. You’ll see further and more clearly than before, which makes riding at night a lot safer and easier. If you’re looking for the most important lighting upgrade, you’ll want to get motorcycle LED headlight kits.
Dynamic Load Isolator
While this may not be necessary for your main lights, a dynamic load isolator is an important lighting upgrade for anyone riding an Indian motorcycle. This upgrade protects your motorcycle from overloads and too much drain on power, helping you control how power travels through the system. This is crucial if you’re going to use any additional lighting because it may overtax the factory system that comes with the motorcycle.
Indian motorcycles are some of the best on the market and are growing in popularity as time goes on. But you can make them better and safer for everyone on the road by investing in quality lighting upgrades.
