The stock lighting on most Adventure Bikes just doesn’t cut it for off-road night riding. The weak halogen bulbs create too many shadows, hiding roots and rocks that can jump out and surprise you in the night. A good lighting system allows you to see the details of the terrain more clearly and gives you the confidence to ride at a faster pace.

One of the easiest ways to upgrade your stock lighting is with an LED replacement bulb. LED bulbs offer better power efficiency, lower operating temperatures and superior durability to HID bulbs. On a mission to find the brightest LED headlight bulb on the market, we came across a new product from Cyclops Adventure Sports.

Cyclops 3600 Lumen High/Low Beam LED Headlight Bulb.

Cyclops is one of the top names in LED motorcycle lights with a strong reputation for quality products and customer satisfaction. Before releasing their new LED headlight bulbs to the public, they went through months of extensive testing in the mud, dust and rain. The bulbs are designed for the rigors of off-road riding and use a cooling fan and electronic thermal management system to ensure durability. An 18 month warranty on the product is one of the best in the business.

We decided to install their H4 LED headlight bulb in our KTM 990 Adventure test bike. At 3600 lumen, the LED bulb has 3x the light output of the stock H4 halogen bulb and runs on half the wattage. This efficiency allows us to run more accessories like a GPS, heated grips, heated gear and auxiliary lights, without worrying about draining the battery.

Installing the LED Headlight Bulb
The LED replacement bulb was strictly plug-n-play and required no wire splicing or attaching of ballasts. Four bolts removed the headlight assembly and the old bulb was pulled from its housing. We were able to install the new LED bulb without much trouble following the bike specific instructions provided by Cyclops. The only tricky part was getting the bulb retaining ring back in place with the larger bulb, but we were able to get the installation completed in about 20 minutes.

Nighttime Off-Road Testing
Recently, we rode our KTM 990 Adventure test bike to the San Bernardino Mountains near Los Angeles. The rocky jeep roads and wooded single-track trails in the area offered the perfect terrain to put the durability of the light to the test. Normally a bone dry region in the summer, we were hit with a freak storm that created torrential rains and flash floods. We passed through several thigh deep water crossings, which allowed us to test the water resistance of the light. The Cyclops LED headlight bulb stood up to all of our torture testing throughout the weekend and continued working without flaw.

The Cyclops LED headlight bulb provided a dramatic improvement in nighttime visibility and made it much easier to read the terrain.

Nighttime performance of the headlight beam was exceptional and we enjoyed riding with an abundance of light. The LED bulb puts out a controlled and focused beam pattern with minimal light scatter. The white light it emits is in the color range of mid-day sunlight (5600K color temp), making it easy to pick out rocks and read traction levels. While these LED headlight bulbs are designated for off-road use (just like all LED and HID replacement bulbs), the well-focused beam pattern did not cause a problem for other motorists when we traveled on the road.

Before riding back to camp, we re-installed the stock halogen bulb to compare the two lights under the same trail conditions. The dingy yellow light emitted from the stock bulb slowed our pace considerably and made the cliff-lined trails all the more precarious.

The usable range of the LED headlight bulb was approximately 200 feet in the KTM 990 Adventure.

Powerful Light, Great Value
We like that with a simple replacement of a headlight bulb you can get a dramatic improvement in brightness. The Cyclops LED headlight bulb focuses the light in a tight beam pattern and doesn’t throw light everywhere like some of the cheaper LED replacement bulbs on the market.

If you want the farthest beam distance possible, a good set of LED auxiliary lights are still your best choice. But the Cyclops LED headlight bulb is more than adequate for most off-road riding situations. It’s also more streamlined, less susceptible to damage and the installation is less involved than with a set of auxiliary lights. At $75 it’s a great value as well.

The Cyclops LED headlight bulbs are specifically designed to withstand the harsh environment of off-road riding. With a lifespan of 30,000 hours (3.5 years of continuous usage), they will probably last longer than your bike. Like all Cyclops LED motorcycle lights, you can return it for a full refund if you are not 100% satisfied.

News Update:
The Cyclops H4 LED headlight just got better! The newest version of bulb is more compact and easier to install, and with new electronics, it’s even more robust and durable. Performance has also improved with a more focused beam spread, better high/low beam contrast and increased power output (now with 3800 lumen).

Bulb Compatibility
Cyclops LED headlight bulbs have been installed successfully in the following Adventure Bike models:

3800 Lumen H4 LED Bulb
KTM 990/950 Adventure, KTM 950 Super Enduro, KTM 690 Enduro, BMW G650GS Sertao, BMW X-Challenge, Pre-2008 Kawasaki KLR650, Moto Guzzi Stelvio, Suzuki DR650, Suzuki V-Strom 650, Triumph Tiger 800, Triumph Tiger Explorer, KTM 250/450/530 XC & EXC, Honda CRF450X, Yamaha XT 225/250, BMW F650GS (Single), BMW G650GS

3000 Lumen H7 LED Bulb
BMW F650GS (Twin), BMW F700GS, BMW F800GS, BMW R1200GS

6400 Lumen (Dual 3200 lumen) H11 LED Bulb Kit
KTM 1090 Adventure, KTM 1190 Adventure, KTM 1290 Adventure

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.