Why Do I Need Auxiliary Lights?

It is primarily to support the head light in these conditions that you look for an auxiliary light or two to gain more vision after dark. And just like having the headlight on makes your more visible, having auxiliary lights running in the day makes your motorcycle stand out and has a positive safety implication. Human drivers tend to not crash into things they can see.

Here's a quick primer on how these lights work, what they're for and how to find the one you like.

Not every rider needs them. If you ride a lot within the city, mostly in daylight, you don't need them. Extra lights serve a purpose though. The shallowest of them is the look of the bike. Adding these to a gigantic adventure tourer does look good - and there is always the danger that you will overdo it.

But the real purpose to fill in the gaps that your OEM headlight leaves and have a backup source of illumination. Both of these apply more to the big distance rider and adventurer than almost any other kind of rider.

The second is easy to understand. LED headlights rarely fail. But bulb-type headlights are more fragile, although the failure rates today are very low. And in that event, a second set of lights might be enough to get you home.

The real reason is to complement and supplement the headlight. For example, if you ride in off-road terrain a lot, especially early in the morning, you might want more light near the bike at the front and on the sides so you can see more and ride better. Or if you, like me, like to cover substantial distances in the quiet of the pre-dawn dark, you might want powerful lights that reach further than the headlight can so that your mile-munching happens with confidence and clear vision.