LED light bar on ATV grille
May 10, 2024 13 min read

How to Outfit Your ATV, UTV, or SxS With Off-Road Lights

Exploring the outdoors on your ATV, UTV, or SxS is an exhilarating experience. However, navigating the trails after dark requires proper illumination for your safety. Installing off-road LED lights on your off-road vehicle is the best way to provide the necessary lighting for these treks. 

When choosing what off-road lights you want to outfit your ATV, you must first ask yourself a few questions. Consider the typical environment and terrain of the areas where you go off-roading. Are they dense forests, rocky trails, or open plains? Additionally, think about your driving habits and speed. Do you need a wide beam for improved peripheral visibility or focused beams for long-distance? All of these factors will determine the beam angles and types of lights you select.

Off-Road Beam Patterns

There are several different types of beam patterns that are used for off-road lighting.

Spot Beam

Spot light beams provide a concentrated, narrow line of light for long-distance visibility. This beam extends farther than flood and driving beams and is commonly used for high-speed driving or where you need to see far in the distance.

Pod light emitting spot beam Pod light emitting spot beam

Flood Beam

Flood beams illuminate a wide area of off-road terrain but at a shorter distance than spot beams. A flood beam is most often emitted by pod lights and light bars, and the width of the flood beam can vary depending on the length of the light bar. This type of light is best used to lighten up wide fields, curvy roads, campsites, and worksites.

Pod light emitting flood beam Pod light emitting flood beam

Fog Beam

Fog lights emit a wide, low-to-the-ground beam pattern that cuts through rain, snow, fog, and dust. They have a sharp cutoff to prevent light from reflecting against any water particles in the air. Fog beams are best used in low-visibility conditions. Most fog lights are amber in color because it is gentler on the eyes. Off-road lights emitting a fog beam are typically mounted low on the vehicle's front bumper.

Pod light emitting fog beam Pod light emitting fog beam

Driving Beam

Driving beams offer a compromise between flood and spot beams, delivering a balanced lighting solution for most off-road driving scenarios. These beams provide a combination of width and distance and are best suited for general off-road driving conditions. Use a driving beam when exploring trails, dirt roads, and open terrain at night.

Pod light emitting driving beam Pod light emitting driving beam

Combo/Multi-Beam

Combo beams are a combination of a spot beam and a flood beam that allows for short and long-distance illumination at the same time. Multi-beam fixtures can switch between spot, flood, or combo beams to provide versatile lighting. These beams are suitable for all-around off-road driving since they provide both wide peripheral illumination and long-distance visibility in a singular fixture.

Best Off-Road Lights For ATVs

LED Light Bars

Off-road light bars come in varying lengths, rows, and beam patterns. Compact light bars (20” and under) are preferred for front bumpers or brush guard installs, whereas longer light bars (30” and above) are typically installed on the roof or underneath it. Depending on the amount of illumination you require, you can choose between a range of single-row and quad-row bars. To maximize light spread, choose a curved light bar that can fit the curves of your vehicle.

LED light bar on ATV, lights are shining through the fog LED light bar on ATV, lights are shining through the fog

LED Pod Lights

Pod lights, also known as work lights, are small, durable off-road lighting fixtures. They come in various shapes, sizes, and configurations to suit different mounting locations and lighting needs. Off-road pod lights are typically mounted to both sides of the vehicle on the front bumper, roof rack, above the windshield, or on the A-pillar. If you're trying to maximize coverage, our selection of side shooter lights would be a great option. With side-firing LEDs, these lights have an ultra-wide beam and provide great peripheral vision.

LED pod lights and side shooters on ATV LED pod lights and side shooters on ATV

Rock Lights

Rock lights are compact lights designed to illuminate the undercarriage of off-road vehicles around the wheel wells, bumper, and underbody. These lights provide excellent visibility around your vehicle when traversing obstacles, like rocks or debris, on the trail. They also work great as accent lights to make your vehicle stand out and give it that popular underglow effect. Rock lights come in diverse colors, including RGB+W, white, and single-color options.

Bright white LED rock lights on illuminating ground under a Jeep Bright white LED rock lights on illuminating ground under a Jeep

IR Lights

If you're looking to outfit your ATV/UTV/SxS for hunting trips, or just want to keep a low profile, infrared (IR) off-road lights will help you remain stealthy. IR lights emit light with a wavelength above 850nm to allow you to see ahead without giving away your location to wildlife. Keep in mind that these lights must be used in conjunction with night vision optics.

IR pod light mounted to a Jeep IR pod light mounted to a Jeep

How to Install Off-Road Lights to Your ATV

No matter which off-road lights you choose, outfitting your ATV, UTV, or SxS can be done in a few simple steps. The instructions and video below detail how we installed an LED combination light bar on a 2022 Can-Am Commander XT.

Step 1: Gather the necessary materials

Materials needed for LED light bar installation Materials needed for LED light bar installation

Step 2: Find the installation location

Determine where you want to mount your off-road lights and where the power is located. Common mounting locations include the front bumper, roof, or roll cage. 

Next, figure out how you are going to run power to the light. For this installation, we are running power through an existing firewall passthrough. Make sure to avoid areas where the wiring could get damaged or interfere with moving parts.

Man looking for power source of ATV Man looking for power source of ATV
Man feeding wire through ATV engine Man feeding wire through ATV engine
Man feeding wire through front of ATV Man feeding wire through front of ATV
Man feeding wire through front grille of ATV Man feeding wire through front grille of ATV

Step 3: Mount your LED lights

Use the provided mounting brackets to securely attach the LED lights to your ATV or UTV. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper installation.

Man installing LED light bar mounting brackets to front of ATV Man installing LED light bar mounting brackets to front of ATV
Man installing LED light bar to front of ATV Man installing LED light bar to front of ATV

Step 4: Route the wiring

With the light mounted and a plan in place, route your wiring harness through the vehicle from the battery to the light. For a more detailed explanation of how to connect the wiring harness, click here.

Step 5: Mount the switch and relay

Our harnesses come with a built-in relay to protect your connections. Find a secure place to mount it where it won’t be exposed to excessive heat or water. Then secure the relay in place via the attached mounting tab.

You can use either the switch on the wiring harness or attach a rocker switch to the dash. In our installation, we replaced the switch on the harness with a rocker switch to better integrate the switch with the dashboard. Wherever you choose to mount your switch, make sure it is within reach of the driver.

Man attaching rocker switch to wire harness Man attaching rocker switch to wire harness
Rocker switch installed into ATV dashboard Rocker switch installed into ATV dashboard

Step 6: Connect the power

Once the switch is installed and all parts of the wiring harness are connected, connect the power cable to the power source.

Connecting wire harness to ATV power source Connecting wire harness to ATV power source

Step 7: Secure wiring and components

Once you've confirmed everything is working properly, secure the wiring harness and components using zip ties and electrical tape.


Why Choose Super Bright LEDs?

When you shop Super Bright LEDs, you can feel confident in knowing you’re getting the highest-quality LED lights on the market. Our in-house test lab rigorously tests all of the products we carry. Additionally, we provide all of our customers with before and after sales support from our call center located at our headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. And we do all of this while still offering some of the best prices in the industry.

*Warranty is subject to change. Please see the product page for a product's warranty.

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by Elizabeth Schlaker

Lead SEO Specialist


Elizabeth loves writing about all the creative ways you can use strip lights and landscape lights. In her free time, you can catch her trying out new DIY projects, reading books, and traveling.

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