Trail Tech HID 8" Race Light - Product Of The Week

This is the weekly spot for updates, unveils, insights, and info on cool products in the dirt-riding world. Sometimes it will be brand new, never before seen items, sometimes it will be in-progress tests, and sometimes it will be tried and true classic products we can’t live without. Thanks for stopping by.

Most off-road bikes come with lights but they can be on the weak side. Plus, if you have a moto bike and/or plan to do any racing at night, an auxiliary unit is a must. For the inaugural POTW, we’ve got Trail Tech’s 8” Race Light with HID bulb, which is a pretty serious setup for a serious night rider. If your bike has a stock light this unit should be a plug and play since it draws 42 watts. If your bike doesn’t have a light and battery, you’ll need a stator kit (Trial Tech has a few different options depending which bike is involved).

We’ve just started using this light and so far we can tell you some pros and cons. First, the installation of the light is straightforward. The light attaches to a bike’s fork tubs between the top and bottom triple clamps using house clamps. One of the cool features of this light is that you don’t have to remove the brackets to remove the main unit. The light and aluminum housing attach to the brackets by four rubber-mounted pegs with cotter pins so it’s a quick on, quick off situation.

Riding with the light definitely feels different than with just a numberplate. While it is a claimed 4.7 pounds, since it is so high up and so far forward, you notice the weight. As with any light, all movement of the handlebar feels heavier and amplified, and it is a little harder to be really precise with the front wheel. But, on the plus side, it adds some traction to the front tire, which helps when cornering. We’ve done one night ride with this guy and holy cow is it bright! The claimed 3200 lumens lights up the trial like a slightly bluish sun. The throw is really far and the spread isn’t bad either, but it is apparent that the light is designed for high-speed racing.

So far, we are pumped on the Trail Tech HID 8” Race Light and we’ll continue to put it through the paces here at Dirt Rider. Keep your eyes peeled for full test in an upcoming issue!