Turbocharging The Lights On Our RZR XP Turbo!
It’s no secret that the latest generation of sport UTVs are getting faster every year. Yeah, that’s all fine and dandy, until you start to realize that most of the lighting for these machines remains back in the non-turbocharged variety.
Polaris did opt for an upgrade to LED lights for their turbo model, instead of using Halogen versions (see our story explaining LED vs. Halogen vs. HID Lights in our December issue.
Mostly though, lights have not kept up with the sport turbo world of blinding acceleration that clearly outdrives the lighting output. Vision X, located in scenic Seattle, Washington, based their business on manufacturing the ultimate in off-road lighting solutions. They specialize in building state-of-the-art, light kits that are second to none.
ITS NOT BRAGGING IF IT’S TRUE…
With a lengthy client list that includes the US Military, NASA and even the Border Patrol, they are a leading manufacturer of lights, light kits and lighting accessories. Our buddies at Alternative Off Road stepped in and did the install of our Vision X 30“ LED light bar, a pair of 3.7“ LED Optimus Halo spots, as well as a rear facing spot, and some wheelwell lighting.
First of all, here’s a quick explanation of exactly what an LED light is.
LED (or light emitting diode) is a semiconductor based light source. They are considered to be a form of solid state lighting (which means it doesn’t rely on incandescence but electroluminescence).
LEDs have many advantages over traditional incandescent lights, such as lower energy consumption, longer life, smaller size, and they are switched/powered digitally.
LIGHTING THEM UP
First things first. The overall quality, fit and finish of the Vision X LED lighting system that Alternative Off Road installed on our Polaris XP Turbo was phenomenal. See our story covering the install in our November issue.
By combining the Vision X 30” LED light bar, with two 3.7” LED, 10 watt spot lights, our field of view at night was greatly increased.
TWIN SPOTS…
The compact size and light weight of the two Vision X Optimus Halo LED front driving spot lights made mounting them a snap. This is thanks to a single bolt mounting system. The units are waterproof and weather resistant. There is even a wide variety of accessory filters available (for increased visibility at night) with these small, but potent LED spots.
The 15 degree beam pattern puts out a long range of usable light, up to 972 feet for the pair. This compares to a standard factory high beam headlight, which only illuminates out to 153 feet.
Our Vision X Optimus lights also use their proprietary IRIS Reflector Technology, which increases the light’s output. The kit includes the two Optimus Halo LED spot lights, and a wiring harness.
30” LED LIGHT BAR
For even more light output, we added one of the Vision X XPR 30” light bars. This high tech light uses fifteen 10 watt lights to put out an amazingly brilliant beam, out to an amazing useable distance of 1,625 feet. The light bar itself is simple and straightforward and mounting it was relatively easy. There are multiple mounting options, and all the mounting hardware and instructions are provided with the kit.
The fifteen light array uses their IRIS reflector technology, that helps to get the light out further. It is constructed of sturdy aluminum (not plastic) and has the fit and feel that shows Vision X is all about quality first. We could clearly see the difference these add-on lights gave us in terms of total light output. Amazing lights.
Expect to pay right around $779 for a set of these ultra-far distance XPR LED lights from Vision X. Expensive. Yes. Worth it? Yes. The adage, “you get what you pay for” is certainly true here.
LED REAR FACING FLOOD LIGHT & LED POD LIGHTS
To finalize our Vision-X quest, we added one of their extremely bright LED flood lights on the upper bar of our RZR’s roll cage, facing backwards. This provides an extra light to shine on the rear bed on our machine and illuminate the surrounding area. The lights have a wide arc of 120 degrees and use 32 wide angle LEDs to project the lighting. Sweet.
The last mod we had installed was a set of LED Pro Pods to light up the wheel wells. These can be ordered in a wide variety of colors but we opted for the simple white light version (though we think we might try a set of blue lights in the near future).
FINAL VERDICT?
There is a good reason that Vision X has enjoyed the growth spurt and immense popularity it now has. They make a high quality brand that places the emphasis on making their products superior. These are not cheap knock-offs, made by the lowest bidder from some overseas company. They are a quality product and you can see the quality in their construction, fit, feel and finish.
Also, the Vision X light output is extremely high, with their low heat, efficient lighting technology. You know that you are getting a good value for your money with this product.
By Staff of UTV Sports
Photos by Dennis Cox