Any driver knows the importance of quality lighting. It’s the difference between making the turn and hitting the curb. This is even more imperative in powersports applications. Most ATV and UTV come with standard headlights, but depending on the level of adrenaline you’re seeking – the ability to illuminate specific areas of your surroundings will bolster safety and fun.

Lighting additions can look like spotlights, light bars or simply replacing your OEM with higher quality headlights. Lights for UTV/ATV are usually marine rated and protect themselves against wind, rain, mud and varying degrees of impact. You must consider the environments you take your vehicle into and double check the product weatherproof rating of your accessories so you don’t take equipment into situations it’s not built to handle. 

Learn more: Weatherproof, Waterproof, Marine Grade Explained

Lights are also measured by CREE and/or Kelvin units. A CREE light is measured by the bulb’s Color Rendering Index (CRI) from 0-100 that indicates how accurate a light source is at rendering color. A CRI from 85 to 90 is good, but a CRI of 90 or above is considered to be excellent. A Kelvin rating does not just indicate heat levels from the light source but also the color of the light being generated. 

• Most spot or cube lights are roughly 3”x3” that can be installed with adjustable mounts to swivel the lights in the direction of your choice. Some come with amber light filters that can be installed over the bulb cover.
• The light bars are roughly 5” tall at a variety of lengths. These are typically installed on the front or backend of your off-road vehicle. Light bars have adapted to include multi-color light configurations. The Heise Infinite Series lightbars offer over 16 million colors to choose from via mobile app. Since all ATV/UTV lights are meant for outdoor applications, they’re also designed with breathing ports to allow moisture to escape from inside the lens. 
• There are smaller pod lights that offer better placement customization like underneath the wheel well, vehicle frame, and any internal glove or engine compartment. 

Learn More: Powersports Lighting Features

Knockout Panels + Switches

Utility Task Vehicles are built similarly to a car, with side-by-side seating and steering wheel. Since it has an interior space you can customize your UTV with a knockout panel and tailor insertable switches to control separate lights, a winch, audio and whatever else your heart desires into its dashboard.

Individual waterproof USB ports, digital meters, and even cigarette lighters can be individually added to a console with or without a panel. The knockout panels are universal fit, but can be shopped for by make and model of your choice.

If picking and choosing each switch is too much work, the Install Bay IBSP6 comes pre-wired with 6 customizable switches.

Remote Controls + Bluetooth 

For drivers who want a clean aesthetic and a less fussy dashboard for their off-roading vehicle, it’s still possible to operate an audio system without a stereo unit. Some folks will opt to stream their audio from their phone or media device via a Bluetooth Receiver. These are directly wired into an amplifier or amplified speaker.

It’s another possibility to do away with utilizing a head unit or a smartphone, so no unnecessary equipment will be exposed to the elements or simply dropped out of the vehicle. This is where a Remote Control would come in handy. Either wireless or wired into the dashboard, a remote can control all the typical audio functions for volume and track skipping. Remotes can also be found for lighting features.

Installation Needs

If you’ll be adding new equipment to your vehicle stop by the Sonic Electronix UTV + ATV Installation page for vehicle specific parts, wires, tools and any mounting materials you may needs.

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To a lesser extent, K-Band alerts can also be false alarms since a growing number of industrial equipment and intruder alarms use K-Band radar. Police still use K-Band radar, so you cannot automatically write off a K-Band alert as you would an X-Band alert. As a rule, when you hear a K-band or Ka-band alert, you should assume that you are detecting a police radar gun and adjust your speed accordingly. It could be an approaching officer or a cop laying low in a speed trap, because K-Band radar guns can be used while in motion or while at a stationary post. K-band gives police a range that extends to approximately a quarter of a mile, but your detector can warn you from as far away as 2 miles. The detection range is affected by geographical considerations such as hills, corners, and slopes. This can shorten your detection range to as little as a quarter of a mile.

The Ka-band has three subsections. The Ka Super Wide-Band was designed to detect stalker radar guns, which operate at 33.4 GHz to 36.0 GHz. The second type, Ka Wide-Band, encompasses a range of 34.2-35.2 GHz. Lastly, the Ka-band is also commonly used at 34.3 GHz, in combination with a photo radar (or “photo-cop”) system. This system uses a radar gun along with a camera to catch speeders. When the radar targets a vehicle that is traveling at or above a set speed, the camera automatically takes a snapshot of the vehicle. The snapshot is then mailed to the perpetrator, along with a speeding ticket, as proof of the violation. Fortunately, many radar detectors today enable you to detect photo radar guns while you are still a quarter of a mile away.

Finally, you might notice that your radar detector has Ku-band (13.45 GHz) capability. This type of radar is scarcely used in the USA but is still a channel to consider nonetheless.

The best radar systems have good sensitivity and range. This means they can pickup police radar detectors from far away and that they will not trigger as many false alarms. Another thing to consider is whether your radar detector is undetectable by radar detector detectors. The advanced technology of Spectre and VG-2 helps guard against radar detector detectors. Remember to mount your radar detector on the windshield for optimal detection range. Check out our wide selection of radar detectors. We carry top brands such as BEL Beltronics and Cobra.

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• Screwdriver and Screws
• Wire Cutter
• Drill
• Wire ties

Corded radar detectors use suction cups, making it easy to mount them on the windshield. Clean the window, apply the suction cups, and snap the radar detector into the bracket piece. Simply plug them into the cigarette lighter and you’re all set.

If your windshield uses a special plastic coating to protect passengers in the case of an accident, it is unsuitable for suction cup mounting. You should mount the radar detector on the dash. Clean the bottom of the detector and the dash, and once dry, use the hook-and-loop tape to mount the radar detector onto the dash.

Remote mount radar detectors use a mounting bracket that you can screw into the ashtray or sunvisor. Mount it in a location that will not block neither the driver’s view or the radar’s sensors. For best results, mount the radar detector in a spot where it will have a clear view of the road.

Take the wires and run them through to the firewall. Run the wires through a grommet and bring it through to the passenger side compartment. Use wire ties to keep the hanging wires organized and secure. Now take the wires from the back of the vehicle and run them through to the passenger side compartment. Mount the radar detector and connect the free ends of the wires to the radar detector.

You need to connect the radar detector to the fuse panel to generate 12-volt power. Strip one end of a wire and connect it to the radar detector’s power input. Run the wire to the fuse panel and connect the wire with a fuse tap to the 12-volt power source. For the ground connection, you must undo a bolt or a screw on the dash (or drill a hole to add one). Use the crimping tool to crimp a ring terminal to the end of your wire, and then fasten the bolt/screw back into the hole.

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