Rock lights do one job. They put light under the machine so you can see the obstacle your tire is about to climb, and so the person behind you can see where you are. Everything else about them is decoration.
That job splits buyers into two camps. If you ride at night in rough country, you want pure white pods bright enough to read terrain by. If you park at the trailhead and want the machine to look good, you want RGB. Buying the wrong one is the most common mistake here, because the marketing photos all look the same.
Four kits below. All four were checked on Amazon the day this went up.
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4 Pods Alloy LED Rock Lights, the cheap way in
Budget Pick
4 Pods Alloy LED Rock Lights for UTV ATV Golf Cart Truck RZR Offroad, Upgraded Waterproof Multicolor RGB Neon Underglow Kit for Cars with APP Music Mode, Metal Vehicle Underbody Light
- Alloy housings, not plastic, on the pod nearest the tire
- Four pods covers a two-seat machine at the corners
- Basic rocker switch, no dimming and no zones
- Short harness, plan on extensions for a long wheelbase
The cheapest kit here, and the least money you can spend and still get metal housings instead of plastic, which matters because the pod nearest the tire eats rocks.
Four pods is enough for a two-seat machine if you mount them at the corners. It is not enough for a four-seat RZR or a Defender. The wiring is short, so plan on extensions for anything with a long wheelbase.
The real downside is the switch. It is a basic rocker, no dimming, no zones. On or off.
RGB LED Rock Lights Kit, 8 Pods, if you want color
Best For Color
RGB LED Rock Lights Kit, 8 Pods Rock Light for Jeeps Truck Golf Cart ATV UTV RZR SUV Offroad Pickup, Waterproof Multicolor Underglow Kit with APP Remote Control Music Neon Vehicle Underbody Light 12V
- Eight pods with app control and music sync
- Set to white it is dimmer than a white-only kit
- Bluetooth control means phone in hand with gloves on
- Right choice for campsites and shows, wrong one for night driving
Eight pods with app control and music sync, for a few dollars more than the four-pod white kit. Twice the pods for pocket change sounds like an obvious win until you ride at night.
RGB pods run multiple diodes to make color. Set them to white and they are dimmer than a kit built only for white. Good for shows, campsites and looking sharp in the parking lot. Not the kit to buy if the lights are there to help you drive.
App control over Bluetooth also means fishing your phone out with gloves on.
OPP ULITE 12 Pods White, the one for long machines
Best For Four-Seaters
OPP ULITE White LED Rock Lights Kit, 12 Pods Underglow for Jeep Offroad Truck Car ATV SUV Boat Motorcycle Vehicle Under Body Glow Lamp Trail Fender Lighting (12pods Rock W)
- Twelve pure white pods for even coverage front to rear
- Fills the dark gaps a four-pod kit leaves between axles
- Twelve mounting points means a longer afternoon with a drill
- No color, no app, no music
Twelve pure white pods. This is the kit for a four-seater or anything where four pods leave dark gaps between the axles.
Twelve pods means twelve mounting points, twelve holes and a longer afternoon with a drill. Budget the time. The payoff is even coverage under the whole machine instead of two bright puddles at the front.
No color, no app, no music. It turns on and it is bright.
LEDMIRCY R1 White, the one to buy
Our Pick
LEDMIRCY R1 Pure White LED Rock Lights Kit with Rocker Switch Wire Harness 12PCS High Power Rock Lights White for Trucks Off Road ATV UTV SUV Underglow Trail Rig Light Under Body Waterproof Light
- Pure white output built for seeing terrain, not for looks
- Heavier housings than the cheaper white kits
- Harness reaches the back of a long machine without splicing
- White only, at one brightness
Pure white pods with a rocker switch and a full harness. It costs a little more than the OPP kit and it is built better, with heavier housings and a harness that does not need splicing to reach the back of a long-wheelbase machine.
If you ride at night and you want one recommendation without reading the rest of this page, this is it.
The catch is that it is white only, at one brightness. Anyone who wanted color should go back up to the RGB kit and accept the trade.
Which rock lights should you buy?
Riding at night in rough terrain, buy the LEDMIRCY R1. Four-seat machine, buy the OPP ULITE 12 pod for the coverage. Tight budget, the four-pod alloy kit does the job on a two-seater. Want color, buy the RGB kit and stop pretending it is a driving light.
Mounting, the part nobody warns you about
Pods go on the frame, not the plastic. Body panels flex and vibrate, and a pod mounted to flex will crack its lens inside a season. Aim them at the ground and slightly outward, not straight down, or you light a circle and see nothing at the edge of it.
Run the harness along existing looms and zip-tie every six inches. A dangling wire finds a rock eventually.
Related guides
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- How do you install LED whip lights
FAQ
Are rock lights legal on the road?
White facing forward and red facing rear are generally fine. Colored underglow is restricted in many states on public roads. Check your own state before riding anything but white on pavement.
Do rock lights drain the battery?
A four to twelve pod LED kit pulls a few amps at most. It will not drain a healthy battery on a ride. Leaving them on at camp with the engine off will.
