Product Education 101 | The Ultimate Chase Light for your Polaris RZR or CanAm X3
The best ways to use the FLEX ERA® 1 on your UTV explained!
Want to know how to use the KC FLEX ERA® 1 lights as chase / dust light on your UTV?
One of the most overlooked uses for off-road lighting are lights that allow you to be seen by others. Imagine this scenario: You’re out in the UTVs with your friends, it’s beautiful weather outside, but the trails are dry and as dusty as can be. In these situations, your RZR, X3, Honda Talon, or Kawasaki KRX1000 is kicking up massive amounts of dust, and seeing anyone in front of or behind you is nearly impossible. We’ve all been there, especially for those of us in the Southwest.
The simple solution to this problem? Throw a pair of chase lights (also called dust lights) onto the rear of your vehicle and aim them backwards. Bonus points if you mount a light or two on the front of your rig aimed forward so the person in front of you can see you easily in their mirror as well.
In this article, we’re going to dive deep into everything you need to know about installing and using chase lights on your Polaris RZR, Can-Am X3, or similar UTV.
Overview
- Using the FLEX ERA 1 as a chase light on a Polaris RZR
- Mounting Locations for chase lights on a Polaris RZR or Can-Am X3
- What light pattern is best for chase lights?
- What color should chase lights be?
Using the FLEX ERA 1 as a chase light on a Polaris RZR or Similar UTV or Offroad Vehicle
When adding a chase or dust light onto your UTV, you want a light that is a blend of both performance and compact sizing. From the start of the drawing board, the FE1 was designed specifically to be the nook and cranny light, while also pumping out incredible output for its size. Let’s take a look at the 3 main reasons that make the KC FLEX ERA® 1 light the ultimate chase light to use on a Polaris RZR Turbo R, Pro R, or anything similar:
- A-Symmetric Mounting Bracket: The FE1 mounting bracket was designed asymmetrically which provides for extra adjustability up, down, and side-to-side to make sure you can mount the light practically anywhere you need it to fit.
- Compact Sizing: Contained in a compact size of less than 2.7” with an output of 2,430 lumens, the FE1 punches far above its weight class.
- Snap-on Shields: Grab a set of amber shields, seen below, to increase both your own visibility and others’ ability to see you through heavy clouds of dust and silt.
Mounting Locations for chase lights on a Polaris RZR or Can-Am X3
We hear it all the time, “Where is the best place to mount chase lights?”. In reality, it’s fairly simple. The standard rule of thumb is the higher on the vehicle, the better. This means that if you have the ability to mount your rear-facing light higher up at the top of the cage, those behind you will have better odds of seeing you through rapid changes in terrain. If you’re running two lights, one on the driver and one on the passenger side in the back. If you’re only going to use a single chase light, then dead center is standard practice.
What light pattern is best for chase lights?
The best beam pattern for chase lights is one that has equal amounts of horizontal and vertical spread. Two great options would either be a spread beam or a flood beam for chase lights. This will increase the angle at which people behind you can see you. A spot beam will have a much narrower cone of light projecting backwards, so these are less desirable for rear-facing lights.
What color should chase lights be?
Selecting the proper color for chase lights is really important to make sure you’re not negating the purpose of the light itself. Colors on the lower end of the visible spectrum will appear to cut through the dust better due to less glare off of the air-borne particles. Therefore, amber is the best color to use as a chase light in almost all scenarios except for desert racing where other colors are required for identification and marking. Luckily, there is a snap-on amber shield available for the FLEX ERA 1 lights that instantly changes the color temperature of the output and makes you more visible.
