UTV Whip Lights Buying Guide: Length, Controls and Mounts

Whip lights started as a dune safety item: a tall, lit pole that lets other riders see your machine over the crest of a hill before they see your bumper. They've since become one of the most popular add-ons for side-by-sides, and the choices can get confusing fast. Spiral or COB? Three, four or five feet? Bluetooth app or a simple switch? Do you need a spring base, a special mount, or neither? This guide walks through how to pick a set of whip lights for your UTV and how to mount them so they hold up on the trail.

What whip lights actually do

The main job of a whip is visibility. A lit whip rises above the roll cage, so riders coming from the other side of a dune, a blind corner or a tree line can spot you sooner. That's why they're common in sand and anywhere groups ride together at night. The second job is signaling. Many whip sets can tie into your machine's taillights and turn signals so the whips flash when you brake or turn, which helps the rider behind you. And yes, they look good. A pair of colored whips makes it easy to find your machine in a crowded campground or staging area.

Before you ride a new area, check whether it has its own rules for flags or whips. Some riding areas and dune parks set their own requirements, and those rules come from the area, not from the light.

Spiral vs. COB whip lights

You'll mostly see two styles of LED whip:

• Spiral whips wrap LEDs in a spiral pattern along the length of the pole. The light shows all the way around, which makes them easy to see from any direction, and the spiral pattern gives the chasing and color effects people like.
• COB whips use a continuous strip of LEDs (COB stands for chip on board) so the whip glows as one smooth line of light instead of individual dots.

Neither style is the "right" one. Spiral whips tend to be the pick for maximum visibility and effects; COB whips appeal to riders who want a clean, solid glow. If you want to try the COB look, the 2PCS 3FT COB Whip Lights with App and Remote Control are a two-whip set controlled by app or remote, and they're one of the lower-priced sets we carry.

How long should your whip lights be?

Length is the decision that matters most, and it comes down to where you ride and how you haul your machine.

• 3 foot whips are the most practical choice for wooded trails, tight terrain and machines that ride in an enclosed trailer or under a garage door. They add visibility and signaling without much height to snag on branches.
• 4 foot whips are a middle ground. They stand noticeably taller over the cage for open trails and group rides, without being as tall as a dune setup.
• 5 foot whips make the most sense in open country and sand, where the whole point is being seen over a ridge before anyone sees your machine.

A simple test before you buy: measure from the ground to the top of your roll cage, add the whip length, and compare that number to your trailer door, garage door and any low branches on the trails you ride most. If the total is too tall for daily life, go shorter or plan on a folding mount (more on that below).

Controls: Bluetooth app, remote or switch

Most modern whips are controlled by a phone app over Bluetooth, an RF remote, or both. That's how you change colors, pick patterns and turn the lights on and off. A few things to think about:

• App control gives you the most patterns and color choices, but you need your phone handy.
• A remote is quicker to grab when your phone is zipped up in a bag.
• A dash switch gives you simple on and off power from the driver's seat, so the whips aren't drawing power when you don't want them on.
• Brake and turn signal wiring lets the whips flash with your machine's lights. If that matters to you, look for a set that lists turn signal and brake functions, and plan on connecting the whips to your taillight and turn signal wiring.

Three spiral whip sets we carry, by length

These three sets share the same feature list and mainly differ in length, which makes it easy to choose based on how tall you want to go. According to the supplier, each set is two whips, can be controlled by Bluetooth or an RF remote, offers 366+ lighting modes with 360 degree spiral LEDs, uses a quick-release mounting base, is rated IP67 waterproof, and can be connected to taillights and turn signals for brake light and turn signal functions.

• 3FT 2PCS Spiral Whip Light Bluetooth Control: the trail-friendly height. It comes as whips only or in bundles that add spring bases, roll bar mounts for 1.75 to 2 inch bars, a switch, or all of the above. There's also a 3 foot COB option on the same listing.
• 4FT 2PCS Spiral Whip Light Bluetooth Control: the middle height, with the same bundle options for spring bases, roll bar mounts, a switch, or the full set.
• UTV ATV 5FT 2PCS Spiral Whip Light Bluetooth Control with Turn Signal Function: the tallest of the three for sand and open riding, again with the same bundle choices.

The bundles are worth a look if you're starting from scratch. Buying whips, mounts and a switch together saves you from discovering halfway through the install that you're missing a bracket. Always check the fitment notes on the product page against your year, make and model before ordering.

Mounting: where whips fail and how to prevent it

A whip is a long lever. Every branch, bump and rut puts force on the base, and that's where most whip problems start. Two upgrades help.

Spring bases

A spring base sits between the whip and the mount and lets the whip flex when it hits something instead of taking the full shock at a rigid joint. The UTV/ATV Whip Lights Spring Mounting Base is made of spring steel with a black powder coat and is sold as one or a pair. To install it, you remove the original base from the bottom of the whip and insert the whip into the spring base. If you ride wooded trails, this is cheap insurance.

Folding mounts

Tall whips are a hassle when you load into a trailer or pull into a garage. Pulling them off every time gets old, and removing and reinstalling a whip over and over wears on the connector. A folding mount lets you lay the whip down instead. The Assault Industries Quick Release Folding Whip Mount uses a quick-release locking pin that holds the whip in either the up or down position with no tools. It's machined from billet aluminum with a hard-anodized black finish, includes a ground cable for LED whips, and is listed by the supplier as a universal fit.

Roll bar mounts

Whips usually mount to the rear of the roll cage with a clamp-style bracket. Measure the outside diameter of your cage tube before buying a mount, because these brackets are sized to a range of tube diameters, and some are made for specific factory cages. A mount that's even a little too big will slip and rotate on the trail.

Install tips

• Mount at the rear of the cage so the whips are visible from behind and stay out of the driver's line of sight.
• Route wiring along the cage and secure it with zip ties away from moving parts, hot exhaust and anything that pinches when the bed or seats move.
• Use the included switch or power control so the whips don't sit on your battery when the machine is parked.
• Check the mount after the first ride. Clamps can settle in, so snug them up after a few miles.
• Take whips down or fold them before trailering at highway speed if you're unsure they're rated for it.

Shop UTV lighting

Whips, mounts, light bars, dome lights and more are in our Lighting & Light Covers collection. Our own shipping is free anywhere in the US, delivered in 3 to 7 business days; supplier-shipped items follow the shipping terms on their product pages. If you aren't sure which length or mount fits your machine, call us at (601) 771-0070 or email hunter@hunterworks.com with your year, make and model and we'll help you sort it out.