Posted 10.23.26 in Tips & Instructions
Pods are the lights that make a lit bike look finished. A strip handles the long runs under the tank and along the frame. The engine cases, the fork and the inside of a fairing need something smaller, and that is where pods earn their place.
Inside XKGLOW's motorcycle LED lights range, motorcycle LED pods come in a few forms. The XKmax motorcycle kit ships with 6 to 12 addressable Moto Pods. Extra pods come in packs or one at a time, and two single-color kits carry compact pods of their own.
What a Pod Does That a Strip Can't
On the XKmax LED Motorcycle Underglow Light Kit w/ RGBW Color Chasing (MX-MOTO), the two light shapes split the work. The flex strips are built for distance, with a low-profile design that "seamlessly fits long mounting surfaces on your motorcycle." The pods are built for the opposite: "Integrated connectors make these pods ideal for tight, confined spaces, offering versatile mounting options."
XKGLOW's single-color kits draw the same line. Their compact pods "can be attached to a broad range of positions across the motorcycle, which cast bright light from all angles without exposing the light source." Their flex strips are listed for mounting under the tank or on the frame.
A strip lights a line and a pod lights a spot. Most builds need both, and the number of spots decides how many pods you buy.
Where XKGLOW Puts the Pods
Every MX-MOTO instruction sheet draws two recommended layouts, one for a cruiser and one for a sport bike. The kit's two channels split the bike down the middle, left on A and right on B, and each drawing shows one side. Across all four kits, the pods land in the same kinds of places:
- Around the engine. Every drawing, cruiser or sport bike, puts pods at the engine.
- Up front. The cruiser drawings run pods down the front end and fork. Each sport bike drawing tucks one up inside the front fairing.
- Out at the edges. The two largest sport bike kits add pods by the fork, and the top cruiser kit puts one at the back of the saddlebag.
The strips take the long lines instead: under the tank, low beneath the frame or belly, and on the bigger kits along a saddlebag edge or the tail section.
Our Harley underglow guide walks the cruiser layout tier by tier, and the mounting and wiring sequence lives in our guide to motorcycle LED strip lights.
How Many Pods Come in Each XKmax Kit
MX-MOTO comes in four kits, and the pod count climbs by two at each step. Long 16in strips climb with it, from none in the Engine kit to six in the top kit. List prices run from $233.99 to $539.99 at the time of writing.
In the cruiser drawings, each kit's pods divide evenly between the two sides. The add-on columns show where a pack takes each kit.
| Kit (SKU) | Moto Pods | Per side in the cruiser drawing | With a 2-pack | With a 4-pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (MX-MOTO-MINI) | 6 | 3 | 8 | 10 |
| Engine + Under Glow (MX-MOTO-STA) | 8 | 4 | 10 | 12 |
| Engine + Under Glow + Accent (MX-MOTO-ADV) | 10 | 5 | 12 | 14 |
| Engine + Under Glow + Wheel (MX-MOTO-PRO) | 12 | 6 | 14 | 16 |
Choosing Your Pod Count
Start with one side of your bike. Count the tight spots you want lit: the engine cases, the front end, a fork leg, the inside of a fairing. Give each spot one pod, then find that number in the per-side column.
Next, decide how much strip you want. The kits bundle pods with 16in strips, so a bigger kit means more of both. If you want pods without the extra strips, a pack changes the math.
At list prices, the Engine kit plus a 4-pack comes to $299.23 for 10 pods. The Engine + Under Glow + Accent kit has the same 10 pods for $437.99, along with four 16in strips. The kit suits a frame with long open runs to fill. For a bike that is mostly engine cases and tight corners, the pack gets you there for less.
Adding Pods: Packs and the MX-POD
You can grow the count at checkout. The MX-MOTO option list sells extra XKmax Motorcycle pods as a 2-pack (+$32.62) or a 4-pack (+$65.24). A 2-pack gives each side one more pod, and extra XKmax wires from 6in to 3ft sit in the same option list.
Want a single pod? The kit's "Visit here for more XKmax parts" link opens XKGLOW's XKmax 3-pin Parts category, which lists the XKmax Compact LED Pod (MX-POD) at $16.31 each. XKGLOW calls it an ultra-compact pod, "Ideal for limited space applications like motorcycles." It pairs RGB color with a pure white option and uses an integrated output plug design. A 2-pack of the kit's own add-on pods also works out to $16.31 per pod.
Extra pods also go on the XKmax app's light map. In the Config section, you add each light to its channel, and Moto Pod appears as its own light type. If a Y-splitter divides the chain, XKGLOW has you total the addressable units on each strand and map the kit to the higher total.
One Pod, One Addressable Unit
Every Moto Pod runs addressable RGBW LEDs, so each one can show any of 16 million colors or a dedicated pure white. The instruction sheet labels each pod "1 ADDRESSABLE UNIT." A 10in strip carries "4 ADDRESSABLE UNITS" and a 16in strip "7 ADDRESSABLE UNITS."
That count matters when you add up a strand, and it shapes how a theme reads on the bike. Pods spread a chase out. Six pods down one side give a theme six separate stops, each a spot of color somewhere new between the rear and the front.
The light map also lets you divide the chain. Click the chasing line between two lights and the app splits them into separate zones. Themes come from the XKmax app, with 28+ prebuilt options and a DIY builder, and the 4-button key fob gives you programmable quick access.
Single-Color Pods or XKmax Moto Pods
XKGLOW's single-color kits use a simpler pod. Each compact pod is listed at 1.28 x 0.5 x 0.3in, and you choose one of seven colors for the whole kit. The Motorcycle LED Accent Light Kit | 8 Pod 2 Strip Single Color (XK034001) runs from a switch. The Motorcycle LED Accent Light Kit | 10 Pod 4 Strip Single Color with Remote (XK034002) adds a 4-button remote.
| Single-color compact pods | XKmax Moto Pods | |
|---|---|---|
| Pods per kit | 8 (XK034001) or 10 (XK034002) | 6, 8, 10 or 12, plus 2- and 4-packs |
| Pod color | One of seven colors, fixed for the kit | Any of 16 million colors, plus pure white |
| Light modes | On/off (XK034001); Solid on, Breath, Strobe (XK034002) | 28+ chasing themes and a DIY builder |
| Control | Switch or 4-button remote, no app | XKmax app or 4-button RF key fob |
| Kit list price | $59.99 or $113.99 | $233.99 to $539.99 |
If one color is the whole plan, the single-color kits light your tight spots at a fraction of the price. If you want every pod to change color, join a chase, or answer to your phone, the Moto Pods are the ones to buy. Check each product's warranty terms on its own product page before you order.
Count your spots, match them to a kit, and add a pack if you need one more per side. Build yours today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to place LED lights on a motorcycle?
Put pods in the tight spots and strips on the long runs. XKGLOW's drawings place pods around the engine, on the front end and fork, and inside a sport bike's fairing. Strips go under the tank and low along the frame. Start from those drawings, then adjust for your own bodywork.
Do I need a relay for LED pod lights?
The kits in this guide don't call for one. Moto Pods chain into the XKmax controller, and the single-color pods into the kit's switch and extension wire set. Each kit's harness then connects to the battery's positive and negative poles, and none of XKGLOW's instruction sheets for these kits adds a relay to that circuit.
Can you use LED pods as headlights?
Not the pods in this guide. XKGLOW sells the Moto Pods and its single-color compact pods as accent lighting for engine and ground underglow. None of their product pages gives a beam pattern or lumen rating. For a forward beam, XKGLOW sells a separate product, the 2in Dual Mode LED Driving Light Kit.
