Arctic Cat 500 Headlight Bulb Size

Arctic Cat 500 high beam headlight bulbs utilize 880 or 881 size specifications, while low beam headlight bulbs use 899, 881, or 880 sizes. The replacement chart covers 2002 through 2017 production years with corresponding bulb size data.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

High Beam Headlight

Years	US Type	EU Type	Shop
2013-2017	880	H27W/1	Check Price
2005-2009	881	H27W/2	Check Price
2002-2004	880	H27W/1	Check Price

Low Beam Headlight

If US Type and EU Type show the same value, a direct cross-reference for this bulb is not available or the data is insufficient.

Years	US Type	EU Type	Shop
2013-2017	899	899	Check Price
2005-2009	881	H27W/2	Check Price
2002-2004	880	H27W/1	Check Price

Bulb Specifications

Description	Type	Shop
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament halogen bulb with PG13 base. 12V, 27W.	880	Check Price
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament halogen bulb with PGJ13 base. 12V, 27W.	881	Check Price
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament halogen bulb with PGJ13 base. 12V, 37.5W.	899	Check Price

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Additional Notes

The Arctic Cat 500 headlight specifications reference three bulb types across all listed model years: the 880, 881, and 899. All three are ANSI-standardized single-filament halogen bulbs rated at 12 volts, placing them within the low-voltage range typical of powersports electrical systems.
The 880 and 881 share an identical wattage rating of 27W, while the 899 draws 37.5W. The higher wattage of the 899 produces greater luminous output, which is why it appears in the low beam position on 2013-2017 models rather than a lower-wattage type.
Despite their near-identical wattage, the 880 and 881 are not interchangeable. The 880 uses a PG13 base, while the 881 uses a PGJ13 base. These two base types differ in their pin geometry, meaning a bulb with one base type will not seat correctly in a socket designed for the other.
The 899 also uses a PGJ13 base, the same base type as the 881. However, the wattage difference between the two means substituting one for the other would alter the electrical load on the circuit, which falls outside the original specification.
On the Arctic Cat 500, the high beam position used the 880 for the 2002-2004 and 2013-2017 model years, and the 881 for the 2005-2009 model years. This represents a base-type change at two separate points in the production span covered by these specifications.
The low beam position followed a parallel pattern, with the 880 used in 2002-2004, the 881 in 2005-2009, and the 899 introduced for 2013-2017. The shift to the 899 in the low beam for later years marks the only instance where the high and low beam positions require different bulb types within the same model year.
All three bulb types carry ANSI standardization applicable to both the United States and Canada, indicating that replacement bulbs conforming to these ANSI designations from any compliant manufacturer are electrically and physically equivalent to the original equipment specification.
For the 2013-2017 Arctic Cat 500, the high and low beam positions require two distinct bulb types, the 880 and 899 respectively, despite both using halogen technology at 12 volts. Treating them as interchangeable would result in an incorrect base fit or an out-of-specification wattage draw.