Automatic tinting antifog visor inserts [Archive]

Spazman727

19th August 2010, 12:16

tamarillo

19th August 2010, 12:48

Sounds too good to be true so probably is. What did you end up getting? tried a wipe from bike shop that was useless - is pin lock the only thing that works - does not rain much in Nelson!

Spazman727

19th August 2010, 13:15

I havn't got anything yet, I've heard that pinlock is pretty good though. Yeah, those things would be awesome if they worked properly, kinda like those glasses that become tinted when they go into the sun.

IdunBrokdItAgin

19th August 2010, 14:00

I was looking around for an anti fog insert for my visor and came across these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Light-Sensitive-No-Fog-Anti-Fog-Universal-Visor-Insert-/150474832515?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Helmets#ht_557wt_775 and thought they would be a good idea but I also found this review of this brand and of another and it seems they don't really work as tinted visors. The guy does say they work as well as pinlock for not fogging up, but the light sensitive properties are pretty worthless.

Here is the review
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/visors/fog-city-progrip.htm

Pinlock have recently released a protectint version (light reactive) in their line up. Stupidly expensive (about the same cost as an arai visor) but I thought - if it actually works it'll be the best thing since sliced bread. So went ahead and bought one.

The inserts are only currently available in the UK as far as I can see. I bought an insert from the UK pinlock shop.

I'm planning on reporting back my findings in a gear review on kiwibiker.

In the ineterim - suffice to say that my first expereince was not good but this seemed to be caused by the manufactoring process rather than the product itself. The original insert was sent back to the UK and a replacement has now been received.

I'm planning on fitiing it this weekend and waiting for a sunny day to really try it out.

I will let you know if they are really worth the money (IMO) soon.

st00ji

19th August 2010, 15:44

look forward to that review - im sick to death of changing visors all the time, or choosing one based on morning conditions only to want the other come home time.

picking up a new helmet soon, so need some visor solutions too :D

slofox

19th August 2010, 15:52

I wear photochromic specs anyway so don't need a photo sensitive visor. The specs work very well indeed - especially the latest generation of 'em.

Having said that, I still have two visors - one clear and one dark.

Incidentally, you don't always need a sunny day. I find light overcast darkens the glasses more than direct sunlight - to do with UV scatter I suspect since it is the UV they react to IIRC.

slofox

19th August 2010, 15:54

look forward to that review - im sick to death of changing visors all the time, or choosing one based on morning conditions only to want the other come home time.

I keep riding to work in the morning with the dark visor - only to have to come home in the dark...you'd think you'd learn, eh?

Spazman727

19th August 2010, 17:40

I wear photochromic specs anyway so don't need a photo sensitive visor. The specs work very well indeed - especially the latest generation of 'em.

Are they worth the money? I'm thinking of getting some of those too and I've heard mixed reviews.

vindy500

19th August 2010, 17:45

I have one of them inserts, no light reduction effects pretty much, good for fog tho

slofox

19th August 2010, 18:02

Are they worth the money? I'm thinking of getting some of those too and I've heard mixed reviews.

I have used photosensitive lenses in my specs for many years. I wouldn't use anything else. Well worth my money anyway.

MaxCannon

26th August 2010, 09:29

I'm a total convert to Helmets with sunvisors in them.
For commuting it's brilliant. No need to carry spare visors, just flick the internal sunvisor up or down depending on the conditions.
I've had my Givi for 2 years now and wouldn't ever go back to helmet without a sunvisor.

I notice Motomail have just slashed the price on the Givi helmet.

nanahc

22nd January 2011, 00:12

Has anyone tried the pinlock protectint insert, was thinking of getting one but wasn't sure if they are any good, ive read mixed reviews, any help would be appreciated

Buyasta

22nd January 2011, 07:21

Has anyone tried the pinlock protectint insert, was thinking of getting one but wasn't sure if they are any good, ive read mixed reviews, any help would be appreciated
Really?.. I don't think I've ever actually come across a negative review of the Pinlock system.. It's fantastic, and pretty much the only downside I find is the price, although if you don't get a helmet that comes with it preinstalled, as I did, you'll either need to be pretty handy to get it installed without screwing up your visor, or get it done by someone else, as it requires drilling a pair of holes through the visor.

Anyway, I heartily recommend it, I pretty much bought my current helmet almost entirely because it did come with the Pinlock preinstalled, and I've found it to work wonders, it's certainly a lot more effective than sticky inserts like Fogcity, etc.

Highlander

22nd January 2011, 08:03

No experience of tha auto tinitng ones.

...if you don't get a helmet that comes with it preinstalled, as I did, you'll either need to be pretty handy to get it installed without screwing up your visor, or get it done by someone else, as it requires drilling a pair of holes through the visor..

I did it, was easy really. Was adivsed to use a BLUNT drill bit and just let it pull itself through the visor rather than try and push. Blunt drill bits I have plenty of (sharp ones are all in the stable where the Honest Politicians keep their Flying Pigs).

... it's certainly a lot more effective than sticky inserts like Fogcity, etc.... Sure is. fog city was ok, but the pinllock is awhole different league.

Next helmet I buy will have the internal retractable sun visor, the having to carry 2 visors thing gets old after a few scratches.

Pussy

22nd January 2011, 08:24

Fog City do really good photochromatic lenses.
Not sure if you can get them in NZ anymore. Whites were/are the importers

IdunBrokdItAgin

22nd January 2011, 10:03

Has anyone tried the pinlock protectint insert, was thinking of getting one but wasn't sure if they are any good, ive read mixed reviews, any help would be appreciated

I purchased a protectint insert from the UK.

The first one seemed to have a glue like residue on the insert. Didn't notice it until some rain got into my helmet while I was carrying it. The water trail left an impression on the insert which I couldn't remove.

In the end had to send it back to the UK and got sent a replacement one.

I think it was a manufacturing defect rather than an intended part of the design though. Don't know if the replacement one has the same issue as it has never had water on it.

All in all they are fairly good and do tint quickly, but they only tint to the equivalent of a light smoke visor. Plus they are a bit expensive.

I ended up just buying a dark smoke visor as I wanted something darker.

baptist

22nd January 2011, 13:25

In Auckland coming off the North Western there is a tunnel that can be a bit dark, always been a little worried about auto tinting glasses and visors as they seem to take a while to go clear, do these visors go clear instantly? I have a second external tinted visor that I am now very happy with. Pinlock for anti fogging though is brilliant.

nanahc

22nd January 2011, 14:21

Really?.. I don't think I've ever actually come across a negative review of the Pinlock system.. It's fantastic, and pretty much the only downside I find is the price, although if you don't get a helmet that comes with it preinstalled, as I did, you'll either need to be pretty handy to get it installed without screwing up your visor, or get it done by someone else, as it requires drilling a pair of holes through the visor.

Anyway, I heartily recommend it, I pretty much bought my current helmet almost entirely because it did come with the Pinlock preinstalled, and I've found it to work wonders, it's certainly a lot more effective than sticky inserts like Fogcity, etc.

i meant the auto tinting insert. my helmet came with the pinlock but was wondering if the transition lens type insert works very well or not, dont want a full time smoked lens.

Pussy

22nd January 2011, 15:12

i meant the auto tinting insert. my helmet came with the pinlock but was wondering if the transition lens type insert works very well or not, dont want a full time smoked lens.

As I've mentioned.... the Fog City "hyperoptiks" ones work VERY well. Just not sure if they are still available in NZ

pritch

22nd January 2011, 16:46

I'm puzzled that people are still so stuck on pinlocks. They are old tech. Some brands now have coated visors which does away with all the stuffing about with vegetables, soaps, expensive proprietary products,... and pinlocks.

Unfortunately Arai is not one of the manufacturers that use coated visors. Yet?

Y'all will have to do your own research, mine is probably already out of date.

I have a Shark here, nearly four years old, and last time I checked the coating still worked.

steve_t

22nd January 2011, 16:53

pritch

23rd January 2011, 07:11

Are you talking about the anti-fog properties? Or the photochromic/photochromatic properties?

Anti-fog. I don't like photochromatic lenses because of their slowness to lighten if light fades. That though is entirely personal and relates to their being inappropriate in shooting applications.

imdying

24th January 2011, 09:52

I'm puzzled that people are still so stuck on pinlocks. They are old tech. Some brands now have coated visors which does away with all the stuffing about with vegetables, soaps, expensive proprietary products,... and pinlocks.Because I've never found one that actually works half as well as pinlock.

I'll go and have a look at a Shark this week if I can find the time, anyone know where I can get one in Christchurch?

Buyasta

24th January 2011, 09:59

Because I've never found one that actually works half as well as pinlock.

I'll go and have a look at a Shark this week if I can find the time, anyone know where I can get one in Christchurch?

Avon City Suzuki stock Shark, not sure who else though.

EDIT: looks like anyone who's a Northern Accessories dealer (http://www.northern.co.nz/dealers/canterbury.aspx) should stock them, so also Budget Motorcycle Spares, Norjo, Pitlane, Rolling Thunder, Street & Sport, Superior Motorcycles, etc.

imdying

24th January 2011, 10:03

Cheers. They're not the prettiest, but I'll go and huff n puff on one to see what happens (the pinlock just laughs at me, I likey).

Buyasta

24th January 2011, 10:13

Cheers. They're not the prettiest, but I'll go and huff n puff on one to see what happens (the pinlock just laughs at me, I likey).

I find that while I can huff and puff to my hearts content without fogging, if it's rainy or foggy, it will start to fog up if I'm breathing heavily, unless I crack my visor.
Having said that, I'm still using the original visor and pinlock I got with the helmet about 4 years ago, and I suspect the seal on the pinlock is just worn out, and if I got a new insert it'd work fine.

I've read good things about Shark's treated visors, sadly they only appear to make helmets up to XL in most cases, and even XXL's are often a bit too small for me. :(

imdying

24th January 2011, 13:21

Nice, going to the pinlock was a revelation, so keen to see what else is out there.

R-Soul

24th January 2011, 14:35

One of teh best ones I have seen are made by an italian company - Raleri I think. The inserts are LCD, and they are powered by a solar collector. When the solar is not being collected, they stop making the insrert darker- it is apparently almost instantaneous. Except that the inserts seems a bit purple....

They also mave another one that works on a chemical basis - photochromic- as well as the electrical basis as described above - called LCDRIVE.

The insertion of a second screen on the inside of your visor will automatically work as doule glazing (at least for NZ conditons) and should prevent fogging up...

see:

http://www.raleri.com/new/prodottilcdriveuk.html

Only problem is that they are DAMN expensive...

IdunBrokdItAgin

24th January 2011, 15:23

i meant the auto tinting insert. my helmet came with the pinlock but was wondering if the transition lens type insert works very well or not, dont want a full time smoked lens.

Video example of how dark the pinlock insert goes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij3BOH7knw8

Gives you an idea of the amount of tint. It's fairly quick to darken (about 5 to 10 seconds), maybe slightly longer to go back to clear but as it is only light smoke you don't lose all your vision when going into a tunnel.

IdunBrokdItAgin

5th April 2011, 16:05

I purchased a protectint insert from the UK.

The first one seemed to have a glue like residue on the insert. Didn't notice it until some rain got into my helmet while I was carrying it. The water trail left an impression on the insert which I couldn't remove.

In the end had to send it back to the UK and got sent a replacement one.

I think it was a manufacturing defect rather than an intended part of the design though. Don't know if the replacement one has the same issue as it has never had water on it.

All in all they are fairly good and do tint quickly, but they only tint to the equivalent of a light smoke visor. Plus they are a bit expensive.

I ended up just buying a dark smoke visor as I wanted something darker.

Dredging up an old thread to give an update on the replacement protectint insert I received from pinlock:

As daylight saving has just happened, and I found myself riding in low light conditions at times, I decided to swap back to the protectint insert with a clear visor. The insert had been sitting around for about three months in a case.

When I checked the vision through the visor it was pretty poor.

The glue type residue was definitely there again and seemed to have attracted dust which had stuck to it. I attempted to wipe the dust off (again using a clean microfibre rag, and then water) but the residue just smudged everywhere making the insert unusable.

So, that's two for two of these inserts which have this issue.

My advice to anyone thinking about buying one is don't. They have a serious manufacturing issue which makes them unusable after a while.

Buyasta

5th April 2011, 17:11

Dredging up an old thread to give an update on the replacement protectint insert I received from pinlock:

As daylight saving has just happened, and I found myself riding in low light conditions at times, I decided to swap back to the protectint insert with a clear visor. The insert had been sitting around for about three months in a case.

When I checked the vision through the visor it was pretty poor.

The glue type residue was definitely there again and seemed to have attracted dust which had stuck to it. I attempted to wipe the dust off (again using a clean microfibre rag, and then water) but the residue just smudged everywhere making the insert unusable.

So, that's two for two of these inserts which have this issue.

My advice to anyone thinking about buying one is don't. They have a serious manufacturing issue which makes them unusable after a while.
Thanks for that, I had been considering ordering one of these, I guess I'll just stick with the clear insert and maybe get a tinted one when summer rolls back around.