What are tinted visors like in the dark?

[Brayden]

How bad is it in the dark with a black visor? I know there must be some visibility reduction but how bad is it? Opinions wanted cheers!

[Reido]

Pretty bad when there arent any lights around.
and you'll be practically blind if it rains.

[PirateJafa]

Just ride with the visor up in the dark. It's far from the end of the world...

[hayd3n]

keep some safety glasses under your seat :P use them @ night much better than a tinted visor

[rapid van cleef]

ive road around 2 hours with a tinted visor in the dark. it was a nightmare on country roads. reduces your vision considerably. so i open the visor and frooze my face. eyes stop streaming after a few minutes. it was pretty miserable

[Berries]

On high speed roads with lights it is like being in a video game, especially if you have an anti-fog insert. On the downside you can't see that lump of 4x2 dead ahead.

I wouldn't do it out of choice, but the safety glasses idea sounds good if you do get caught out.

[Wannabiker]

I have a very dark tint (iridium) visor on my Shark helmet....It is like a bloody welding visor!! Can only be used on a bright sunny day...if the clouds come over, I am searching for the high beam. I would imagine at night it would be like riding with a blindfold on.

Any form of tint will reduce night time vision.

[PrincessBandit]

I don't recommend it, especially if you're in rain as well - visibility severely limited in that instance. Only done it once and don't intend to repeat the experience. Visor up is probably quite nice on a warm summer evening, apart from airborne bugs, but the winter version is Miserable with a capital M!

Katman was using his tinted visor for our Taupo-Wangas ride a few weeks back in really bad weather and during our National Park thaw-out stop he commented that he was sure the tint made him think it was several degrees colder than it actually was. (And that's saying something, cos it was blardy freezing anyway!) 'Twas early afternoon...

Keep the tinted for nice sunny days only; or buy a helmet with a built in sun visor which you can slide up and down; or do what Balu used to do - carry alternate visor in topbox/pack stored inside an old sock (for scratch protection) and change as required.

[Dodgy_Matt]

I am using an Arai with an iridium lense.. I use it day or night. the only issus I have is if its raining....
But in saying that it dose not have a pin lock system so its worse than any other lense when it fogs...

[Eyegasm]

What's your families address??

So we know where to send the condolences.

[Maha]

For me personally, a tinted visor does not give the same clarity as a clear.
....its for that reason I choose a clear visor all the time.
I have a tinted visor, but only use it if I feel like it on the day (which is not often)
Sunny's on and im good to go for the day/night.
Night falls....remove sunglasses.:yes:

I also have a pair of Bolle' safety glasses just in case...its a good idea.

[oneofsix]

What's your families address??

So we know where to send the condolences.

+1 Got caught after dark with the tinted visor on once. You think you can see well until you lift the visor and take notice of what you hadn't fully appreciated, not so much as unseen more unnoticed or not seen clearly.

[angelindisguise]

someone should ask Gremlin what its like riding back from Russell in the middle of the night 2 up and with a tinted visor - it wasnt good, thankfully we had a mate behind us that sort of helped a wee bit...

[Daffyd]

I ride with a clear visor and use sunnies under it in the bright sun. Had to cut the wings back to stop them pushing forward with the helmet.

[Banditbandit]

I ride with a clear visor and use sunnies under it in the bright sun. Had to cut the wings back to stop them pushing forward with the helmet.

Me too .. 'cept I use cheap petrol station sharkie style sunnies - don't rub on the helmet and if the scratch or break they are cheap to replace

I've ridden with people using tinted visors at night - they can't see shit ..

[Indiana_Jones]

Looks total bad arse.... :scooter:

-Indy

[Daffyd]

Only disadvantage is with my big hooter it gets sunburnt through the visor and the reflection from the sunnies. :sunny:

[Cheshire Cat]

In big cities with a lot of street lights it's ok but you're peripheral vision is very limited which makes it dangerous and in areas where there is little or no light is just a bad idea.

[HenryDorsetCase]

they'r freakin terrible.

[Cheshire Cat]

they'r freakin terrible.

I love them! :sunny:

[The Singing Chef]

I have no problem with them at night, unless as said above on country roads, have only done that once by accident. depends on what visor you are using though, i have a rainbow tinted visor which is pretty shit at night compared to my tinted with pinlock which is pretty good. Helps with those pesky high beams too.

[bogan]

My guess is it depends on the tint. The one I have is a 60% tint, so it blocks 60% of the light. Good when you want to block it, shit when it's dark and you don't! Do they do reactive tinting like on glasses yet? that sort of thing would work brilliantly!

[Maha]

My guess is it depends on the tint. The one I have is a 60% tint, so it blocks 60% of the light. Good when you want to block it, shit when it's dark and you don't! Do they do reactive tinting like on glasses yet? that sort of thing would work brilliantly!

.....no, but you can get magnified ones for those with poor eye sight.

[The Singing Chef]

My guess is it depends on the tint. The one I have is a 60% tint, so it blocks 60% of the light. Good when you want to block it, shit when it's dark and you don't! Do they do reactive tinting like on glasses yet? that sort of thing would work brilliantly!

I have seen something about that somewhere (not alot of help am I?) i think they are bringing out inserts for visors, or already installed perhaps. expensive i could imagine

[rossirep]

at the end of the day if you wanna be totally safe you should use a clear visor all the time just in case you end up riding to long and get caught out at night, or if it starts to rain, but we all know clear visors aint cool and look stupid on a cool helmet,
in my 20 years of road riding i think all my helmets have had dark or coloured visors on them and if it rains or gets dark i just deal with it, slow down or lift the visor up, but each to their own...

[The Singing Chef]

at the end of the day if you wanna be totally safe you should use a clear visor all the time just in case you end up riding to long and get caught out at night, or if it starts to rain, but we all know clear visors aint cool and look stupid on a cool helmet,
in my 20 years of road riding i think all my helmets have had dark or coloured visors on them and if it rains or gets dark i just deal with it, slow down or lift the visor up, but each to their own...

I'll often carry spare visors with me, just have to make sure it's for the right helmet :facepalm:

[wanpo]

Somewhere along a ride down to Tauranga, my clear visor fell out of my backpack that managed to unzip itself -_- so I'm left with two, a half-tint pin-lock visor which I find works ok at daytime, but is brilliant at night (doesn't seem to make anything darker, just changes its colour tone)
and a full tint, which is great during the day, but I can't see shit come night fall. As such I havn't had it in my helmet since winter started (I often leave work after it's gone dark.) So bad infact that on a couple of occasions I have swapped helmets with my pillion just to be able to see (leaving me wearing pitch black leathers and this helmet (http://www.scootparts.nl/CmsData/Artikelen/Fotos/10350602202/10350602202_mainimage_productDetail_1.jpg))

[The Singing Chef]

Somewhere along a ride down to Tauranga, my clear visor fell out of my backpack that managed to unzip itself -_- so I'm left with two, a half-tint pin-lock visor which I find works ok at daytime, but is brilliant at night (doesn't seem to make anything darker, just changes its colour tone)
and a full tint, which is great during the day, but I can't see shit come night fall. As such I havn't had it in my helmet since winter started (I often leave work after it's gone dark.) So bad infact that on a couple of occasions I have swapped helmets with my pillion just to be able to see (leaving me wearing pitch black leathers and this helmet (http://www.scootparts.nl/CmsData/Artikelen/Fotos/10350602202/10350602202_mainimage_productDetail_1.jpg))

Hahaha that would have looked great!! my phone fell out of my pocket on the way to Tauranga...not so good either

[Berries]

Do they do reactive tinting like on glasses yet? that sort of thing would work brilliantly!
I have seen reactive inserts advertised in the past, but when it came time to try one for my new lid I couldn't remember where I had seen it.

[Katman]

I have seen reactive inserts advertised in the past, but when it came time to try one for my new lid I couldn't remember where I had seen it.

Fog City and ProGrip both do photochromic visor inserts.

[gijoe1313]

The amount of times Gremlin and I have ridden at night ... and he has only his day tinted visor on ... amazing the guy hasn't crashed! :shit: My caberg has a flip down internal visor and when I flicked that down at night once to see what it was like ... gah! Couldn't imagine what it must be like when its heavily raining at night!

Try to avoid this scenario people!

[F5 Dave]

If you are a fine weather sunday afternoon biker (like me these days) then the dark visors are brilliant (maybe bad choice of word). Sunglasses are all very well, but in a bad accident your face is going to be smacked with a helmet which is going to move a little. Just bear some thought of anything that is worn on the inside & what sort of damage it might impart. Of course this is true of prescription glasses as well.

Take a spare visor if going further afield.

[bogan]

I have seen reactive inserts advertised in the past, but when it came time to try one for my new lid I couldn't remember where I had seen it.

Think next time I'll get some autotinting glasses anyway. Then just run a clear visor... wonder if non-bung-eyed people could just get some cheap autotinting glasses and roll with those?

[Maha]

I'll often carry spare visors with me, just have to make sure it's for the right helmet :facepalm:

Yip, find and old sock to keep it in (i use a bit of cheese cloth if I take an extra visor) works a treat and saves the thing from getting scratched.

[willytheekid]

Tinted visor @ night is a bad idea full stop!

I own a clear and a dark tinted visor for the AGV, carry one in the tank bag at all times and just alternate between the two :yes:
Great to have a dark tint on really sunny days as it takes the strain of the eyes, and when it gets dark...just swap em over.

[Maha]

The amount of times Gremlin and I have ridden at night ... and he has only his day tinted visor on ... amazing the guy hasn't crashed! :shit: My caberg has a flip down internal visor and when I flicked that down at night once to see what it was like ... gah! Couldn't imagine what it must be like when its heavily raining at night!

Try to avoid this scenario people!

My first night ride happened because we were an hour from home and the sky turned nasty real quick...it was about 5-5:30?..I had a tinted visor. It was also my first decent ride with Anne as pillion...It started to rain quite heavily.
What to do?....we swapped helmets, Anne had a clear visor. That was the only pleaseing bit about the end of a very long day.
Almost dropped the Triumph getting out of Whangarei Maccas....

[Brayden]

To be honest I just liked the idea of a tinted visor because they looked cool :innocent:

Judging by the comments they are an absolute bitch in the dark, however buying a tinted visor and just swapping em over sounds like a good idea. How much for a tinted visor these days?

[Maha]

To be honest I just liked the idea of a tinted visor because they looked cool :innocent:

Judging by the comments they are an absolute bitch in the dark, however buying a tinted visor and just swapping em over sounds like a good idea. How much for a tinted visor these days?

Tinted visor = $49 for my KBC helmet.

[Dodgy_Matt]

To be honest I just liked the idea of a tinted visor because they looked cool :innocent:

Judging by the comments they are an absolute bitch in the dark, however buying a tinted visor and just swapping em over sounds like a good idea. How much for a tinted visor these days?

About $200 for my Arai

[slofox]

Not so very long ago, I had to ride from d'Auckland to The Tron. At night. In the pissing rain and howling wind. With only a dark tinted visor on the helmet (Arai). (Some dork forgot it would be dark on the return journey...dunno who :whistle:)

"Oh well" I thinks to meself, "I'll just ride with the visor open!"

Ha fucking ha. I gotta wear glasses, eh. Tried the visor open and the rain (did I mention it was pissing down?) totally obliterated all vision through said specs within seconds.

So I had no option but to close the visor. After all, fuck all vision seemed better than none at all at the time.

What I discovered was that after a couple of minutes with the visor closed, my night vision (what's left of it) kicked in and I could see more than I expected. Enough to make me feel reasonably confident that I would complete the journey without riding into the Waikato river at some stage...

I did have to keep the speed down a bit though - just to stay within the bounds of what vision I had. Can't say it was any worse on the open road than in the towns. Overall, it was less scary than I had expected.

These days, I try to remember that a clear visor is better in the dark than the dark smoke job...

[no_8wire]

I frequently ride at night with a tinted visor...You get used to it to be fair, admittedly the visor does limit some of your visibility (given the whole point of it is to limit the amount of light getting through)but on the whole is fine for occasional rides at night.

If I was going on a ride longer than an hour, or on unfamiliar roads, I would be more comfortable with the clear visor, but other than that a tinted visor at night has done me no harm thus far.

[rapid van cleef]

You can also buy visor inserts that stick to the inside of the visor. I used to have one on my old KBC helmet that was mounted behind a pinlock type thing. worked fine. if i was out in the dark and couldnt see. pull over, and peel it off and put it in my bag, no worries. it doesnt look as slick as a full on coloured / tinted visor but way way cheaper.

[gijoe1313]

TOTO rides with an Oxford bum bag, which has a compartment especially for another visor, I've seen him whip it out and swap over his visors when the lighting conditions changed.

http://www.acsuzuki.co.nz/products/51-gear_bags_bumbags_backpacks_et/276-oxford_waist_bag_sports_lifeti.aspx

[rapid van cleef]

e got one of those. very handy and was not too bad when i had my first bike a gsxf600. but on a zx10, its a pain in the arse. i have to spin it round the back, so i just use my tank bag to keep my visor other in.. although i think i will guive the bum bag another go, as it has a handy pouch for wallet and cell etc.

[CRF119]

I get caught in the dark with mine quite often, It all depends how good your lights on your bike are.

It helps your riding skills to. You can still ride at the given speed limits pretty easily.

Mr police man wont like it much tho so don't get caught i am sure there is some rule against it.

Riding with the visor up isn't an option, 100kmh bug in the eye hurts and there are a lot of bugs in the summer.

[baffa]

I recently replaced the visor on my Shoei. I found that a clear visor was a bit painful from glare when the sun was lower in the sky. Upon recommendation from the parts guy at cyclespot, I got an orange/red visor, that reduces glare, dimming whiteish colours and enhancing contrast. Excellent during the day, and only slightly reduces vision at night. Cost $100 mind, but works well in all conditions except really low light.

[Grubber]

Most tints are useless vision at night, i have found. I recently purchased a new Shoei with an iridium visor. Cost a small fortune but i have found that there is reasonable vision at night. Far better than a normal tint.
But in saying that i always take my clear on long trips to wear at night anyway. It's just that if i do get caught out in the dark the iridium will cope pretty good.
My clear visor i put round my rib cage under my jacket. Fits just nice.

[Maha]

They dont that well in the daylight, I have a strip of black insulation tape across the top of the visor to prevent sunstrike.

[slofox]

They dont that well in the daylight, I have a strip of black insulation tape across the top of the visor to prevent sunstrike.

Me too, even on the dark smoke - copied the idea from yourself IIRC...

[newhere]

ive road around 2 hours with a tinted visor in the dark. it was a nightmare on country roads. reduces your vision considerably. so i open the visor and frooze my face. eyes stop streaming after a few minutes. it was pretty miserable

Agreed, not to mention the bugs, not fun :shit:

[PrincessBandit]

Yip, find and old sock to keep it in
That's two of us voting for the sock then...


My first night ride happened because we were an hour from home and the sky turned nasty real quick...it was about 5-5:30?..I had a tinted visor. It was also my first decent ride with Anne as pillion...It started to rain quite heavily.
What to do?....we swapped helmets, Anne had a clear visor. That was the only pleaseing bit about the end of a very long day.
Almost dropped the Triumph getting out of Whangarei Maccas....


Not so very long ago, I had to ride from d'Auckland to The Tron. At night. In the pissing rain and howling wind. With only a dark tinted visor on the helmet (Arai). (Some dork forgot it would be dark on the return journey...dunno who :whistle:)

"Oh well" I thinks to meself, "I'll just ride with the visor open!"

Ha fucking ha. I gotta wear glasses, eh. Tried the visor open and the rain (did I mention it was pissing down?) totally obliterated all vision through said specs within seconds.

So I had no option but to close the visor. After all, fuck all vision seemed better than none at all at the time.

What I discovered was that after a couple of minutes with the visor closed, my night vision (what's left of it) kicked in and I could see more than I expected. Enough to make me feel reasonably confident that I would complete the journey without riding into the Waikato river at some stage...

I did have to keep the speed down a bit though - just to stay within the bounds of what vision I had. Can't say it was any worse on the open road than in the towns. Overall, it was less scary than I had expected.

These days, I try to remember that a clear visor is better in the dark than the dark smoke job...
Both of your stories sound like my trip back from visiting Tink - weather closed in so quickly I couldn't believe the speed with which it turned dark and rainy. Lifted visor a crack to stop fogging, rain stung my face like needles then munted any vision I had from my specs, but alternative with visor down was I couldn't see diddlysquat. Not even a friendly car in front of me to light the way. I wouldn't have even been doing 70. Scared shitless the whole ride back to the petrol station at the Paerata/Waiuk turnoff.

[Robbie_]

Another option I have on my helmet is a switch on the side which drops down a second, tinted visor on the inside. Can easily swap between the two any time with just a flick.

[slofox]

Both of your stories sound like my trip back from visiting Tink - weather closed in so quickly I couldn't believe the speed with which it turned dark and rainy. Lifted visor a crack to stop fogging, rain stung my face like needles then munted any vision I had from my specs, but alternative with visor down was I couldn't see diddlysquat. Not even a friendly car in front of me to light the way. I wouldn't have even been doing 70. Scared shitless the whole ride back to the petrol station at the Paerata/Waiuk turnoff.

I remember your report on that one.

I suspect that riding in the Waikato fog is probably worse than a dark visor at night. Doesn't matter how often you wipe the visor, it's opaque with seconds...that's always a slow trip.

There was one advantage from my night trip with the dark visor - the gas consumption was the best I have ever achieved...:innocent:

[Maha]

I remember your report on that one.

I suspect that riding in the Waikato fog is probably worse than a dark visor at night. Doesn't matter how often you wipe the visor, it's opaque with seconds...that's always a slow trip.
There was one advantage from my night trip with the dark visor - the gas consumption was the best I have ever achieved...:innocent:

Yes I had that one morning...around 7am through Ohinewai..add to that the chill factor and it most uncomfortable...I was not dressed for the occassion:facepalm:

[jonbuoy]

Another option I have on my helmet is a switch on the side which drops down a second, tinted visor on the inside. Can easily swap between the two any time with just a flick.

+1 Fantastic system I wouldn´t have another helmet without it. Best of both worlds.

[Robbie_]

+1 Fantastic system I wouldn´t have another helmet without it. Best of both worlds.

Me either, couldn't go back now.

[Big Dave]

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