Integrated visor or not?

[Topes]

I use the integrated tinted visors. I like them saves having to put on and take off sunglasses. Having said that I often forget my sunglasses . I'm non prescription. What do you prefer and what are the pros and cons as you see them.


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[EJK]

I use the integrated tinted visors. I like them saves having to put on and take off sunglasses. Having said that I often forget my sunglasses . I'm non prescription. What do you prefer and what are the pros and cons as you see them.

I wear a helmet with integrated sun visor also :niceone:

[nzspokes]

Ive had 2 helmets with them, last being a Shoei. Shoei seems to have the optics right as the cheapy I had before didnt.

Saying that, I would rather have a tinted visor.

[Gremlin]

2 out of 4 helmets I currently use has an internal sun visor. Previously I preferred not to have it, and swapped visors, but then swapping visors meant I had to carry an extra if I was doing any extended riding in the dark. Commuting I'll use a tinted visor all the time, even travelling at night, not a problem. I don't like the glare, so even in winter when driving I'll often use sun glasses.

My main bug about internal visors still stands with the Nolan N104 and Nexx XD1 I have that do have internal sun visors. They don't come down low enough. It works OK for looking ahead, but look down at the clocks and you have a mix of dark and light and looking through 1 or 2 visors with a cut off somewhere.

Brightness wise, both helmets have a light smoke visor fitted, and then coupled with the sun visor it drops light levels to something I'm comfortable with.

Handy, as you can pull them down or push them up as you wish - like tunnels, but execution wise I feel it could be better.

[Oakie]

I like the breeze in my face so it's a normal visor popped up and sunglasses.

[nzspokes]

I like the breeze in my face so it's a normal visor popped up and sunglasses.

Im the same to be fair. But without the glasses. I tend to get very hot. Thinking about drilling some holes in my visor so I can keep cool but not get bugs in the face.

[Laava]

I wear a helmet with integrated sun visor also :niceone:

I bet it is automated and makes a pleasing whooshing sound as it goes up and down!
Having said that, I am aware that there is an electronically tinted visor available.

[Rhys]

I bet it is automated and makes a pleasing whooshing sound as it goes up and down!
Having said that, I am aware that there is an electronically tinted visor available.

Bell and others have photochromatic visors, auto tint in the sun like transition glasses
I've not tried them but seem like a good idea, maybe not so good going into tunnels :devil2:

[nzspokes]

Bell and others have photochromatic visors, auto tint in the sun like transition glasses
I've not tried them but seem like a good idea, maybe not so good going into tunnels :devil2:

Bet one for my Shoei would cost as much as the helmet. :wacko:

[caseye]

Bell and others have photochromatic visors, auto tint in the sun like transition glasses
I've not tried them but seem like a good idea, maybe not so good going into tunnels :devil2:

Wife and i both have Bell's new photochromatic lids. Best thing since sliced bread.
They work.
no need for taking a spare visor, no need for a bag to carry one in.
They take about 3 seconds to change and they don't distort or darken too much. You could look directly into the sun, but we're not that bloody stupid.

Brilliant idea can't speak highly enough of them.

[Hitcher]

Cons? Extremely limited range of sizes. Possibly OK if one's head is no larger than an L.

[mulletman]

Having said that, I am aware that there is an electronically tinted visor available.

AGV LCD they do look good , but im pretty happy with my shark and its flip down dark visor.

[Moise]

Photochromatic Pinlocks are available.

Not a fan of internal tinted visors as they compromise protection.

Mirrored visors in summer are brilliant, as they reflect heat as well as light.

[AllanB]

Thinking about drilling some holes in my visor so I can keep cool but not get bugs in the face.

Hmmmm - experiment on a old one maybe. I suspect you'd find a standard hole would make a racket - maybe a slot would work?

[caseye]

Photochromatic Pinlocks are available.

Not a fan of internal tinted visors as they compromise protection.

Mirrored visors in summer are brilliant, as they reflect heat as well as light.

Another point of difference with the Bell's.
They don't have a pin lock and it's not needed, they do have a hold and lock lever that pushes your visor just off the seal, not alot of wind etc, but No Fogging, so just the one lense to look through.
Sizes, they seemed to cover the range, ours were cheaper than normal because it suited us to take 2 the same colour which happened to be on special at the time, essentially we got our Bells with the original clear visor, a clothe bag and the photochromatic visor for the price of the helmet, this was just 4 months ago.

[Katman]

It's photochromic people - photochromic.

[Moise]

How quickly does the visor change, for example going from bright sunlight into shade?

I can crack the visor slightly open on the Shoei. Really good feature.

[Bass]

It's photochromic people - photochromic.

http://attemptnwin.com/answers/photochromatic-photochromic-glasses/

According to this link, photochromatic reacts to visible light and photochromic to UV, so I don't know if you're right or not.
Still learn something everyday it seems

[caspernz]

Another point of difference with the Bell's.
They don't have a pin lock and it's not needed, they do have a hold and lock lever that pushes your visor just off the seal, not alot of wind etc, but No Fogging, so just the one lense to look through.
Sizes, they seemed to cover the range, ours were cheaper than normal because it suited us to take 2 the same colour which happened to be on special at the time, essentially we got our Bells with the original clear visor, a clothe bag and the photochromatic visor for the price of the helmet, this was just 4 months ago.

That sounds like a useful alternative to an internal visor...but how swiftly does the photochromic visor change, like when you duck into a tunnel for example?


It's photochromic people - photochromic.

Most of us can't tell the difference, bit like fake boobs and real ones...


How quickly does the visor change, for example going from bright sunlight into shade?

I can crack the visor slightly open on the Shoei. Really good feature.

Yeah, my mind wonders about this as well, having had photochromic prescription glasses, and being annoyed with the slow transitions...fastest being around 12-15 seconds...


http://attemptnwin.com/answers/photochromatic-photochromic-glasses/

According to this link, photochromatic reacts to visible light and photochromic to UV, so I don't know if you're right or not.
Still learn something everyday it seems

The annoying bit, only mildly relevant here, is with photochromic specs worn inside a vehicle with UV cut windows...renders the photochromic function useless.

[Erelyes]

Scorpion Exo-1000 here with a dropdown sun visor. Personally I found it 'OK' at first but as time went on it became more of a pain than it was worth. You also have the hassle of having two visors to clean / fog up.

I wouldn't avoid a helmet with one but I wouldn't pay extra either.

[Duncan74]

I use a hjc Rpha-ST with integrated sun visor. However, depending on the weather then I use some Oakley sunnies and then just the clear outer visor. The inner shaded one does fog up, which is a pain. However, if I get caught out on the commute or with changing weather then the internal is really useful. Also, I use both the drop down over the sunnies when riding through tree lined routes in bright sun where the doublee shade lets the eyes adjust to even out the light and keep visibility.

G40 lenses wich aren't that dark.

Works for me, but then I've got pretty high sensitivity to light.

[Tazz]

I really wanted a helmet with the drop down sun visor, so I got one, and then proceeded to carry on using sunglasses haha
Like others I'm visor up most the time during daylight hours and sunglasses stop bugs and shit from getting into your eyes better than the sun visor does.

Also, you can still drop it down over your sunglasses when the angle is real bad. Mind you I put a tinted visor on that helmet and the tint, drop down sun visor and sunglasses all at once are still not as handy as the peak on one of my other helmets :baby:

[Grashopper]

Love the photochromic visor on my Bell. I never noticed any issues with going between sunny and shaded areas. No clue about tunnels, but then you just lift it up, like you would a tinted visor, until it has changed.

I've got a clear and a tinted visor for the Shoei, but I hate having to stop to change them. In particular, when I'm nearly home lol and then it gets darker and darker....

My first helmet had an integrated sun visor. I quite liked that one, too.

[vifferman]

Meh (sheep or goat - take your pick). My second-to-last helmet (AGV, one of several before I realised my head wasn't AGV-shaped) had a mirror-tinted visor, and was fine for all lighting conditions. Current Shoei has a dark-tinted visor, and after carrying a clear visor on days when I might be working late, I've discovered it's actually fine at night, so I don't worry about it. Visibility is within or slightly outside of acceptable parameters after sunset, and after several hundred repetitions, my bike knows the way home from work anyway, so I can snooze...

[caseye]

To answer the question about how long the photochromatic ( KM this is how it was spelt on the box) visor takes to transition from tinted to clear and vice versa.
It takes about 3 seconds.
Ridden, bright sunny, overcast, cloudy, dusk and nighttime, it works!
I personally am extremely happy with this new piece of kit and am happy to recommend it.

[caspernz]

Mmmm, having now had a Shoei Neotec with the integrated sun visor for about 3 years...reading up a little more on the photochromic visors that have recently become available. They seem expensive and only available for select helmets, yet reading the comments on how quick they change...definitely worth looking at when the next helmet change comes up. Prefer a dark visor over an integrated sun visor, but the convenience factor makes me favour the integrated sun visor over carrying a spare full visor. Yeah, I know, first world problem and all that :laugh::facepalm:

My only complaint with the integrated sun visor is the fact it's a little short, leaving part of my face exposed to the sun. So if I spend a few long days in the saddle, it leaves either a bit of sunburn or the start of one of the weirdest tan lines...well, on days I forget the sun block anyway.

[Mr Revhead]

Not a fan of internal tinted visors as they compromise protection.

How so?

Love my LS2 with drop down visor, wouldn't even look at a helmet without one. I guess the complaints about it don't dropping down far enough comes under fitment? It's not something I've come across with the 2 helmets I have.

[MD]

+ one for the Bell photoautohydroturbochromomatic visor. they simply work...end of story.

[Erelyes]

How so?

Less EPS in the top/front area, due to needing a cavity for the drop-down visor.

[Moise]

Less EPS in the top/front area, due to needing a cavity for the drop-down visor.
It's not just less EPS, it's also the air gap between the shell and the liner.

Snell won't test them, let alone approve them, and Arai still don't make one. Have a look at the SHARP rating for the Shoei GT Air.

I'll stick with my mirrored visor in summer.

[RDJ]

Brief review of the 98371-15VM - Harley-Davidson Capstone Retractable Sun Shield Full Face Modular Helmet

For many years I wore a sequence of Arai Signets in XXXL, all fitted extremely well. Arai discontinued it, I tried other Arais, including the Vector with no luck, then moved to a Shoei Multitec XXXL, also extremely well fitting, before Shoei stopped making that... Have also tried a nonmodular Shoei, the Shoei Neotech, and (expensively) a Schuberth with integrated sunshield which felt okay in the shop for about 40 minutes, but I could never get used to the fit on a long ride. Like other people, I found the new Shoei Neotec a lower-quality, noisier replacement for the Multitec, and it didn't seem to have the same head shape as the Multitec, which is no longer easily available.

While on a recent US assignment I found this H-D helmet, selling for 30% off at the Arizona dealer. Size XXXL. Normal retail price 250 US. For what it's worth, it appears well made (in China) with slightly less padding, but no less styrene thickness than the Shoei and Arai, and equally comfortable. Changing the visor is superbly easy compared to an Arai (but then what isn't), just as straightforward as the Shoei. Very quiet, but obviously not as quiet as the Schuberth, much better venting than the other three manufacturers and very easy to open, much easier than the Schuberth, as straightforward as the Multitec. Has a pinlock capability but you can ride with the clear visor cracked slightly open and it doesn't fog up.

The real feature of this helmet for me who wears glasses, is the excellent inbuilt sunshield. Has a two-position lock (i usually ride with it all the way down), and retracts on a spring at the touch of a button. When down covers pretty much exactly the same field of vision as good sunglasses do. Since buying this helmet I no longer ride with sunglasses at all. It's a great fit. And yes, those who don't like riding Harley branded gear will not like it for that alone... But if you need a larger size helmet, and are looking for a helmet with a smoothly integrated visor, good build quality, a reasonable price and ease of use, I'd recommend this.

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[nerrrd]

It's not just less EPS, it's also the air gap between the shell and the liner.

Snell won't test them, let alone approve them, and Arai still don't make one. Have a look at the SHARP rating for the Shoei GT Air.

I'll stick with my mirrored visor in summer.

Don't think that logic actually works as far as the Sharp ratings go - I briefly owned a Caberg Tourmax which had a drop down sun visor and a 5 star rating; a quick look found two others with drop down visors and 5 stars (Shark Evoline 3, HJC-IS 17) and only one Arai with a 5 star rating at all - so not including one doesn't seem to help much.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Definitely not if youwear glasses

[Moi]

It's not just less EPS, it's also the air gap between the shell and the liner.

Snell won't test them, let alone approve them, and Arai still don't make one. Have a look at the SHARP rating for the Shoei GT Air.

I'll stick with my mirrored visor in summer.

The two helmets I use are both drop-down sun visor and modular and one - the older one - is 4-star from SHARP and the other is 5-star...

[Mr Revhead]

It's not just less EPS, it's also the air gap between the shell and the liner.

Snell won't test them, let alone approve them, and Arai still don't make one. Have a look at the SHARP rating for the Shoei GT Air.

I'll stick with my mirrored visor in summer.


Interesting, 4 stars for my helmet....
http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/testsratings/ls2-ff370

That Shoei looks like a good example of proving extra cost doesn't mean extra safety.

So, how do you manage in and out of light? Such as the some of my ride form Chch to Nelson today, several stretched where the road went into shade with some rough patches of road. One flick and no more tint.