Sun in my eyes - tape on visor?

[Radar]

Any ideas on how to prevent getting blinded by the sun low in the sky, such as near sunset? I have a the usual full face helmet with clear visor, an HJC. Even with dark sunglasses, the sun can really reduce my vision. As a cage driver I simply pull down the sunshade visor or put on a cap, but what to do on a bike? Maybe a strip or two of black electrician's tape?? Some people don't seem to be bothered so much by sunlight but for me its always been a problem so guess I have sensitive vision.

[Steam]

...Maybe a strip or two of black electrician's tape??...
Yes, that's what I did, I used two strips.
You can take it off easily if you don't like it.
You can use fancy vinyl tape or whatever, but black electrician tape works as well as anything.

[Radar]

Yes, that's what I did, I used two strips.
You can take it off easily if you don't like it.
You can use fancy vinyl tape or whatever, but black electrician tape works as well as anything.

Thanks Steam. Is it easy to remove the visor? How? I have reflective material (from a sign writing place) over the hinge area so I cannot see what is underneath. I can see a small black plastic screw but it is not where the hinge is.

[Steam]

Can't help you there sorry. Good luck.

[paturoa]

My HJC lid, CL-12 I think, has a couple of levers that click forward when the visor is open, and the visor just pulls out from there.

EDIT: have a look here http://www.hjchelmets.com/ go to the Helmit Technology section there are diagrams there.

[Trouser]

Would window tinting film work?

[Rockbuddy]

get a tinted visor

[yungatart]

You don't need to take the visor off.
Apply it to the outside of the visor, when the visor is in the closed position.
1" black pinstripe (from a signwriter or Auto decals place) is easy to use as it conforms to the curve easily.

[Kendog]

get a tinted visor

+1

This really will solve the problem, and make sunny day riding much more enjoyable.

[toebug]

yeah dont be a tight arse and get a tinted visor, they are much more pleasant to use during the day!

[Steam]

Plus the advantage of having a tinted visor is you don't see as much of that pesky other traffic at night, and you can pretend you have gone blind when you ride home in the dark.

[Radar]

get a tinted visor

Well, that might work during the day, but at night it would limit my vision and I don't want to have to change to a clear visor.

paturoa - thanks for that HJC link. I moved the two levers forward to the OPEN position but could not budge the visor.

yungatart - I'll try electrical tape first, on the outside, and when I know the amount needed, I'll switch to the "1" black pinstripe" as you suggest... or if the electrical tape stays on, I'll just leave it.

:2thumbsup Thanks everyone for the quick replies.

[unrealone]

Just can't win eh Steam! :P

[FROSTY]

2 visors is the propper answer. The poms actually have special bum bags for carrying a tint visor. but thats for a different reason

[Kendog]

Well, that might work during the day, but at night it would limit my vision and I don't want to have to change to a clear visor.

If you ride a lot during the day and night that may be an issue, depending on your helmets visor release. A lot of helmets have a quick release these days, no tool need and visor replaced in 60 seconds or less.

After I tried a tinted visor, I never went back.

[EJT]

I usually find dipping my head a bit helps. But if the sun is really low, then it is hand in front of the face time....or stop for a while!

[toebug]

Well, that might work during the day, but at night it would limit my vision and I don't want to have to change to a clear visor.

Pure laziness!!!!!!! 2 seconds for me to change between visors<_<

[Radar]

Pure laziness!!!!!!! 2 seconds for me to change between visors<_<

If I can get my visor to release I may get a tinted visor but as it is now, I'll give the electrical tape a go - after all, it won't cost me anything. And lazy it may be, but I'd have to get a pannier or bum bag to carry the extra visor.

[Madness]

3M do a product that's perfect for this application. I think it's called "HTFU", and is available from good bike shops.

You're welcome.:msn-wink:

[et al]

Window tint works for me - I have layed on a strip of window tint film across top edge of visor. 25-30mm wide (too wide and you will have trouble getting it to stay on because of curvature). Beauty of this is that you only have that narrow strip at the top tinted and can still see through it all the time - unlike blocking it off with tape. This is a good compromise between wearing Sunglasses and having a fully tinted visor, and costs you nothing if you know someone who has bits left over from doing a job on their car.

[Radar]

it's called "HTFU"

:bleh: ... :nya: ... :bleh:


:stupid: Like unrealone says, you just can't win. :msn-wink:

[Radar]

Window tint works for me - I have layed on a strip of window tint film across top edge of visor. 25-30mm wide (too wide and you will have trouble getting it to stay on because of curvature). Beauty of this is that you only have that narrow strip at the top tinted and can still see through it all the time - unlike blocking it off with tape. This is a good compromise between wearing Sunglasses and having a fully tinted visor, and costs you nothing if you know someone who has bits left over from doing a job on their car.

:cool: Thanks for that. It would be better than black tape. Guess I'll go back to that sign writing place, or if no got then an auto window place.

[homer]

umm how about some duraseal black out
all i use

just cut some with a slight curve so it sticks on the out side and about 1 inch wide
all did for my old helmet and its fine on the new one
easy and cheap
:done:

[homer]

sorry but i think youll find it the easiest
and i dosnt come off
when you want it to it just peels off easy

[Grub]

Would window tinting film work?

Yeah I like that idea too. Just go to the tint place and se if they've got any offcuts and experiment. It has to be dark-as to be effective and it is just a strip across the top like the black tape.


yeah dont be a tight arse and get a tinted visor, they are much more pleasant to use during the day!

Yes and totally lethal when it gets dark!!!!! With a combination, you just dip your head to mask the sun. From that point on it will be only a few minutes before it is getting too dark for a tinted visor which would put you really in the shit

[Radar]

Update:

Checked at 5 stores that carried Duraseal, but no black, only clear and what looked like gift wrap.

Could not find window tinting material dark enough to do the job, so was given a free scrap of black sign writing vinyl. At home, ready to cut the vinyl and remembered that its a real bugger to remove so tried black electrician's tape. Went for a ride up to Woodville to meet the Herceptin Riders and tested the tape on the way back when the sun was low, to see if just one strip was enough. Yep, all good. If the tape comes off I'll put on the vinyl.

Thanks for all the replies, even the HTFU post because probably someone in Germany or somewhere will find this thread and ask at a shop for 3M HTFU tape, LOL.

[Nick from the nick]

Now as i'm a recent pom import i can explain why we got a special bum bag for visors

Tinted ones are agaist the law and made only for track days so
Biker; yes officer i have a clear one here and will put it on
Plod; ok biker swop it over now and it won't cost you £30 = $75

and as the plod in the uk seem to have a real big dislike to bikers thats a regular little chat

[timg]

Any ideas on how to prevent getting blinded by the sun low in the sky, such as near sunset?

I use one of these. http://www.super-visor.com/ I find it works well. They can be removed if you want to when you don't need it. I no longer bother, it stays on my helmet. Doesn't seem to catch the wind/slipstream (Just done a day at the track with it on). Occasionally I work in Christchurch which means I ride into the rising sun going to work and again comming home and this is great. My Nolan helmet had a movable tinted visor thingy which wasn't that much help. If you're interested there is an agent for the super-visor in Aussie who was great to deal with. Cheers, Tim.

[Badjelly]

I'd like to add my $0.02 and recommend the tape-on-visor trick. I did this a few months ago and it's made a huge difference. Of course, it doesn't stop the sun hitting the visor itself, and you'd think you'd pick up a lot of glare from that, but if you keep the visor clean it doesn't seem to be a big problem.

[ManDownUnder]

I prefer to have the visor up/open when the sun is really low like that, and tilt my head down using the helmet shell as the block to the sun.

It means you ride looking "up" but it's not for long, and the difffused glare from the sun you get when the visor is down is avoided. Only problem can be bugs in your eyes (midges come out at that time).

[Swoop]

and as the plod in the uk seem to have a real big dislike to bikers thats a regular little chat
It is a shame when they come over here to work and bring that little bit of idiocy with them. Someone here (OAB?) was being hassled by an ex-pom copper who automatically assumed the same law would apply here.

Unzud doesn't have an ozone layer, so tinted visors are bloody handy.

[Horse]

I just use one of these: HJC FS-MAX (http://www.motoretail.co.nz/product.cfm?ID=6354). The flip down sunscreen is very handy!

[F5 Dave]

I use a tinted visor & take a swap if I'm going to be out late. But in low sun you really need to have something that blocks the sun completely, even a double dark tint doesn't combat full glare of direct low sun.

My typically brilliant idea (why thank you) is a couple of velcro dots on my tinted visor. I then used an old strap off my MX goggles with some corresponding velcro & fit it to the outside, the grippy bits of the MX strap stop it slipping. That just lives in a pocket until I need it & the velcro is far enough around that I can't notice it in normal conditions.

[Triwi]

Spend $A30 with http://www.super-visor.com/ and fit the most useful sunshade device ever. Stays on my helmet (BMW system 5) permanently and has no effect whatsoever on windflow. Be very particular getting exact position to suit before gluing the tabs. If not its new visor time.
End of any sun strike problem. Even sun on horizon and dead ahead can be coped with with a slight dip of head.
cheers
Triwi

[mattian]

Any ideas on how to prevent getting blinded by the sun low in the sky, such as near sunset? I have a the usual full face helmet with clear visor, an HJC. Even with dark sunglasses, the sun can really reduce my vision. As a cage driver I simply pull down the sunshade visor or put on a cap, but what to do on a bike? Maybe a strip or two of black electrician's tape?? Some people don't seem to be bothered so much by sunlight but for me its always been a problem so guess I have sensitive vision.

Get yourself some proper "polarised" sunglasses. They maybe a little more expensive than any of your other cheaper brands but they really do reduce most of the glare and are also quite clear when you suddenly find yourself riding in the shade. With summer coming to an end and Autumn/Winter approaching the sun is lower on the sky at morning and dusk so..... try not to look directly into the sun ! and some polarised sunnys........ works wonders.

[Renegade]

i just bought one of these, just waiting for it to arrive from the uk, caberg v2r, $350nz

[Eric]

I went to the tinted visor for my HJC helmet when I did the Burt Munro last year. Got sick of squinting after reaching Alexandra from a days ride in full sun. Never looked back and havent changed them since.

[No FX]

Well, that might work during the day, but at night it would limit my vision and I don't want to have to change to a clear visor.

.

Iv got a tinted visor for my HJC and would never go back to clear. I keep a pair of clear safety glasses wrapped in a sock under my back seat for if i get caught out at night, works a charm and saves carrying a clear visor:cool:

[speedpro]

Commuting on the NW motorway you end up riding into the sun both ways. I put a piece of tape about 30mm(in the middle) across the bottom of my visor. It tapered to points around the sides. With the visor down it was below my usual field of view. With the sun in my eyes all I had to do was raise the visor till the strip of tape shielded my eyes from the sun. Typically I'd only be doing about 50KmH at this point so having the visor up didn't matter. It allowed me to ride with my head at it's usual angle with both hands on the bars and no sun in the eyeballs.