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Dismantled.Repaired.
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2011
Total Posts : 6

Posted 6/6/2011 8:51 PM (GMT -7)

I live in Florida, so I need something to block the sun from my eyes when I'm riding. What would everybody recommend: a good pair of sunglasses or a tinted visor?

el SID
merely a man equipped with a bag a seedless grapes

Date Joined Nov 2010
Total Posts : 1947

Posted 6/7/2011 12:09 AM (GMT -7)

Visor for me I have two helmets so one is clear other smoked

the best bike out.... is the one your on...

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1996 honda vfr

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1998 suzuki rm 125

Gone in 60
Lone Commuter of the Apocalypse

Date Joined Jan 2008
Total Posts : 657

Posted 6/7/2011 10:57 AM (GMT -7)

Not too long ago, I got a helmet (HJC, but pretty much everyone makes one) that has a retractible dark sun visor that drops down in front of your eyes. Very convenient for both day and night.

Work to ride, Ride to work
Honda VTX 1300R & 750 Nighthawk

GAJ
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2007
Total Posts : 6845

Posted 6/7/2011 11:59 AM (GMT -7)

Sunglasses for me.

In Florida you're going to find yourself riding with the visor fully open quite a bit of the time I would guess.

wrath186
There's something in your eye. Here let me get it

Date Joined Jun 2003
Total Posts : 880

Posted 6/7/2011 1:09 PM (GMT -7)

I use both. I have a dark visor on my regular everyday helmet and I wear sunglasses. If I'm going to be out riding at night then I'll have a clear visor in my helmet and switch the sunglasses out for yellow nighttime glasses. I find that the wind dries my contacts out something fierce so sunglasses with the helmet solve the problem for me.

so I drink it...

Smitty
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 22123

Posted 6/11/2011 4:03 PM (GMT -7)

Sun glasses of different shades ARE the answer though I once had a dark smoked one & it was usless as the clouds came about, compared to a clear along with variations of sun glasses which make it easy on the eyes. Going against the sun or not.

Remember all the others on the road are crazy & out to kill you.

RaptorFA
'11 Suzuki GSX1250FA

Date Joined Jun 2011
Total Posts : 493

Posted 6/21/2011 11:33 PM (GMT -7)

I use both depending on my mood, but more the dark visor. I also have a Scorpion EXO-1000 that has the inner visor system which works reeeeally well. With the EXO you can ride into sunrises or sunsets and make the adjustment with the flip of a lever. This makes the EXO a bit heavier though, so there is a trade-off there. I think if that lid were a bit more stable from an aero standpoint I would use it much more...

Regards -

RaptorFA

Play Hard, Ride Safe

louemc
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 17483

Posted 6/22/2011 10:33 AM (GMT -7)

Dismantled.Repaired. said...
I live in Florida, so I need something to block the sun from my eyes when I'm riding. What would everybody recommend: a good pair of sunglasses or a tinted visor?

Depends on the time of day/night.

Tinted visor (actually visor on a helmet is like a bill on a cap, what Your asking about is face shield the plastic you look through) turns to, your blind at night (most usually) Sun glasses you take off, when it's too dark out for them.

Again..the MX helmet really works fully open at the face (for protective glasses to go into that opening) and a chin bar to protect the face, and a visor to block the Sun, yet....while the air passes freely.

But what Evah.

Focus the forces, Be The Force

Post Edited (louemc) : 6/22/2011 5:38:08 PM GMT

RedDog
Retired SportBike Bum

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 13635

Posted 6/30/2011 12:36 AM (GMT -7)

Depends if you wear glasses or not. I do so for me, I always have a pair of clear and tinted with me in a special bag that Momma Hen made for super easy swap.

I mean, it's so cool to ride with dark tinted faceshield - just know when you should swap.

RedDog

Think Ahead! Travel Light & Leave Your Fears Behind You!

Normal People Scare me! Travel Light and Leave Your Fears Behind You!

Well Enuff
--- Regaining my sanity --- one ride at time

Date Joined Jul 2006
Total Posts : 1925

Posted 6/30/2011 5:09 AM (GMT -7)

Gone in 60 said...
Not too long ago, I got a helmet (HJC, but pretty much everyone makes one) that has a retractible dark sun visor that drops down in front of your eyes. Very convenient for both day and night.

Absolutely... go retractable. Change on the go. Case closed [for me].

Purdue87
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2008
Total Posts : 37

Posted 6/30/2011 11:32 AM (GMT -7)

I have that hjc with the tinted visor, not dark enough for sunrise or sunset. I do not use a dark visor because its dark out when I leave for work.

1999 Honda VT750 ACE
Ride your own ride.....

excitebiker
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2011
Total Posts : 6

Posted 6/30/2011 11:52 AM (GMT -7)

I am on board with the sun glasses of different shades. They have felt the best and worked the best for me.

RaptorFA
'11 Suzuki GSX1250FA

Date Joined Jun 2011
Total Posts : 493

Posted 7/19/2011 11:21 PM (GMT -7)

Well Enuff said...

Absolutely... go retractable. Change on the go. Case closed [for me].

Yup, the ol' EXO proved its metal again today. I got caught working late and I had to start the ride home looking right into that last bit of Sun before it dips away into the dusk. I just flipped the inner visor up, enjoyed a great sunset and welcomed the night over a straightup freeway cruise.

Regards -

RaptorFA

Play Hard, Ride Safe

Deacon Blues
The Imaginary Director

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 2946

Posted 9/3/2011 1:06 PM (GMT -7)

I carried a spare faceshield for the KBC Vr1, in a lined belt case that I wore under the jacket, around my ribs. Then I'd swap it out - smoked shield in daytime, clear at night.

I also wore dark sunglasses for when it was REALLY bright out, and carried an amber pair for added contrast on foggy or overcast mornings.

Of course now, I have to wear glasses to drive/ride, so may end up getting a set of prescription glasses that do the "darken in full light" trick.

-------
Don't let Frank see that, or he'll make us put it in the movie.

Treefort
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2006
Total Posts : 2468

Posted 9/9/2011 6:59 PM (GMT -7)

Because I wear glasses, I have, and frequently carry, both a dark and a clear visor.

As far as sunglasses vs a tinted visor, I'd say buy both and see which you like better.

War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.

Jimmy Carter

martinjmpr
08 Triumph Scrambler

Date Joined Jun 2003
Total Posts : 4681

Posted 9/30/2011 7:13 AM (GMT -7)

Sunglasses. The advantage is, they can be taken off at night. I don't like messing with a face shield when I don't have to. Also, as GAJ said, with sunglasses you can flip the face shield up during the day to let air in. That's important on a hot day.

Final note: If you have problems riding in Spring/Winter/Fall with the sun being so low, just put a 1" strip of duct tape across the top of your face shield. It will work exactly like a visor to block the low sunlight from being right in your eyes. Put it high enough so it doesn't interfere with normal vision and you won't even know it's there until you need it. I've been doing this for years and it works great.

If you're really concerned about it getting in your way, you could even put a little "tab" on one end allowing you to tear it off with one hand. I always put in such a tab but to be honest in 5+ years I've never had to tear off my tape strip.

Martin

Englewood, CO (Denver suburb)

UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) Fanatic

Previous Bikes: '69 Honda CL450; '74 Honda CB750; '83 Honda 550 Nighthawk; '92 Yamaha Virago 1100; '83 Yamaha Maxim 750; '84 Kawasaki ZN700 LTD; '01 Triumph Thunderbird 900; '82 Kawasaki Spectre 750

Deacon Blues
The Imaginary Director

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 2946

Posted 9/30/2011 12:54 PM (GMT -7)

When I picked up the RT, the previous owner gave me one of his helmets. He'd applied a stripe of smoke-tinted plastic across the top of the visor, which worked out very well as a sunshade.

I hate the helmet (it's rather cheesy), but I like the idea and will probably do the same thing on whatever I end up buying to replace it.

As for sunglasses - I'd have to buy prescription, which will be expen$ive.

"Lane splitting will never be accepted in those areas where driving is considered a martial art."

Richard47
Registered Member

Date Joined Sep 2004
Total Posts : 5552

Posted 9/30/2011 1:12 PM (GMT -7)

Did it today. Not very elegant perhaps but very effective. It will last until I can afford one of those nice Scorpion helmets with built in sun visors. I should have done it before, it would have saved one or two buttock clenching moments.

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martinjmpr
08 Triumph Scrambler

Date Joined Jun 2003
Total Posts : 4681

Posted 10/12/2011 7:00 AM (GMT -7)

Richard47 said...
Did it today. Not very elegant perhaps but very effective. It will last until I can afford one of those nice Scorpion helmets with built in sun visors. I should have done it before, it would have saved one or two buttock clenching moments.

In the Army we used to have a saying: "If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid." smilewinkgrin

I got one of those "super-visor" sun visors and took it off almost immediately. The wind catches that thing like crazy. The tape strip gives you all the advantages of a visor but none of the drawbacks. I'm a little surprised they don't just sell visors with the strip already in place, although maybe the problem is that not everybody wears their helmet the same way so the strip has to be in a slightly different place for each rider.

Martin

Englewood, CO (Denver suburb)

UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) Fanatic

RaptorFA
'11 Suzuki GSX1250FA

Date Joined Jun 2011
Total Posts : 493

Posted 10/25/2011 12:04 PM (GMT -7)

I would say that is a good point, Martin. In this case I would suspect that one size doesn't fit all!

@Richard, I think you did a nice job with that strip! The main thing is that it works. The Scorpion EXO-1000 is an excellent product at a great price point; I love mine. And now the EXO-1100 is out which is even better. Granted, they are a bit heavier than a conventional helmet but they work so well it's worth the trade-off IMO. HJC also makes a very nice helmet of this type as well but I am partial to the Scorpion brand. I was looking at the Schuberth C3 also but it was just too expensive for my liking. This helmet seems to be very popular with the BMW crowd. Plus I'm not into modular helmets, either. having said that, the Schuberth has an excellent feature set for a helmet of this type including Comm options so it may be worth taking a look at. Very much a top-of-the-line piece.

Regards -

RaptorFA

Play Hard, Ride Safe

ZX Rider
Triumph guy

Date Joined May 2010
Total Posts : 485

Posted 10/27/2011 6:30 PM (GMT -7)

Duct tape to block the sun, works wonders and can move it around whenver needed.

Asphalt, the greatest tattoo remover.

bikersmith
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2011
Total Posts : 2

Posted 11/1/2011 6:59 AM (GMT -7)

Depends...I use both depending on the condition out. Sunglasses may make more sense for you being in Florida, but a good helmet with a sun visor would be great to have as well. Personally I would recommend both. Like I said, all depends on my mood and the condition out.

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