SomeStrangeGuy

I've always ridden with smoked or clear visors. The Star has a clear. Before I can actually rock the thing, I need to get some smoke going on. So I am pretty sure a dark smoke is going in the shopping cart.

I've allowed myself to get 2 shields for it just so it really will work in any conditions. So this poll is to help me make up my mind. It's also to see what really works out there. I see about 12 different options for visors but really not sure why they exist...

Is the iridium coated stuff really cooler (temp wise) to wear than the smoked stuff? is it purely a cosmetic benefit?

At night/in the rain, are the yellow/orange shields better for these times?

I typically just order a dark smoke and call it a day...so tell me why I should consider something else.

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G-ForceJunkie

Clear and a clear...and sunglasses

SomeStrangeGuy

wtf it posts while I'm making the poll, damn I'm slow

Clear at all costs eh? interesting. I loves me sunglasses but try not to wear em under the helmet cause the polarization and bouncing light against the clear shield does odd things.

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SomeStrangeGuy

No one has voted yet, I cannot believe this.

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CBRVFR

One of them would have to feature this capability:

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SomeStrangeGuy

I can't pick on you after your contribution in the other thread

1 foolish ssg thread a day is my limit anyways, but I did wait till 12:03 to post the poll


I had to vote for other just so I can stop clicking on "view poll", so yes...my "other" is whatever is decided.

Maybe I should have started a thread called "who actually finds value in silver iridium, hi-viz orange or hi-viz yellow helmets?"

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HondaGalToo

I've heard some of the iridium ones are prone to scratching. Not sure if it's all of them or just certain brands. The yellow would be good for certain conditions, but I'd have that as a third shield. For me, clear by night, dark smoke by day...

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Baketech

Light smoke for night...and dark smoke for day...I add the sunglasses to the dark smoke if it's blazing sun...

Oh, did I mention, I have freakishly large pupils...

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DUX

I haven't taken my dark-smoke off in years.

I always wear some type of non-prescription glasses under my helmet b/c I often like to flip the visor up and have taken enough bugs to the eye to learn my lesson.

If it's bright outside I wear Serengettis (non-polarized,) which have the most amazing lenses I've ever experienced. I wear them all the time when flying, even in fog and rain. They are like going HD with your eyes.

If it's a getting dark or when I know I'll be out after dark, I make sure to have a pair of clear lenses with me. I found a cheap set of plastic glasses at a local bike shop that does a great job of keeping the wind out of my eyes. Instead of swapping the shield, which I hate doing on the Arai, I just keep it flipped up.

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08silvercbr

I have clear and dark smoke.

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seamus

I went with dark smoke and clear before. I found I didn't ride at night as much as I thought I would and the clear visor eventually wound up sitting on a shelf instead of being carried with me. On the occasions I needed the clear, I didn't have it and the dark smoke was too dark to ride with. Plus, dark smoke makes evening rides seem like it's midnight.

Light smoke can at least be ridden with at night without feeling like you're riding in a cave.


As for iridium visors, I've noticed that they appear to be jealous of clear visors and will take any chance they get to shed the coating. I don't know what the technical reasons are for putting the coating on the outside but it gets torn apart by bugs, rocks and cleaning.

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maxib

I only wear yellow when skeet shooting. I know...it looks funny, but it intimidates my opponent, particularly with the Kyonara dragon Shoei.

Otherwise, dark smoke. Clear if riding around dusk. I try hard to avoid riding at night due to large critters related to Bambi. As much as I try to cull those forest rats (camo visor for that) they keep coming back, so I gave up night riding altogether.

SomeStrangeGuy

You guys crack me up

But I appreciate the useful advice....I am glad to know not everyone owns hi-viz stuff, I feel better now . I also find it odd that the Yellow/Orange hi-viz's that would likely be worn in inclement weather - are not fog treated. The Light/Dark smoke & Clear are (on the Bell's).

I was thinking I will probably shed my flip-face Nolan (anyone interested?) and get one of those fixed face HJC's with the flipdown internal sunvisor for cold weather-ish commuting anyways, for when it gets dark and cold well before I head home.


Hey Z, you gonna comment on your hi-viz stuff er what?

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SomeStrangeGuy

I didn't miss this part, don't worry

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ND4SPD

I typically rode with the dark smoke shield all the time as long as I was staying close to civilization. Out on back country roads with no street lights I found the yellow visor to be beneficial, although it was hell on your eyes for a few seconds after removing the helmet when stopped.

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SomeStrangeGuy

Interesting...I did have yellow oakleys for awhile that I used to use at night that made life somewhat better-er, but noticed it more in the rain. I am curious what the Orange would be for.

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BizJetGuy

I voted dark smoke and clear. Dark smoke for bright days and clear in case of riding at night - can always put on sunglasses with the clear if it's too cloudy for the dark smoke.

My Nolan modular is pretty cool with the VPS - it's a clear visor with a dark flip-down segment that is about half-visor coverage. Keeps the sun in check and allows me to check the dash with clear.

Lay off the meth

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SheepOfBlue

Avoid the iridium. While it was great having a blue shield as it ages you get hot spots in your sight. Mine is still usable but I seldom do as the one or tow spots there is annoying. Also get a small bottle of Plexus and a clean rag in the south as there is a time at dusk that you will be covered with bugs and need to clean your shield. This just happens to be about 10 minutes after you change to clear

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BobcatSig

I actually have four or five different shields. But I primarily only use the dark smoke in the day. If its heavy overcast or raining during the day, I'll rock out with the light smoke. Night riding is always clear.

I have an iridium (Gold), but like most said, I find it to scratch easily and when that happens, the pits and scratches refract light and it can get annoying.

When I trail run or bike, I'll use a yellow or orange lens. Yellow for low light in the daytime and orange for partly cloudy days or if I'm in and out of the shadows a lot, say if I'm trail running or something.

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Baketech

It's the only thing that stops these darned bugs from itching my arms...

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SerialThriller

I only have clear shields because they're included with the helmet. Dark smoke all the time for me. I don't ride at night very often, and when I do it's in the city so visibility isn't a problem. I tried going with a clear shield and sunglasses, but they never seem to sit right in the helmet, plus I get reflections or something with them.

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seamus

Since you brought it up...check out the Scorpion EXO1000 too.

I think there might even be a review of that helmet on the board here somewhere...

BTW, I still have yet to find a way to fog up the visor on it.

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SomeStrangeGuy

I shall do that...

Though tonight, I am ordering me some shields
Helmetharbor.com seems to have the best pricing for the bell helmet visors ATM. (40$)

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CBR929RE

I have 4 different shields for my Suomy. The clear Iridium that came with the extreme does keep my face cooler and I have noticed none of the issues anyone else mentioned about iridium visors. I also have a regular clear, a dark smoke, a light smoke that used to be light smoke mirrored but they're dumb and it won't even stand up to water and light wiping so I cleaned off all the mirror, and I just got a blue mirror because it was free with the new helmet and I didn't like or need any of the other colors.

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ONEvcs

I'm going to wait 6 months to vote on this.

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SomeStrangeGuy

Good luck

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08silvercbr

so you are that guy..

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slickwill

I think I remember seeing on the top of the poll that it expires on June 5th.



I voted clear and dark smoke. I've worn yellow lenses for night skiing, never liked them as much as clear. It might make some things appear brighter but it still has a lower level of light transmission. More light = better IMHO. The only time that I still consistently wear yellow lenses is for trap/skeet/sporting clays when shooting orange clays in overcast sky. The yellow does seem to help light up the orange but only when slightly overcast. If it's bright sun then I switch to my dark lenses. I do most of my day skiing in overcast skies wearing what Smith calls RC36. Kinda a pink/orange tint lens that does seem to help give more definition to the snow. Again in bright sun on the slopes I switch to dark lenses. I have the RC36 color for both my sunglasses and my ski goggles but the RC36 never gets used in the sunglasses. If it's overcast or snowing then I'm wearing the goggles. If the sun comes out then I just pull the goggles and switch to the sunglasses with the mirrored dark lenses. So even though I have three choices for my sunglasses I only ever use the yellow and dark. If I had clear lenses for the sunglasses (on the to do list) then I probably wouldn't wear the yellow as much.

Riding I haven't found the need at all for any middle ground. Clear if it's really raining or dark. Dark smoke the other 95% of my riding.

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SomeStrangeGuy

Well put.

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seamus

Are there any eye docs on this board, we need a technical answer for why dark smoke is actually bad for your eyes...

Does the dark smoke visor have a UV blocking coating? If not, you're actually opening your pupils and letting more of that garbage into your eye holes. Learned that in flight school. Believe the recommended max shade without UV block is 15% (right about the light smoke range).


I think that fits into the "changing a lightbulb" thread...

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