[FlyinFinn]

I've got a Arai Quantum II with a clear shield. This is my first time with street riding. I am wondering if the clear shield will cause problems with sun glare and maybe get too hot on sunny days. I'm thinking a smoke lens or mirror finish lens may be a little better on the bright, sunny days. However, I think I'd have some problems seeing if I had to ride at night. Let me know what color of lens you prefer and what you think about the mirror finish.

 

[Guest]

I use a smoked shield during the day, and a clear at night. Even with the smoked the sun is still kinda bright riding directly into it. If I know I'll be riding at night I'll wear the clear with some sunglasses on. Never really cared for the mirrored shields.

 

[RayOSV]

Dark smoke during the day, clear at night. You really can't see at night with a tinted shield. I can look directly into the sun if necessary with dark smoke and still see fine. The only issue is riding from bright sun to deep shadow. It takes a second for your eyes to adjust. Someone once recommended closing one eye a couple of seconds before leaving the bright patch and opening it when entering the deep shade. It works if you remember to do it.

Never had one, but many say that the mirror shields scratch easily. I also think that the mirror shields only add bling factor and don't help any more with glare. The dark smoke tints are a neutral grey which doesn't cause color shifts. YMMV.

 

[KevinCBR1k]

I've had my mirror shield for about a week now and I'm still undecided....
It reduced the brightness and glare of the sun very well, still can't look directly at the sun, but then again I don't need to. My main problem with my shield is that if I'm riding due north or south, and the sun is entering my helmet from the side, it brightens my face and causes an irritating reflection of myself in my shield, which makes it hard to see at times.... Not sure if I'd have this problem with the smoked shield or not. I do dig the look though.

Oh, and not having the anti-fog coating like the clear shield (EXO-700) kinda blows.

 

[Tiroler00]

I have a KBC Force S (Airborne Edition) Helmet and I use the Blue Chrome (Mirrored) shield. Overall I am very happy with it. At times I do experience the glare as Kevin described but it doesn't bother me too much (I just look trough the glare). It is true that mirrored shields scratch rather easily but if you take good care of it it'll be no issue. The mirrored shield helps nicely during bright, sunny days. I even use this shield at night when I ride to work but only since it is almost exclusively trough town. I wouldn't use it at night if I was riding somewhere else.

 

[RayOSV]

I have never experienced glare of any kind with a Shoei dark smoke shield.

 

[21 natas]

I use a dark smoked shield and it's fine in the daytime, sucks at night but I don't ride at night that often.

 

[OFFICER737]

I run the dark smoke on my Arai Corsair during the day time and switch to clear at night. If the roads are lit with street lights the night riding isn't that bad to me but we are kinda used to it around here. I got caught after dark running the Dragon with the dark tint and went all the way to Townsend with it down and though it made things darker I just had to pay more attention to my surroundings beyond the the fog lines.

 

[bzbatl]

Arai shields are super simple to swap out. If you know you're riding late, carry your clear with you. I stick mine under my seat with a padded protector around it.

 

[Tiroler00]

bzbatl, what bike are you riding that you can fit the shield under your seat? I ride a FZ6 but I don't think I could fit the shield under the seat.

 

[OFFICER737]

bzbatl, what bike are you riding that you can fit the shield under your seat? I ride a FZ6 but I don't think I could fit the shield under the seat.

he rides a Ducati Supersport.


I can't fit one under the seat/trunk on my Daytona either.

 

[firefighter81]

Also, in most places I know of, riding with any sort of a tinted shield after dark is illegal and you can be ticketed for it. So just be careful wearing one if there is a chance you will be out past dark.

I find that a clear shield and sunglasses is just fine.

 

[Mitch F]

careful, i know that it's illegal to wear dark faceshields here in WA, dont know about down there

EDIT: didnt see the other post, my bad. just tryin to help! :bitchslap

 

[Hagios]

Never had one, but many say that the mirror shields scratch easily. I also think that the mirror shields only add bling factor and don't help any more with glare. The dark smoke tints are a neutral grey which doesn't cause color shifts. YMMV.

They do scratch easily. I tried a mirrored and a non-mirrored dark smoke out while at a (particularly cool--let me try out shit like this ) shop. The mirrored DEFINITELY has less glare. You can't tell from the inside of the helmet if it's mirrored or not, but the mirrored visor had no glare spotes nomatter which way I turned my head, whereas the dark smoke had an annoying spot somewhere in my FOV at almost all times.

 

[Scud]

They do scratch easily. I tried a mirrored and a non-mirrored dark smoke out while at a (particularly cool--let me try out shit like this ) shop. The mirrored DEFINITELY has less glare. You can't tell from the inside of the helmet if it's mirrored or not, but the mirrored visor had no glare spotes nomatter which way I turned my head, whereas the dark smoke had an annoying spot somewhere in my FOV at almost all times.

Wierd, what brand of helmet was that on? I've never had any issues with glare on my dark smoke Arai shield.

 

[WAYNEG601]

I have a Joe Rocket jacket and it has a pocket on the inside for a extra face shield so when the sun goes down i swap out!

 

[tendar]

Clear shield and sunglasses as I go to work in the after noon and go home around midnight so dont feel like changing shield every day. If your worried about glare get Polarized sunglasses good ones like Oakleys

 

[MT Wallet]

If you use a smoked shield, be sure to wear sunglasses underneath because I don't think most block out any Ultraviolet light.