The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

I live in the North of England. At this time of year the sun is low on the horizon. We have had a lot of clear cloudless days lately and the sunshine can be blinding. I had a near miss yesterday when a driver pulled out right in front of me. She said she could not see me because of the Sun in her eyes! I had a helmet with white stripes, high viz vest, headlights on, you will no doubt have experienced something similar. I was invisible!!! Just as well my emergency stop was good enough and the pcx brakes worked just fine!
So my question is this: what are the best ways to shade your eyes from the Sun?
A built in dark visor that flips down inside your helmet?
Good sunglasses?
A deep peak on your helmet, or does a peak catch the wind too much and strain your neck after a while?
A combination of the above.?
I have used sunglasses but find I still need a peak for shading my eyes. Before I invest in a fancy new helmet I thought you guys might have some thoughts on the subject.

Brian wrote:I live in the North of England

No need to apologise

My eyes are very light-sensitive. My Scorpion Exo-500 helmet came with a flip-down sun visor, but even with that down, I still need sunglasses some days, because the visor is not very dark. (Which reminds me...I should look into a darker replacement...but enough about me.) I think the visor that came in my helmet would be adequate for most people who aren't overly light-sensitive.

Kermit wrote:My eyes are very light-sensitive. My Scorpion Exo-500 helmet came with a flip-down sun visor, but even with that down, I still need sunglasses some days, because the visor is not very dark. (Which reminds me...I should look into a darker replacement...but enough about me.) I think the visor that came in my helmet would be adequate for most people who aren't overly light-sensitive.

I'm the whitest of the white too. Any strong sunlight is a real pain. Especially if you love the sun

I just use a heavily tinted visor works perfectly

i wear a motocross style enduro helmet with a peak type visor when i am going to be riding at a time and direction that will have the sun in my eyes. the UVEX Enduro helmet is a good one for the money and you can easily remove the peak visor if you want to.

http://www.fc-moto.de/Helmets/Uvex-Helmets/Uvex-Enduro

I use dark sunglasses plus the drop down dark visor. I also have a deep peak in my visor which has holes in it because a solid one catches the wind when I ride. My wife had a solid one on her helmet and took it off because of that. From what you have said, you aren't the one that has the problem seeing. My sun glasses are prescription and darken as condition get brighter, though they never go backwards to clear, just back to normal sunglasses.

I use a dark, mirrored face shield on my helmet and added a one inch strip of dark car window tint film along the top edge of the shield. The tint film is above eye level so I don't look through it but it really lessens the glare from the sun.

A good pair of polarized sunglasses under my helmet. They cut the glare, as well. We live at a sub-tropical latitude - plenty of sun year 'round. I also spend considerable time on the water; the polarized sunglasses are essential.

When approaching a vehicle with the sun behind me (they are looking into the sun), I flash my brights and cover the brakes. 20 years ago, a guy in a pickup left turned in front of my motorcycle... crushed up a perfectly good Harley, and I spent a couple months healing and doing physical therapy. His excuse: "The sun was in my eyes." The truth: we had eye contact, and he gunned it, thinking he could get across in front of me. He got the ticket, his insurance paid for my medical bills and the bike... I paid the price for months.

Make sure YOU can see, and make sure the distracted, the indifferent, and the dumbasses can see you! Staring into the sun (you or them) is as bad as dark or low visibility - slow down for the conditions.

Jim

I also use sunglasses and the flip down visor in my Neotec helmet. however, when the sun is low in the sky, that just isn't enough and I feel it is quite dangerous because I cant see cars and traffic lights. I think this is what the OP is talking about. driving with my hand held up is better than not seeing but the best solution for me is to wear a helmet with a motocross style peak visor for those conditions.

Kermit wrote:My Scorpion Exo-500 helmet came with a flip-down sun visor, but even with that down, I still need sunglasses some days, because the visor is not very dark. (Which reminds me...I should look into a darker replacement...but enough about me.) I think the visor that came in my helmet would be adequate for most people who aren't overly light-sensitive.

I have the same helmet, and then picked up a replacement face shield that was tinted smoke. Using that alone has helped ride on sunny days even without the visor, but when it's *really* bright, bringing the visor down sort of doubles the glare protection. I know you can get an even darker replacement shield too, but the smoke works pretty well. But as for direct sun low on the horizon, I'm not sure there's much of anything that can be used.

dustin91 wrote: I have the same helmet, and then picked up a replacement face shield that was tinted smoke. Using that alone has helped ride on sunny days even without the visor, but when it's *really* bright, bringing the visor down sort of doubles the glare protection. I know you can get an even darker replacement shield too, but the smoke works pretty well. But as for direct sun low on the horizon, I'm not sure there's much of anything that can be used.

Cool. Thanks!

CaptnJim wrote:A good pair of polarized sunglasses under my helmet. They cut the glare, as well. We live at a sub-tropical latitude - plenty of sun year 'round. I also spend considerable time on the water; the polarized sunglasses are essential.

When approaching a vehicle with the sun behind me (they are looking into the sun), I flash my brights and cover the brakes. 20 years ago, a guy in a pickup left turned in front of my motorcycle... crushed up a perfectly good Harley, and I spent a couple months healing and doing physical therapy. His excuse: "The sun was in my eyes." The truth: we had eye contact, and he gunned it, thinking he could get across in front of me. He got the ticket, his insurance paid for my medical bills and the bike... I paid the price for months.

Make sure YOU can see, and make sure the distracted, the indifferent, and the dumbasses can see you! Staring into the sun (you or them) is as bad as dark or low visibility - slow down for the conditions.

Jim

Tbh I would have thought you were flashing me out of the junction

Brian wrote:I live in the North of England. At this time of year the sun is low on the horizon. We have had a lot of clear cloudless days lately and the sunshine can be blinding. I had a near miss yesterday when a driver pulled out right in front of me. She said she could not see me because of the Sun in her eyes! I had a helmet with white stripes, high viz vest, headlights on, you will no doubt have experienced something similar. I was invisible!!! Just as well my emergency stop was good enough and the pcx brakes worked just fine!
So my question is this: what are the best ways to shade your eyes from the Sun?
A built in dark visor that flips down inside your helmet?
Good sunglasses?
A deep peak on your helmet, or does a peak catch the wind too much and strain your neck after a while?
A combination of the above.?
I have used sunglasses but find I still need a peak for shading my eyes. Before I invest in a fancy new helmet I thought you guys might have some thoughts on the subject.

move to thailand.......

hatari wrote:

Brian wrote:I live in the North of England. At this time of year the sun is low on the horizon. We have had a lot of clear cloudless days lately and the sunshine can be blinding. I had a near miss yesterday when a driver pulled out right in front of me. She said she could not see me because of the Sun in her eyes! I had a helmet with white stripes, high viz vest, headlights on, you will no doubt have experienced something similar. I was invisible!!! Just as well my emergency stop was good enough and the pcx brakes worked just fine!
So my question is this: what are the best ways to shade your eyes from the Sun?
A built in dark visor that flips down inside your helmet?
Good sunglasses?
A deep peak on your helmet, or does a peak catch the wind too much and strain your neck after a while?
A combination of the above.?
I have used sunglasses but find I still need a peak for shading my eyes. Before I invest in a fancy new helmet I thought you guys might have some thoughts on the subject.

move to thailand.......

Sounds like a plan. We'd miss the wind, rain, salt ...

Where's my passport

CaptnJim wrote:A good pair of polarized sunglasses under my helmet.

I second this! Polarized sunglasses work way better than just sunglasses.

I use a Bell MAG-9 Sena. Removeable visor with internal drop-down tinted half-size faceshield (also has full-size exterior clear faceshield). I wear with my progressive-darkening prescription glasses. Works great.

Beware of the Hun in the sun.

Best,
Bash On

maddiedog wrote:

CaptnJim wrote:A good pair of polarized sunglasses under my helmet.

I second this! Polarized sunglasses work way better than just sunglasses.

100 bags of cement. IOW 100% Polarized is the way to go.

Ouu..yeah, late in the day when that fall sun is low? I swear it seeks me out and then we're face-to-face. (BB&B) Big! Bright! Blinding White light! Yowza! My senses go to peek time! If I am anywhere near home, (at White Time), it's where I go. Ok, Enough scaredy cat chat.
I sport a Shoei FF with dark smoke shield (gets exchanged to clear when needed). Mosts times that works spot on, but when that White Sun looks me in the eye? it's Not enough. Sunglasses get added to the mix. Just Gotta be Extra extra careful. Observe!!
But, ain't it beautiful with the fall foliage, wow just Amazing!

Hi folks, Havent been on the forum for quite a while, too busy working.
I live in the North of England too and like Brian, I have the same problem with the low sun especially in the mornings. I have a flip up helmet and I find that when the front is raised, it acts like a peak in a simmillar way to the motocross helmets. Its fine when tootling around minor roads at slower speeds, but you really need to put the front down when its safe for you to go faster. Wouldnt like to come off with it raised though, so be careful. Incidentally, does anyone know if it is illegal in the UK to ride with your helmet front raised up. I can remember reading something along those lines years ago.

Two words: ELECTRICAL TAPE.

I put a strip of electrical tape across the top of my visor. When I'm riding into a low sun, I tilt my head down slightly so the strip covers the sun, but I'm still able to see the road. Some manufacturers sells similar dark strips (basically a tinted band) but I have found that electrical tape works just as well. It's an easy, cheap solution.