Helmets Improvised helmet visor - ugly but functional

SFAlan

SFAlan

Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3
Location
Dallas, TX
Bike
ST and K1600
For those who don't have drop-down visors, what do you use as a replacement? Back in 2007 time frame, you could buy a "froglidz" which is a plastic piece that attaches to the inside lining with a velcro strip and a few useless screws. Nevertheless, it stays in place and provides excellent sun block when it's right in your eyes. The one you see pictured (attached to white helmet) is the one I ordered online in 2007. I should have bought a few more. They are no longer available. I recently tried to make my own by cutting a piece of thick rubber in a similar pattern. See red helmet. It works well, looks ugly, but is functional and stays in place. I'm not familiar with 3-D printing, but I assume a new froglidz could be made pretty easily. . What have others used for an improvised sun visor?


white helmet front.jpg white helmet inside.jpg20200809_135113.jpg20200809_134959.jpg
 
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Haven’t tried it yet, but have a friend who recommends electrical tape on the inside upper portion of the visor to accomplish the same “sunblock” function. One advantage of that is the visor can be raised, if necessary, to open up your sight window.
 
Interesting idea- maybe what the helmet manufacturers should consider is the internal visor and at the upper edge of it, either darker tint (like a thin band of 5% tint) or make it opaque. I have been riding in the early AM to beat the heat and as such, I often ride into the sun (ride north and east), which can be blinding.
 
I used Scotch 33+ black tape and the occasional branded logo designed to do the same thing. Now I just drop my Neotech's internal visor a bit for eye shade.
 
I have tape across the top of the visor and the internal sun visor.
I like blocking the sun when the visor is open so there is tape across the bottom that lines up as a block when in the first and second detects below fully open.
I can also block the sun reflection from my mirrors by tilting my head ever so slightly up.
171788D5-B019-4AFD-B497-C2F997EDF07C.jpeg
 
The one complaint I always hear from those who prefer open face to full (modular) helmets is that the viewing angle/area is too small.

So they do this work and engineering at the manufacturers, they try to increase the size of the viewing area... to make others happy... and then you put tape over? o_O
 
T_C said:
The one complaint I always hear from those who prefer open face to full (modular) helmets is that the viewing angle/area is too small.

So they do this work and engineering at the manufacturers, they try to increase the size of the viewing area... to make others happy... and then you put tape over? o_O
Click to expand...

When you've spent as many years as I have staring into the morning sunrise 5 days a week, anything that lets you put a barrier between you and direct sunlight is a welcome addition.

I took my open face helmet and put three strips of black electrical tape across the bottom of the face shield. That way, I can open the face shield and it's like having on a ball cap.

It's not about restricting vision, it's about giving yourself a tool to keep from seeing spots.
 
Never considered a sun visor like this and the tape on the shield is a great idea as well. I'm wondering if a piece of stick on window sunshade, like used on car windows to protect infants would work? Easily removable and can be re positioned? I used to have tinted shields for my old Shoei's but haven't spent the money yet on the new 1200. I really like the idea of the Transitions shield, but at $200 a pop, it stings a lot. Trapped behind prescription glasses, I need to find a solution eventually. Thankfully I ride West in the AM and East in the PM....

RT
 
rwthomas1 said:
Trapped behind prescription glasses, I need to find a solution eventually. Thankfully I ride West in the AM and East in the PM....

RT
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For the last decade, I'm not so lucky, riding 40 miles east at 6am and then reverse to head west at 6pm. I find a tinted/reflective shield and the internal sunshade help, but on some mornings the hand in front of the helmet is the only thing that works.
 
A scrap piece of automotive window tint, cut to fit, applied with moisture will adhere to the inside of your face shield where needed. Cut out several as they will fail in a high humidity environment.
 
T_C said:
For the last decade, I'm not so lucky, riding 40 miles east at 6am and then reverse to head west at 6pm. I find a tinted/reflective shield and the internal sunshade help, but on some mornings the hand in front of the helmet is the only thing that works.
Click to expand...

Ooh, man, that's rough. Not sure I'd subject myself to that regularly.
 
I buy a new helmet every three years, and as such, the last two helmets have had internal drop-down visors.

Prior to that I used exposed x-ray film (cut appropriately), then slid between liner and shell ... that way it's always in place regardless if the face shield is up or down.
 
This works better than tape. I tried that.

Order a Bell visor 520 (or similar) lots of sources.....
Remove the three snaps and add Velcro 1/2 inch sticky tape.
install like this.

I too drive into the sun twice every day.
Since the visor rim is in front of the plastic face shield, it shades just where you need to see through, and creates a nice narrow glare free window.
The Velcro allows you to adjust it to where is works best. Hope this helps.

visor_bell.jpg
 
T_C said:
and then you put tape over?
Click to expand...
It hasn't reduced the viewing area of any of my helmets - ever. It's above the area I normally view though and with a very slight tilt of my head the tape prevents me from being blinded by the light.

rwthomas1 said:
I'm wondering if a piece of stick on window sunshade, like used on car windows to protect infants would work?
Click to expand...
It wouldn't work for me unless it's opaque. Even with sunglasses under the Neotech's tinted visor I can get distracting near blinding glare when heading into the sun. So it's nice that a slight tip of the hat eliminates it with or without shields down.
 
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