Visor Inserts, If you wear one beware!

[t-c]

I don't know if you are aware, but a few weeks ago, one of the major manufacturers and one of the major distributors were fined a total of over £14,000 + over £1,500 each in costs for selling and distributing visor inserts that failed to let in sufficient ambient light.

They were prosecuted on the findings of a silver, gold and blue insert which were found to let in between 3.2 and 7.8% of the ambient light, but the manufacturer was also prosecuted for false representation as they claimed it cut out 50% of the ambient light when in fact it was nearer 96%.

This ruling in simple terms has virtually outlawed the production and sale of visor inserts as it also affects the normal dark tint visor type.

The main issue is on light transmission and colour recognition, and I have just had a call from Bob Heath (some of you may know him as the visor manufacturer) himself and who I have known for some time about this ruling.

The dark visor inserts allow 20% light transmission and complies with all colour recognition tests in respect of category 2 of the light filter requirements, and fits in with the EN1938/98 regs which allows 20% light transmission for motorcycle goggles (that is black), but Trading Standards used the 4110 standard as its comparison not realising that other regulations also applied, (I had a very interesting conversation with trading standards).

So all being well, and with my/our help we are going to challenge this ruling and hopefully get part of the ruling overturned so that motorcyclists can still use reasonable means to protect their eyes when riding in bright conditions legally.

As a by the by, the prosecution of the silver, gold and blue inserts was absolutely right under regulation 15(1) of the general product safety regulations 1994, but it has a knock on affect for everything else as well regardless of colour.

It will be interesting, and I will keep you posted as to how things progress!

[stooz]

its a silly rule, but some people take the piss, so you have to legislate, effecting all.

Of course , you can just get a fogcity optix insert which changes with the light....

[cazzo]

Of course if they allowed 'proper' dark visors then we would know exactly what we were getting and probably wouldn't bother with stick in films which, IMHO, are crap.

However I'm sure the helmet manufacturers dark visors (Arai etc) are made to a known, tested standard but sadly our 'numpty' rulers outlaw them and would prefer us to be dazzled in bright sunlight or wear cheap sunglasses inside our lids.

BTW I know an optician who was horrified when I told him that dark visors are illegal and that we are allowed to damage our eyesight due to the stupid rules.

[Mad Dave]

Ive got a Progrip light sensitive blue insert in my clear visor, but found it too dark at night, despite being sensitive.

So, I just bought a genuine AGV iridium blue tinted visor for £39 from racevisors.co.uk. It looks the nuts, shields my eyes, and I can easily carry my clear one around in case it gets dark or I get stopped.

[bu5t4]

I have got a chrome visor for my HJC helmet that I bought from the states and its great. The amount of light it stops isnt fantastic but works well on bright days. Especially since in Scotland we gets these great days where it rains and is sunny at the same time and the roads just dazzle you.

I also carry a clear visor with me all the time as the weather can chage very quickly here and I dont have a fog city in it which you really need as it fogs up very quickly if it rains.

[B19 JAE]

I tried a few one o me favz woz the OGK system of rip off but din rekon much to th helmet so got Arai rvv4 o summut wi one o those fog city inserts that changes with the lite an its brilliant