Once you have purchased the right type of motorcycle helmet for yourself then the next thing that you must be looking for is a visor. But do you know how many motorcycle helmet visor types are there? Do you know which type of visor is best for a helmet for day and night rides?

Don’t worry, you will find answers to all these questions in this article. I will not only tell you about the types of visors for motorcycle helmets but I will also share their pros and cons with you. As a result, you will be able to decide which one is the best for you.

So let’s get started!

Motorcycle Helmet Visor Types

There are basically three motorcycle helmet visor types:
1) Clear visor
2) Smoked visor
3) Mirror/mercury/iridium visor

So without any further ado, let me tell you about all the types of motorcycle helmet visors that are available in the market.

There are three kinds of helmet visors that you can buy these days i.e. clear, smoked, and mirrored visor.

Let us look at them one by one in detail.

Clear Motorcycle Helmet Visor

The most basic motorcycle helmet visor type is the clear visor. As its name suggests, it does not have any type of coating and you can see clearly through it from any side.

Almost all the new helmets these days come fitted with a clear visor by default. It does not matter whether you buy a helmet under 2000 or an expensive helmet, you will get a clear visor with it by default.

The biggest benefit of wearing a helmet with a clear visor is that it does not hamper your visibility at all. You can clearly see the road no matter whether it is day or night.

Clear motorcycle helmet visors are considered to be the best for night rides. However, during sunny days they do not protect your eyes and face from harmful UV rays at all.

I don’t know about you but my eyes really start to feel fatigued if I ride for a couple of hours on a sunny day with a clear visor.

Also, a clear helmet visor does not really compliment the overall aesthetics of the helmet. They make the helmet look quite basic even if you are wearing an expensive good looking helmet.

Mirrored Motorcycle Helmet Visors

These motorcycle helmet visor types are also called mercury or iridium motorcycle helmet visors.

As their name suggests, they have a mirror coating on one side of the visor. Therefore you can only see through them from one side. As a result, the rider can see through them but anyone looking at the rider will not be able to see the rider’s face. And will only be able to see the reflection of the road on the helmet.

Unlike clear visors, mirrored helmet visors are considered to be the best for sunny days. The biggest advantage of mercury visors is that they don’t let much light or UV rays filter through them. As a result, they offer the maximum protection to the rider’s face and eyes from harmful UV rays.

If you want to ride on sunny days for long hours then mirrored motorcycle helmet visors are the best.

However, they are the worst when it comes to riding in the dark or nighttime. Since they don’t let much light pass through them therefore they just don’t offer enough visibility during the night time.

If I have to share my experience then they literally made me blind at times when there were no street lights on the road. I will personally never prefer them while riding in the dark.

Having said that, when it comes to the aesthetic appeal of a motorcycle helmet then mirrored visors are the best. They make your helmet look visually appealing to all. And if you wear the whole riding suit with them then they will make you look savage.

Smoked Motorcycle Helmet Visor

The last type of motorcycle helmet visor is the smoked visor. You can also call them black helmet visors because they look blacked out.

These helmet visors sit in between the clear visors and the mirrored visors. They are not as transparent as clear visors but they are also not as reflective or opaque as mirrored visors.

Smoked motorcycle helmet visor types offer good protection against harmful UV rays during the day. They are not as efficient as mirrored visors but they are far better than the clear visors.

And when it comes to riding in the night/dark, they offer decent visibility if street lights are present. However, in the absence of street lights, they don’t offer much visibility. And once you compare them with clear visors then you will see marginal difference in the visibility.

Apart from the visibility, if we talk about looks then I think they don’t look as good as mirrored visors. Having said that, they look far better than clear visors and on some helmets, they even look better than mercury visors.

Mercury Visor Vs Smoke Visor

Smoke Visor Vs Clear Visor

Which Type Of Visors For Motorcycle Helmets Is The Best?

Now that you know about all the types of motorcycle helmet visors, the question that you must be wondering is: Which type of visors for motorcycle helmets is the best?

Well, the answer to this question is none. None of the motorcycle helmet visors available in the market is the best. All types of visors come with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Some are good for day rides and some are good for night rides. While some offer aesthetic appeal to your helmet, on the other hand, some make your helmet look basic.

Getting everything in one type of helmet visor is not possible and therefore saying this one is the best is not possible yet.

Having said that, out of all the types of helmet visors available, smoked visors seem to offer a good balance. They add visual appeal to your motorcycle, offer good UV rays protection, and also offer decent visibility in the dark.

However, if there is no street light and you solely have to rely on your motorcycle headlight then they don’t offer much visibility either.

I personally faced this issue a lot and was searching for a helmet that could have a clear and smoked visor at the same time. And my search finally ended with the Axor Apex Seadevil. It is one of the best helmets under 5000 and comes with a clear visor by default, but it also has a hidden smoked visor that can be activated and deactivated using a slider.

When I ride during the day then I activate the smoked visor to stay protected from the sun. And when I ride in the night then I deactivate the smoked visor and use the clear visor. I am now having the best of both worlds.

This helmet also comes certified with DOT, ECE, and ISI. Therefore it has the highest motorcycle helmet safety rating as well. Not only this but the Axor Apex series also comes with different cool and funky graphics as well.

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If you want to know more about this helmet then you can see my Axor Apex Seadevil and MT Hummer Code Gloss comparison video below.

FAQs

Are Motorcycle Helmet Visors Universal?

No, motorcycle helmet visors are not universal. Depending on the shape, size, and manufacturer of the helmet, visors come in different shapes and sizes. A visor for a particular helmet will only fit that helmet.

What Are Motorcycle Helmet Visors Made Of?

Motorcycle helmet visors are mainly made up of polycarbonate. It is a kind of plastic material that offers great flexibility, strength, resistance, and visibility.

Is Smoke Visor Good For Night?

Yes, the smoke visor can be good for the night. They offer decent visibility if there are street lights on the road. However, in the absence of street lights, they don’t offer good visibility.

How To Put Or Remove The Motorcycle Helmet Visor?

Putting or removing motorcycle helmet visors is different for different helmets. Almost all helmet manufacturers use a quick release mechanism for their helmets. However, there is some difference in their mechanism.

Best Helmet Visor For Day And Night?

No helmet visor is best for day and night. However, you can use a smoked visor if you want. It offers good protection against the sun during the day and also offers decent visibility during the night.