5 Tips on How to Deal With Sun Glare While Riding
If you’ve recently discovered the many joys and benefits of riding a motorcycle, you’re in good company. Millions of people transition to the biker lifestyle each year and join the millions who have already been part of the biker community for quite some time. There’s nothing quite like feeling the sun on your shoulders and the wind on your face as you roar through traffic. Few experiences can compare to riding up a winding mountain road after dark and gazing down at the lights of a city below. Somehow, it makes you feel larger than life and impossibly small at the same time.
On the Other Side of the Situation
Of course, despite all the good points of riding, certain challenges also enter the mix. People in passenger vehicles just don’t bother to look for motorcycles, so having a massive truck or SUV change lanes on top of you is a constant problem. Potholes and debris on the road that wouldn’t phase a standard vehicle can be incredibly dangerous as well. At the same time, thwarting glare from the sun while riding sometimes seems impossible. While you can’t alter people’s mindsets or change the conditions of the roads, you can certainly do something to mitigate glare.
1) Try High-Def Goggles
Several types of high-definition sunglasses are on the market. Not all of them are created equally, and only a handful of them offer the protection you need on a bike. Options like 100 Percent goggles stand apart from the crowd. They make images on the road sharper, clearer, and much easier to see. They also eliminate glare from the sun as it reflects off of vehicles and other surfaces. They provide more inclusive coverage for the eyes as well, so you’ll be better protected from dirt, bugs, and other flying debris.
2) Consider Safety Sunglasses
Laws regarding protective eyewear for motorcycle riders vary by state. Some even say eyewear isn’t required as long as there’s a windscreen on the bike. That being said, it’s always a good idea to protect your eyes from anything that could be flying through the air. Numerous sporty styles of tinted safety glasses are available. They look like regular sunglasses but are much more impact resistant. They come in varying shades and block out different amounts of sun. Some may give you the glare reduction you’re looking for.
3) Buy a Helmet with a Tinted Visor
Some helmets come with built-in tinted visors. You can raise or lower them as needed. As is the case with goggles, they provide much more coverage than sunglasses alone. Some riders insist they’re bulky and awkward, though.
4) Use a Detachable Tinted Visor
If you routinely wear a helmet, a tinted visor that’s designed to attach to the helmet can help deflect glare. If you live in a state where helmets aren’t required, you could use other types of eye protection in your state and affix the visor when you travel to states where helmets are required. Be sure to find a visor that works with your helmet, though.
5) Tint the Windscreen
If you don’t want to fight with a helmet visor or goggles and tinted sunglasses don’t provide the glare reduction you’re looking for, you could install tint on the motorcycle’s windscreen. You may not need to tint the entire windscreen if you don’t want to. Covering just enough of it to keep the sun out of your field of vision will suffice.
Make the Most of the Ride and the View
These are a few of the most effective ways to keep the sun and its reflections out of your eyes. They can help make riding safer and more enjoyable. That being said, not all of them are right for everyone. Consider trying multiple solutions until you find the one that works best for you.
