DSXMachina
Member
I really enjoy riding at sunup and sundown. Here in September New Hampshire many country roads are tree covered tunnels and I often find myself bursting from shade into blinding direct sun. Tinted visors are too dark in the shade and still not dark enough for direct sun.
A few days ago I made a hairpin turn from the shade into sun directly ahead, just above the horizon. I was blinded for maybe a second, but it seemed much longer and came at a very dangerous time. I resolved to prevent that from happening again.
I thought about an ADV style helmet with one of those huge ‘beaks’ serving as a sun visor. I really dislike the look though. Then I thought about cutting a piece of plastic to shape and gluing it on as a brim. Then, just as most solutions tend to be the simplest - it hit me. Why not just use some duct tape from the roll in my top pannier? I could add a strip along the top clear part of each of my two helmets and that would block a low sun without intruding on my necessary field of vision. Worked like a charm! Pics included.
Plusses; Cheap, easy, reliable and effective.
Minuses; Cheap (anything for a Beamer that’s any good has to cost at least a hundred bucks, right?). Cuts into field of vision where an aircraft about to hit the wearer would not be seen by the wearer. This could also be considered a plus because really, how many of us could dodge an aircraft anyway?
I did find that if I’m first in line at an intersection I have to tilt my head up more to watch the light. Not a big deal and I do like to stay 12-15 feet back from the box so the angle tends to be less.
A few days ago I made a hairpin turn from the shade into sun directly ahead, just above the horizon. I was blinded for maybe a second, but it seemed much longer and came at a very dangerous time. I resolved to prevent that from happening again.
I thought about an ADV style helmet with one of those huge ‘beaks’ serving as a sun visor. I really dislike the look though. Then I thought about cutting a piece of plastic to shape and gluing it on as a brim. Then, just as most solutions tend to be the simplest - it hit me. Why not just use some duct tape from the roll in my top pannier? I could add a strip along the top clear part of each of my two helmets and that would block a low sun without intruding on my necessary field of vision. Worked like a charm! Pics included.
Plusses; Cheap, easy, reliable and effective.
Minuses; Cheap (anything for a Beamer that’s any good has to cost at least a hundred bucks, right?). Cuts into field of vision where an aircraft about to hit the wearer would not be seen by the wearer. This could also be considered a plus because really, how many of us could dodge an aircraft anyway?
I did find that if I’m first in line at an intersection I have to tilt my head up more to watch the light. Not a big deal and I do like to stay 12-15 feet back from the box so the angle tends to be less.