|
CoolViZion visor inserts
rrp £15.99 (mirror) £5.99 (tint). Sold in packs of two.
Here is a little gizmo I’ve been using for a while, I know a lot of people have
looked at these but have never got round to trying them out.
Suitability
The inserts should fit the majority of helmets, but the flexibility of the packet means you can try it up against
your visor in the shop before you buy and get a reasonable idea of their suitability. I’ve used them in FM, Shoei
and OGK helmets and I’ve friends who’ve used them in Craft, AGV and Shark lids (Ed. I've used them in my Arai too
- CoolViZion thoughtfully provide cut-outs that fit around the visor vents).
Colours
The inserts are available in several coloured tints (blue, green, yellow, violet and black) and two mirror finishes
(silver & gold) so there should be one to match your lid/taste. I’ve personally tried three - black, silver
and gold. The black & silver merely darken the visor but the gold means everything is yellow (which takes a
little getting used to). I haven’t heard of any problems but it’s probably worth remembering that you’ll be seeing
things a bit differently, so make sure they don’t affect what you can see before any high speed maneuvers.
Fitting
Fitting is a bit fiddly and it’s worth taking some time and care over getting it right. There are two adhesive
strips at each side of the insert, which obviously hold the thing in place, retaining as much of these as possible
when trimming is important.
I’ve found the best method is to remove the visor (contrary to instructions), hold the insert up to the visor making
sure as much of the visor is cover as possible (remember it goes on the inside). Carefully trim away the areas
of insert that overhang the visor, remove the protective strips from the adhesive, stick the insert in place, put
the visor back on and try it. Chances are you will have to trim round once or twice more (generally so it’s in
the region of 5mm from the edge of the visor) to avoid interference with helmets the sealing strips.
Performance
Once shaped, the ease of sticking on and removing will depend on your helmet. It is possible to fit them with the
visor still on but I found this pretty difficult. All the helmets I’ve fitted them to had fast release visors,
so it was simple to whip off the visor, stick on the insert and replace said visor, if you need a couple of spanners
to remove your visor this might be a bit of a pain.
Life span
The adhesive strip lasts well, I’ve been getting a summers worth out of a pack of two and that’s with removing
the insert most days to clean the legions of bugs off my visor. One problem with the mirrored finish is that it
does wear off, by the time the stickiness is a thing of the past the mirror finish will be looking a bit iffy (this
isn’t a problem with the plain tint inserts).
Safety
Okay, a dark visor looks cool and is much better for cowing myopic drivers that cut you up, but at the end of the
day we're looking for safety and comfort. I think the CoolViZion insert fulfills these criteria admirably providing
a) anti-glare without turning the world black. b) protection from UV rays. c) an ‘interchangeable’ clear/dark visor
option. Lastly, for those who wear sunglasses under their helmets, it provides similar flexibility without the
obvious drawbacks.
Summary
Mathematically the inserts make sense, fifteen quid for pretty much a years worth of gold visor compared with more
like fifty quid for an iridium visor. If you end up staying out later than you'd planned or the weather changes
dramatically you can easily remove it, roll it up and stick it in your pocket. While it’s not such a big issue
for most (if you've been pulled it’s likely for a more serious spot of naughtiness than a dark visor) they are
completely legal.
Sure they're a bit fiddly to fit initially but I think the pros outweigh the cons, I give then 4.5 out of 5 'spanner'
rating, but if you need a toolbox to remove your visor you might want an alternative. Check out the latest CoolViZion price list.
If you have any specific questions you can email me at phils.hoose@ukgateway.net
Phil
|
home | your bikes | other pics | links | articles | new forum | message board | letters | product tests 
