Electronic Helmet Visors & Aftermarket Tinting

[DesmoReynoso]

I've been trying to find alternatives to the factory tinted visors you can buy for your helmet. Why? Because the one available for mine (Element Fastrack by O'neill w Stereo BT integrated) has only two other versions that have very very light smoke or grey tint. So I found out that you cant use car window tint on plastic visors and after reading moto magazine's reviews on Fog City's and Pro Grip's "photochromatic" visor inserts I ventured on.....

And so I ran into this article: http://optics.org/cws/article/research/18182

Really really cool stuff.... I've always thought about that system, eever since I first saw the Blade Runner movie a long time ago, except for house windows.
This is pretty amazing if they actually get to develope it in a practical way just like cars have light sensors for ambint light and rearview mirrors if bikes could have one that was hooked up to a wireless transmiter that could let the helmet know how much voltage or shading is needed.... Could be in helmets that have a receiver (just like BT now, but aside of it) integrated; not that they will be common day to day but premium items just like nowadays having communication with helmets is premium... Or more likely an integrated non obtrusive sensor on the front of the helmet hooked up to a small battery, a voltage regulator and the visor, relatively cheap to add without modifying too much, small, small current draw, very practical, very safe.... I def. see this one coming soon....  (Great enterpreneurial opportunity here, cheap with lots of returns.....)

What do you guys think? Also any advice on making the Oneill Fastrack Dark Visor even darker??? I like the photochromatic solution except id probably scratch it on my first trip out.....

In desperate need of some shade....

[Monster Dave]

Akuma brand helmets is the first to really make something like this work well. I have an Akuma helmet and love it, but I haven't yet purchased one of thier electrochomatic visors. Check out this vid to see in more detail what they do:

Akuma Electrochromatic Visor

[Novelo]

Think it would be neat if there was a chemical solution. A visor that reacted to light and not to electronic stimulus almost like the glasses that people were only it darker could be applied to different helmets w/o modification. Though the electronic tinting is pretty 

[Airborne]

Is that akuma visor available yet? I googled it quickly and came up with nothing. Anyone know the msrp?

[Ivan]

Think it would be neat if there was a chemical solution. A visor that reacted to light and not to electronic stimulus almost like the glasses that people were only it darker could be applied to different helmets w/o modification. Though the electronic tinting is pretty 

Akuma also makes a visor that is made of the Transitions material, the same stuff that is used for eyeglasses.  It only fits their helmet tho.

[Raux]

Akuma also makes a visor that is made of the Transitions material, the same stuff that is used for eyeglasses.  It only fits their helmet tho.

was just about to report that as well.

[DesmoReynoso]

Akuma brand helmets is the first to really make something like this work well. I have an Akuma helmet and love it, but I haven't yet purchased one of thier electrochomatic visors. Check out this vid to see in more detail what they do:

Akuma Electrochromatic Visor

WoW!!! Exactly what I had in mind!!!!! 

I knew about their visors that were photosensitive and were only for their helmets but THIS is amazing.....

[Monster Dave]

Glad I could help - the only thing to be aware of (at least to keep in the back of your mind) is that Akuma shields just don't seem as dark as the Arai/Shoei's - I haven't seen this one in person yet for comparison to the "Super Smoke" one that I've got on mine, but it's really not that dark - I wish that it were. I still use a pair of sunglasses on to get just the right amount of shade from the sun.

[Airborne]

http://www.akumahelmets.com/products_visor.php 

its not listed on their website. all the reviews say its available though. 

[Monster Dave]

http://www.akumahelmets.com/products_visor.php  

its not listed on their website. all the reviews say its available though.  

When I purchased my helmet the only place that I found that had the brand stocked was HelmetHarbor, unfortunately though they didn't have the one that I wanted so I had to order online from a different company (got a better price on it), but I recall that other sites had more available accessories than Akuma had listed online. There might just be a disparity between current stock and updating their website.

I did a quick Google search and came up with this:

Akuma Product Number: AKUW114
Price: $198.99 (ouch!)