Do Motorcycle Visors Block UV?

Nowadays, riders aren’t only focusing on their motorbikes, but they have also started to focus on their skin and health. And here, the most important question arises, do motorcycle visors block UV?

Most helmet visors out there are made from polycarbonate material which blocks approx 95% of UV rays. However, many times these visors suffer from scratches which further reduces the effectiveness of the visor. And that’s why experts recommend buying a visor that comes with anti-scratch properties.

Let’s look at what it means for you and what you can do about it. 

Do Motorcycle Visors Block UV?

Yes, motorcycle helmet visors block almost 95% of UV rays by reflecting back to the atmosphere.

But as mentioned above, the scratches on visors reduce their efficiency tremendously. 

And that’s why it would be best to buy a helmet that comes with scratch-resistant properties. 

Suppose you primarily ride on hot sunny days, like in Florida or Hawaii. In that case, polycarbonate-made motorcycle visors won’t help you enough. 

In this situation, you’ll have to tint your motorbike helmet visor further or buy a specific visor made for hot sunny days. 

Most polycarbonate-made visors effectively block UV A and UV B rays. Still, you need to buy specific visors to protect yourself from UV C rays, which I’ve mentioned further. 

Also, read my previous post about how a motorcycle helmet can save your life? Click here to read.

How Motorcycle Helmet Visors Block UV Rays?

Undoubtedly motorbike helmet visors block UV rays. Have you wondered how helmet visors block UV rays? 

Helmet visors work by the simple principle of reflection. The visors are made from polycarbonate material which reflects almost all rays from the surface. While mirrors and tinting visors work by reflecting and blocking all UV rays, thus providing you with more effective protection.  

Additionally, experts do not recommend wearing standard polycarbonate material-made visors when riding on hot sunny days. 

Harmful Effects of UV Rays?

We all hear various times that UV rays are harmful to you. But how much do UV rays harmful to you?

According to the American Cancer Society, low levels of UV rays cause premature aging and tanning. However, high levels of UV might cause sunburn, or even in the worst situation, it makes you blind while riding. Fortunately, you can protect your eyes from UV rays by using UV blocker visors.  

You can further read for more details here.

What Kind of UV Rays Do Visor Blocks? 

There are three types of UV rays; UV A, UV B, and UV C. 

Out of all UV rays, UV A has a higher wavelength but has lower penetration power. On the other hand, UV C has a shorter wavelength but higher penetration power. 

The ozone layer reflects almost all UV rays except UV C rays which are considered dangerous for riders who ride on sunny days. 

Fortunately enough, you can protect yourself from UV C rays through UV blocker visors.

Type of Visors and Their Protection? 

Ordinarily, a visor is effective in protecting your skin and eyes from the sun. 

But there are two more types of visors that look totally aesthetically and protect your eyes from UV rays much more effectively than ordinary visors.

Type of Visors	Best for:
Ordinary visors	Best for protecting your eyes on regular days. (Low UV protection efficiency).
Smoked visors	Best for wearing on both night and day. (Medium UV protection efficiency).
Mirror visors	Best for wearing on sunny days only. (High UV protection efficiency).

Ordinary Visors: 

These types of visors are colorless visors that are mostly made from polycarbonate material. Since ordinary visors are colorless, they can’t protect your eyes from UV rays fully.

Ordinary visors are not eye-appealing and might cause eye pain when worn for long hours during riding on a sunny day.

Experts generally don’t recommend wearing ordinary or colorless visors when riding on sunny days. 

Smoked Visors: 

A smoked visor is the latest visor that helmet manufacturers are adapting. 

Generally, the smoked visors are in black color. The smoked visors protect your eyes by blocking almost all UV rays, but most importantly, this type of visor allows some light to pass through them.

The smoked visors help you see your path when riding in low-light conditions by allowing some light to pass through them. 

Although smoked visors are not as eye-appealing as mirror visors, you can wear them both day and night. 

Mirror Visors: 

Mirror visors are the most eye-appealing visors which block UV rays, probably better than any visors out there. 

These types of visors are best if you generally ride on sunny days; these visors come with sheet stick-on visors which block UV rays.

Unfortunately, you can’t wear this type of visor at night since it blocks almost all light entering your eyes. 

Which Visor Best for You?

Type of Visors	Best for Whom:
Ordinary visors	Best for those who don’t ride for long hours on sunny days.
Smoked visors	Best for those who ride day and night both.
Mirror visors	Best for those who ride on sunny days for long hours.

I’ve mentioned the fundamental difference between all visors above. Are you still confused about which visor is best for you? Stress not!

Ordinary visors are colorless and don’t protect your eyes from UV rays effectively. And that’s why this type of visor is best for those who don’t ride for long hours.

On the other hand, smoke visors allow some light to pass through them and reflect most of the light from the surface. The smoked visors are best for those who ride both day and night.

Although smoked visors aren’t as eye-appealing as mirrored visors but are considered safer than mirror visors. 

On the other hand, the mirror visors reflect all rays from the surface, which makes these visors best for those who ride on sunny days. 

Most riders buy both smoked and mirror visors if they ever go for long hours riding.  

Additionally, mirror visors are the most eye-appealing and stylish visors, and that’s why young riders generally buy this type of visor. 

Although it’s a matter of personal preference, you can only go with smoked visors if you’re not a style addict.

Do Dual Visors Protect You from UV Rays?

Nowadays, dual visors are in trend; almost all novice riders want helmets with dual visors. But do dual visors protect you from UV rays? 

Dual visors come with double glasses. These dual layers reflect almost all UV rays from the surface, making them ideal for daytime riding. However, dual visor helmets aren’t best for nighttime riding. In simpler words, dual visors protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.

Dual visor helmets come with better safety features that protect your face from debris, dust, and road grime. 

Because of its sturdy design and safety features, new riders are now starting to shift to dual visor helmets.  

Do Tinting Your Motorbike Helmet Visor Worth it?

Tinting is another trend going on among most beginners. But is tinting your motorbike helmet visors really worth it? 

Tinting your motorbike visor is an excellent way to increase your helmet visor effectiveness without losing your look. By tinting your helmet visor, you can add multiple layers to protect your eyes from UV rays. In simpler words, tinting your motorbike helmet visor is worth it. 

Tinting your motorbike is DIY work through which you can save a bit of money you would spend on buying other visors otherwise. 

You can tint your helmet visor through a tinting sheet but be careful; otherwise, you would make bubbles that would destroy your vision. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Final Verdict:

Do Motorcycle Visors Block UV? Most helmet visors out there are made from polycarbonate material which blocks approx 95% of UV rays. 

However, many times these visors suffer from scratches which further reduces their effectiveness of the visor. And that’s why experts recommend buying a visor that comes with anti-scratch properties. 

Ordinary visors aren’t too effective against UV rays, and that’s why experts recommend buying smoked or mirror visors according to your needs. 

Or you can tint your motorbike helmet visors to save a bit of money. 

Here are Some of My Favorite Riding Gears: 

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful as you build your riding journey successfully. 

Here are some riding gears I use as a rider that I hope you’ll also find helpful.

These are affiliate links, so I’ll earn a commission if you decide to use any of them. But in all honesty, these are the same riding gears that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family.

Motorbike Riding Pants:

For getting started, I like Scorpion EXO Covert Jeans for men (check the latest price on Amazon.com) and Indigo Protective Riding Jeans for women (check the latest price on Tobacco Motorwear).

These riding pants are comfortable so you can use these pants in summer, and these pants have a lot of space for using knee guards. 

Motorbike Riding Helmet:

Throughout my riding life, I used several helmets, and almost all helmets protect your head well. Still, I personally prefer YM- 929 Yema helmets as it comes with Bluetooth and aerodynamic ABS shells (check the latest price on Amazon.com).

And suppose you want an eye-appealing and yet effective helmet. In that case, you can go with Icon Airform Sacrosanct Helmet (check the latest price on Revzilla). 

Motorbike Riding Jacket:

Jackets are crucial to protect your upper body. Honestly, every rider has a dream to have an affordable yet best riding jacket. And that’s why I personally recommend the Alpinestars T faster motorbike jacket because of the protection and comfort it offers (check the latest price on Amazon.com). 

Motorbike Riding Gloves:

Almost all riding gloves perform well by protecting your hands from sunburn and cool nights. And if you’re a serious rider, then you should go with Alpinestars SMX-1 Air v2 Glove, which is lightweight and offers you excellent protection. (check the latest price on Revzilla).