Motorcyclists, brace yourselves for a groundbreaking innovation! Shark, the renowned helmet brand, has teamed up with IRID, an Italian firm, to bring you a game-changer: solar-powered, light-sensitive visors for their sportiest helmets.
Sun glare has long been a challenge for riders, and various solutions have emerged over the years. From fully tinted race visors to drop-down internal lenses, photochromic options, and even DIY tape solutions, riders have had a range of choices to manage their vision.
But here's where it gets exciting: IRID and Shark's collaboration introduces a visor with an integrated solar panel and liquid crystal film, promising to adapt to changing light conditions in under a second! This technology, however, comes at a price.
The innovative visors are compatible with Shark's Aeron, Aeron GP, and older Race R Pro helmets. Prices start at £339.99 for the outer clear visor and go up to £369.99 for the fully tinted or blue iridium designs. IRID aims to reduce these costs and plans to bring the technology to Nolan and LS2 helmet lines soon.
"Racing helmets typically lack inner sun visors," says Laura Righi, IRID's CMO and Co-Founder. "Touring helmets often include light management devices, but having both on the same helmet seemed redundant. Our goal is to bridge this gap and cater to various helmet categories."
One of the standout features of this technology is its energy efficiency. A small solar panel, discreetly mounted at the top of the visor, eliminates the need for batteries or external charging. This panel powers the liquid crystal film, ensuring a rapid reaction to changing light conditions.
Laura's passion for motorcycling inspired this innovation, drawing from her experience in the ski and snow sports industry. The visor boasts a 100% waterproof design and an anti-fog layer to prevent misting during heavy breathing. It's made of polycarbonate, with a slightly increased thickness to accommodate the additional liquid crystal layer, which measures less than 1mm.
"We laminate the liquid crystal film onto the polycarbonate visor, applying even pressure to ensure a seamless bond," explains Righi. "The visor's activation curve is precisely calibrated for each brand, ensuring a smooth transition between light levels without noticeable steps or settings."
The visors come in three versions: VZ Clear, allowing 64% to 20% light transmission; VZ Iridium Blue, ranging from 29% to 8%; and VZ Dark, offering 38% to 12%. All visors include a two-year guarantee and retain the quick-release mechanism found on standard Shark Aeron visors.
"Our technology responds to visible light, unlike traditional photochromic visors that rely on UV rays," Laura adds. "This means our visors adapt to varying light conditions more effectively, even on cloudy days when UV rays are blocked."
Adapting this technology to meet older ECE 22.05 helmet standards was a challenge, and Shark is the first brand to bring it to market. IRID's journey began as a family passion project, with three siblings combining their expertise in physics, product design, and graphic design to create ski goggles and outdoor accessories under the 'Out Of' brand.
Despite the initial success, the high price point of these visors may deter many motorcyclists from adopting the technology. A recent MCN poll revealed that only 8.6% of respondents currently use photochromic visors, indicating a need for more affordable and widely available solutions.
So, motorcyclists, what's your take on this cutting-edge visor technology? Is it a game-changer or a luxury for the few? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
