Pinlock Lens - Why did I wait?

[Wintersdark]

Yeah, my dual lense visors get that lense flare at night.  It's vaguely annoying but not a big deal.  Certainly better than a fogging visor at night!

[angrygirafe]

On 5/13/2022 at 7:47 AM, Heli ATP said:

Installing a Pinlock EVO lens on my Shoei Neotec 2 helmet and the instructions say not to use at night, as vision can be reduced to 80%. I expect to leave the pinlock lens installed all the time, (or until I get moisture inside or the bead fails). Does anyone remove them after the sun goes down, or is this just lawyer speak?

There’s some flare but it’s not bad. I don’t touch my pinlock until it needs replaced. Scratching it from frequent removals/installations will do more to reduce your vision in my opinion. 

[OldBikers]

I have been using Nolan helmets over the last ten years and always have the pinlock installed and only take it out for the occasional cleaning.  I wear eyeglasses so I have three layers to look through.  As long as the visor, pinlock and glasses are clean I don't have any issue at night.

I should point out that in cold weather it is my glasses that fog up but the visor/pinlock remains clear.

Edited May 15, 2022 by OldBikers

[2and3cylinders]

Try FogTech Dave

I'll give you a bottle if you meet me at Panera before your ATL tour

[OldBikers]

On 5/15/2022 at 7:41 AM, 2and3cylinders said:

Try FogTech Dave

I'll give you a bottle if you meet me at Panera before your ATL tour

Don't need it in this weather. Just in the low 40s and 30s.

[Wintersdark]

9 hours ago, KellyL said:

Just thought it's worth adding something extra from experience. The pinlock is great in preventing fogging during wet weather, but only up to a point. If you're in a total downpour and large amounts of water spray onto the pinlock from behind, the hydrophilic layer gets completely saturated and will make vision much much worse - like looking through jelly. It won't clear until the whole membrane dries up, which may take more than an hour in 100% humidity. It's actually quite dangerous in that state. With no pinlock I can flip up the visor and let the draft blow the drops off the back, but this doesn't work with the pinlock installed.

I've never used a pinlock visor, but with the dual pane and heated visors I have this has never been a problem, even in long days in the saddle during torrential rain (see: British Columbia interior). 

Mind you, this doesn't work via a hydrophilic coating but rather just preventing a temperature differential that causes condensation.  

[OldBikers]

OK, I finished my 2,400 miles trip in the rain for the final 486 miles.  My pinlock decided to allow moisture to intrude causing fogging.

After getting home I found that the silicone seal was partially torn allowing water in.  Ordered a new one and installed it, no fogging at all. The original pinlock was 2.5 years old and the silicone wasn't sealing anymore.  Called Nolan and got a new one ($55) in three days. 

[2and3cylinders]

8 hours ago, OldBikers said:

OK, I finished my 2,400 miles trip in the rain for the final 486 miles.  My pinlock decided to allow moisture to intrude causing fogging.

After getting home I found that the silicone seal was partially torn allowing water in.  Ordered a new one and installed it, no fogging at all. The original pinlock was 2.5 years old and the silicone wasn't sealing anymore.  Called Nolan and got a new one ($55) in three days. 

Yikes 55!

No other sources?  I know the US importer is near us in Aurora.

I have a spare or 2 for my N90 I guess I got for a comparative song off eBay.  Love my N90 but it's getting long in the tooth.  I'd like to find a new N90 in XXXL.

[OldBikers]

2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Yikes 55!

No other sources?  I know the US importer is near us in Aurora.

I have a spare or 2 for my N90 I guess I got for a comparative song off eBay.  Love my N90 but it's getting long in the tooth.  I'd like to find a new N90 in XXXL.

Amazing that all other sources are out of stock and at the same prices.  I did get it from CIMA in Aurora and they charged $10 for shipping on top of $45 for the shield.

This is the first time the silicone bead failed on me in 9 years and before you ask it was 2.5 years old and out of warranty if there was one.

[afineAmerican]

My pinlock will 'break the bead' in one specific area & develop a small amount of fog. Anybody else have this problem?

[2and3cylinders]

1 hour ago, afineAmerican said:

My pinlock will 'break the bead' in one specific area & develop a small amount of fog. Anybody else have this problem?

Your shield alignment &/or travel is off.  If possible adjust it using thin tissue paper ( not TP or facial tissue) as a drag shim where the seal fails.

[roadwarrior]

I have the Pinlock on my Shoei RF 1400 and leave it on year round.

This year I was still commuting into the middle of November with temps in the mid to high 20's in the morning. In years past this would of required the use of a snowmobile helmet. With the Pinlock there was no issue.

The Pinlock with a Transitional lense is a game changer. You never have to change your lense or helmet, regardless of the conditions. I'm big into 'set it and leave it'.

[miweber929]

Interesting to read all the love for pinlock shields. I think they are good, but my glasses fog up way easier with them installed than without so I have to crack the shield anyway and as much as they are wide I still see quite a bit of it in my field of vision. It’s better than nothing, but not the earth shattering change they’ve been presented as. 
 

Having said that all my helmets have the Pinlock on every shield. 
 

As far as the Transitions lens, that too wasn’t worth the added cost to both my old Bell and my RF1200 in my opinion. It acts quickly, that I like, only having to have 1 shield is also great, but it just doesn’t get all that dark so in bright sunlight my eyes still get fatigued. I always have a tank bag so the clear shield has a place for it to live, they are only like $50 and not $200 like the transitions is and changing it takes under a minute. 
 

To each their own, though. I personally wouldn’t but the Transitions again. 

[2and3cylinders]

4 hours ago, miweber929 said:

Interesting to read all the love for pinlock shields. I think they are good, but my glasses fog up way easier with them installed than without so I have to crack the shield anyway and as much as they are wide I still see quite a bit of it in my field of vision. It’s better than nothing, but not the earth shattering change they’ve been presented as. 

I think Pinlocks for the most part work very well.

Eyeglasses for me have been a major challenge since I started wearing them at 9 years old.  I still have to be careful not to break and loose them, just like a kid.  Fogging was even worse with the lenses back then.  When I played hockey on outdoor rinks, where they drove in boards between baseball diamonds and flooded it when it was cold enough, I had to dispense with wearing my glasses; 4-eye jokes were a real thing too.  I was a goalie and wore one of the first face masks I marked up to be scary with a black Magic Marker.  I got frostbite in both my stick and glove hands as a result playing for hours with brief breaks for hot chocolate in the field house.

No warm, cushy indoor rinks back in the 50s and 60s.

Motorcycle helmets since I got the first Shoei full-face imported into California in 73 have increased the challenge to not break or bend them, or hurt yourself with them getting them in, out and while riding.

I have tried many no-fog treatments and have found Fog Tech to be about the best.

Worse still even with many modern helmets is not having a 1/4" or less detent to minimize fogging.

I consequently on such helmets have developed a "trick" that keeps the visor open a crack.  Yes that can be a problem but it's better than the alternative, and a half decent size windscreen precludes associated major issues.

Below are pics of my trick.

I also added pics of my Brake Free helmet light and Packtalk mounting.

Being a super ATGATT motorcyclist, full suit of armor, Hit-Air, auxiliary lighting, headlight modulator, load horns, etc + cognoscente risk management practices, I thought a Brake Free was appropriate.  Yes it adds some weight but it is effective,

Now if I could find an air bag vest with built-in electroluminescent 3-function light stripes like my Adaptiv Technologies Glowrider vest I'd be in hog heaven.

 

[2and3cylinders]

And yes, the helmet's paint very well matches my fastest red 15 😎