Swapping clear and dark visors may be one way to deal with changing light conditions, but this only works when riding in sunny weather and entering poorer light, overcast areas or when the evening is approaching. The rest of the world uses the helmets’ integrated sun visors or good old sunglasses. Still, no one has given up the chase for the ultimate visor which can alter its tint on request. Problem is that these items are not exactly cheap, and this is sort of back to square one.Still nothing new under the sunOther manufacturers have been playing with electrochromatics for quite some time now, and we have reported on numerous similar designs, with the Nitro Optical Shutter Dimming Helmet Visor and the Akari AX-11 being only two of them. AGV uses the same technology which involves a thin LCD film attached to the visor, with the rider changing its tint using a helmet-mounted button. The tint can be zero, as in clear visors, half-dark and full-dark. Obviously the full-dark retains decent visibility to keep things in the safe zone.

Electricity comes from a rechargeable battery which provides 55 hours of half-dark and 12 hours of full-dark operation. Recharging can be done anywhere with a mini USB connector, which is convenient, and a failsafe system allows riders to return to clear state even if the battery goes dead. The recharging thing may not be the most appealing thing to some riders, especially those who already have gadgets which need recharging upon them or installed on the bike. Still, this doesn’t take any of cool factor away, but really, it’s just one more battery to remember charging before the ride. And there’s the added wind noise which might also be a down side for some riders. However, the most important downside of the LCD visor is its price, which is said to be somewhere around €200 ($223 today) and which adds to the cost of the AGV GT Veloce, Pista or Corsa helmets, on which the current visor can be attached ay the present time. Want to look cool and protect your eyes from strong sunlight with a single press of a button and on the fly?

Ready some cash, because such magic sure ain’t cheap. Whether it’s worth the money or not, you’re the only one who can pass judgement. If you don’t understand German, the video after the jump will not make you much smarter, but it’s cool to see the LCD visor in action.motorcycle sales ringwood motorcycle helmet bike tech AGV helmets moto gadget road safety protective gear motorcycle safetymotorcycle helmet law oklahoma2011 Dealer Expo Report Homemotorcycle sales eden prairie mn 2008 Dealer Expo report included an article on awhere to buy a motorcycle helmet gta 5 unique and interesting new product for motorcyclists: an

It wasn't quite ready for retail at that time and after more development, it started shipping in August 2009, when it was introduced as the Gemini Tint-on-Demand Motorcycle Helmet Visor. For some reason, it didn't become as popular as originally envisioned. But development work continued and a new version is now being introduced: the e-Tint MX-8 Liquid Crystal Visor, manufactured in Kent, Ohio by AlphaMicron, Inc. That's right -- a product actually manufactured in the U.S.A.! For the uninitiated, an electrochromic (or in this case, LCD) visor instantly changes tint from light to dark using an electric charge. This is different from a photochromic visor, such as the (review) of 2009, which uses UV rays from the sun to slowly change from light to dark. When you hit the switch on an electrochromic or LCD visor, it instantly changes from light to dark tint or The technology was originally developed for the military by AlphaMicron,

has been making "instant tint" visors and products for some time. For example, the e-Tint Liquid Crystal electrochromic system is used in ski goggles sold by AlphaMicron and now the technology is available in the e-Tint Liquid Crystal Visor insert The e-Tint MX-8 has a few unique features. First, it is a visor insert, not a replacement face shield. It looks very similar to the Pinlock anti-fog insert that has become so popular recently, which means it can be installed in just about every standard motorcycle helmet faceBut the e-Tint insert fits any motorcycle helmet face shield without the "pins" of the Pinlock. In addition, the e-Tint MX-8 includes anti-fog capability. In fact, it is anti-fog coated on both sides of the surface, not just the inside. air and moisture that is always trapped between the insert and the polycarbonate face shield will not cause fogging, a problem on some of the competitor's inserts. The e-Tint MX-8 is very thin.

I didn't measure it; have to wait until the full webBikeWorld review, but I estimate it to be about 2 mm thick. UPDATE: AlphaMicron confirmed it is 10 mil thick (0.01"). The MX-8 comes in two tints -- blue or gray -- and two versions. standard version attaches to the inside of the face shield and it has a small battery pack that fits on the outside of the face shield and includes the on/off switch. assembly is attached with an automotive-type glue to hold it tight. The button is pressed to turn the tint on or off and the battery is rechargeable with an included USB cable. A new automatic version of the e-Tint Liquid Crystal Visor, the AX-9, has alsoThe battery and switch assembly are included as part of the insert itself contained in the perimeter of the insert inside the face shield. The AX-9 e-Tint visor can be manually switched on and off like the MX-8 version, but it also has a light sensor that can automatically activate the tint.

the rider moves from dark to light -- for example, when coming out of a tunnel -- the sensor will automatically switch the tint from light to dark. This is illustrated in the video below, using a small flashlight as the The AX-9 insert also has the anti-fog treated surfaces. It's not difficult to install either the e-Tint MX-8 or AX-9 on a faceFirst, a temporary plastic sheet template is placed over the outside of the face shield. outline used to locate the insert on the inside of the face shield. the plastic film is peeled from the face shield side of the MX-8 or AX-9 is then placed on the inside of the face shield, using the template as a Peel off the second piece of protective film on the inside of the MX-8, then attach the battery pack to the outside of the face shield and it's The automatic version doesn't need the battery pack on the outside because the battery is built into the insert border. By the way, AlphaMicron will also be introducing an anti-fog only version of the