A Guide to Buying Motorcycle Sunglasses

A Guide to Buying Motorcycle Sunglasses

The glasses you choose to wear when riding your motorcycle affect both your comfort and safety, but of course you want to make sure that you look good while wearing them too. There are special considerations that need to be made when choosing sunglasses for motorcycle riding in order to ensure that you are able to see the road clearly at all times, and that your eyes are being protected by any road debris.

Start by choosing glasses the suit the type of riding you will be doing. High speed riding requires sunglasses that prevent the wind from getting behind the lenses and drying out your eyes. Worst case scenario, the wind is able to blow the sunglasses right off of your face. If you do a lot of quick stop riding to your local store, you’ll want sunglasses that let air circulate to minimize any fogging and sweating around your eyes.

You can find sunglasses that come equipped with an eye cup to protect your eyes from the torrent of wind you create when speeding down the open highway. These should feature a venting system that controls the amount of air, letting it in through the top and out from the bottom. It is important that you maintain the right amount of air flow around the eyes while riding. Too much can dry them out, but too little will cause them to suffocate. This cup and ventilation system will allow you to ride comfortably for longer periods of time.

Make sure that the lenses are able to suit your needs. You don’t have that many options when it comes to choosing the right lenses for motorcycle riding. Lenses need to be formulated to reduce eyestrain, improve on contrast, and hasten your reaction time while driving. Not only that, but they need to be able to protect your eyes from UV light and any airborne hazards.

At the very least, your sunglass lenses should be made using polycarbonate, since this is shatter proof and will offer the best protection from flying road debris. Look for polarized lenses as these will cut down on glare and give you a clearer view of the road ahead of you. If you do a lot of night driving on your motorcycle, transition lenses are another option if you wear prescription sunglasses. These change depending on the brightness outside, offering you sunglass protection during the day and a clear view at night.

The lens color you choose is just as important as the type of sunglasses. Motorcycle drivers have special needs when it comes to vision, and need to have a lens that will give them the sharpest view of the road. Shades of copper provide contrast, and can sharpen colors like red and green. If you prefer to maintain true colors, go with a gray lens for your sunglasses.

When choosing sunglasses, it is always a good idea to let the sales clerk know for what you will be primarily using them for. They can they show you the right types of frames and lenses you should be wearing while cruising along the open road.