Shoei Spectra shield

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For my upcoming birthday, I got an early present from my wife - the Spectra mirror shield for my RF1000 Shoei helmet.  The shield came from the Motorcycle Superstore.  Unfortunately, my excitement was short lived.  Upon closer inspection it looks like the shield is defective as it has many spots on it that definitely do not come off.  I snapped a couple of pictures to try to show what I mean.  I emailed the store hoping they will cover all the shipping costs since it is clearly not how a shield should be, especially when you are paying so much money for it (close to $70).  When I read reviews I saw that some people complained about the scratches on a brand new Spectra shield due to Shoei (lack of) packaging, but these don't look like scratches to me.  I think I will go ahead and get a dark tint shield instead of the Spectra.  The Spectra looks really cool, but these defects are too obvious.  BTW, there is really no point to this post but maybe it will help someone who is torn between the Spectra and the tinted shield like I was...

[darian]

Those are weird.  I hope the store covers it for you.

[Bumblebee]

That is classic bad vacuum plating of the silver on the surface. The spots are caused by the chamber sprayer nozzle being partially clogged thus spitting instead of spraying smoothly. The color patterns are varying thicknesses of the layer much like a sheen of oil on water.

If you want real fun, wait until someone sends your high cost many months of precision fanatically cut and polished half meter telescope primary and secondary mirrors back with that done to it. The cleanup process to fix it was, shall we say, irritating.

I have this same visor for my RF1000. There are no spots at all. The layer thickness is very symmetric though under certain lighting conditions and angles some of the color pattern is barely noticeable - however that's because they didn't use a 10 million dollar vacuum chamber that gets inspected and cleaned before each use.


You got a defect visor. Send it back. If they give you crap, get them to refund your money and order it from newenough aka motorcyclegear.com. Those people will never let you be upset about something you order from them and if you are, they will fix the problem.
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/helmets_and_eyewear/replacement_shields/shoei/cx1v_spectra_mirrored_replacement_motorcycle_helmet_shields.html

[happycommuter]

I didn't think that looked like shipping damage.  This is incredibly bad quality control, as a light visual inspection should have caught this.

[ariwhiteboy]

+1 to swapping it/getting a refund. Shoei is supposed to be quality stuff, I would expect more from them. 

[coffee_brake]

The price of face shields is why I got rid of my Arai helmet and went to the Scorpions. 'Cause that $500 helmet was three years old and falling apart. My $60 Scorpion has held up better and visors cost a lot less. They're both Snell.

Kind of like choosing a bike: if one bike requires top-grade fuel and one takes 87 octane, the difference in fuel costs alone over the period of ownership is a big factor.

[draco_1967]

The price of face shields is why I got rid of my Arai helmet and went to the Scorpions. 'Cause that $500 helmet was three years old and falling apart. My $60 Scorpion has held up better and visors cost a lot less. They're both Snell.

I totally agree, they offer the same protection, and Scorpions are a lot cheaper. Money is an issue for me...BUT, I have tried on so many helmets, and most of them don't fit me well (put pressure on my forehead). The only helmets I have found that fit well are the Shoei Qwest ($316), which feels like my head is being wrapped in supportive, yet supple clouds, or the icon Airframe ($250). I really want to buy a Scorpion because I love the option for hi-vis colors, but they just aren't comfortable for me 
 

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I have this same visor for my RF1000. There are no spots at all.

You got a defect visor. Send it back.

Thanks for chiming in guys.  I thought it was highly unlikely that this is how the shield is supposed to look like especially at that price, but your confirmation makes me feel a little better.

As far as the high-priced helmet/visors... I don't have too much experience in this area, but I know that FOR ME this Shoei works much better then the HJC Symax 2 and the HJC non-modular full face that I've used in the past.  The Shoei fits better, it is lighter, quieter and has a better fit and finish.  I got it on a closeout for around 200 bucks and at that price it is an absolute steal.  Yes, visors are expensive but they make good Christmas and birthday gifts 

The shield is going back for an exchange then. I think I will get the dark tinted one instead.

[Stitch919]

i dont think you will have a prob with MS cause i have bought from them plenty of times and they are pretty helpful 

[cjbear11]

I own a Shoei RF1100 and love it. Its an upgrade from my HJC. My HJC is great, but with as many miles as I rode with that helmet, there were things that it didn't have that I wished it did. Visor adjustments, venting, windnoise, and weight were among the issues. I tried on many helmets and the Shoei satisfied all of my issues. I've used it for a whole season now and like it alot. True, a helmet is a helmet, but if you ride long distances often, then certain features are nice to have.

I too thought about buying the spectra sheild, but I had a visor like that for my HJC and it got scratched really easily. Plus the Spectra was expensive. I went with a lightly tinted visor instead, which is actually fairly dark. The "dark tint" as they label it must be nearly black.

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I went with a lightly tinted visor instead, which is actually fairly dark. The "dark tint" as they label it must be nearly black.

I would like to get the look where one can't see your face when the visor is down.  The mirrored Spectra has that it seems and I read that the dark tint will give that desired effect.  But I also read at least a couple of people saying that the light smoke like yours also has a similar effect.  I also would like to be able to ride East in the morning on my commute and not have to wear the sunglasses as I currently do with my clear shield.  Can you comment on those based on your experience with the light smoke?

[Stitch919]

i own a dark smoke shield for my scorpion (EXO-400) and its the main shield i use and no one can see in it but its too dark to ride with at night unless you are following someones taillight and react when they do. it doesnt bother me but sometimes it can be uneasy riding alone at night with all the animals we have here around west. but i have no experience with light smoke and from what i have heard all are a diff tint for the light smoke

[cjbear11]

The light smoke is pretty dark. People can't see my face unless the sun is shining directly on it, and I don't have to wear sunglasses most of the time. I feel like it's just the right amount of tint. I feel like the dark tint would be too much.

[bajakirch]

I picked up a back-up helmet at a garage sale for $10 -- a nearly new HJC with a dark tint.

The helmet never fit me that well (too big) but I used it a few times because the dark tint was nice on my morning commute when I was riding into the sun.

I ended up selling it on CL because I do a fair amount of night riding and the dark tint was downright dangerous from dusk til dawn.

[Stitch919]

how are the mirrored shields for night riding? like a silver mirror

[KarlJay]

I use a clear shield and sunglasses as needed and sunblock so I don't burn.  It works but kinda sucks.

I wonder why we don't see auto darkening shields.  Something really cool would be an adjustable auto darkening shield like welding helmets use.

The problem might be the safety factor.


BTW, anyone know if those smoke tinted ones offer UVA/B protection?

[cjbear11]

Auto darkening shields exist for MC helmets. There was a display at the Moto GP indy race this year.

I use my light tint all the time. I can ride with it at night without any issues whatsoever. The higher end helmet sheilds offer UVA/B protetion I believe.

[Bumblebee]

I wonder why we don't see auto darkening shields.  Something really cool would be an adjustable auto darkening shield like welding helmets use.

Late night riding sweeping twisties in the mountains with guard rails, drop offs and rock shedding cliffs above the road. Mr highbeams only comes opposite direction around the corner. The entire visor goes dark even though you're looking off to the side to avoid the bright light. There's a 2 foot rock in the road and an unknown turn radius dropoff somewhere beyond the cage. What was the question again?

how are the mirrored shields for night riding? like a silver mirror

The CX-1V silver mirror spectra isn't as bad as you'd think. It's a light tint though I'm not sure how it compares to a light smoke though it's probably similar. It's darker than clear however it's not like dark sunglasses. You can go into unlit semi-short tunnels in the day or long tunnels/underground parking garages that are lit without lifting the visor. I've ridden around the average city at night with the visor full down. In your typical can't see s??? black hole black black in the mountains on a moonless night, you can sort of look through it but you must keep it open enough that you can tilt your head back and not look through the visor.

Sunny daytime photo half through the visor. I can do this again tonight in the semi-dark of city glow.

[vert]

With the Spectra Mirror - can you ride without the sunglasses into the sun?  Maybe I should order another one and hope it is not defective.  I dropped the defective one in the mail back to MS this morning.

[mattrowe19]

I suspect the auto darkening shields use similar technology to the transitions lenses for glasses. They are unaffected by artificial light. I have them on my glasses and the only thing that makes them tint darker is natural light. Otherwise it would be like I'm wearing sunglasses inside or while driving. They do not work when the sun is filtered through glass. Eg: windshield or the picture window on my house.

[Stitch919]

I wonder why we don't see auto darkening shields.  Something really cool would be an adjustable auto darkening shield like welding helmets use.

Late night riding sweeping twisties in the mountains with guard rails, drop offs and rock shedding cliffs above the road. Mr highbeams only comes opposite direction around the corner. The entire visor goes dark even though you're looking off to the side to avoid the bright light. There's a 2 foot rock in the road and an unknown turn radius dropoff somewhere beyond the cage. What was the question again?

how are the mirrored shields for night riding? like a silver mirror

The CX-1V silver mirror spectra isn't as bad as you'd think. It's a light tint though I'm not sure how it compares to a light smoke though it's probably similar. It's darker than clear however it's not like dark sunglasses. You can go into unlit semi-short tunnels in the day or long tunnels/underground parking garages that are lit without lifting the visor. I've ridden around the average city at night with the visor full down. In your typical can't see s??? black hole black black in the mountains on a moonless night, you can sort of look through it but you must keep it open enough that you can tilt your head back and not look through the visor.

Sunny daytime photo half through the visor. I can do this again tonight in the semi-dark of city glow.

that doesnt seem too bad. and yeah i would love to see it at night only if your out and about tho.

[Bumblebee]

With the Spectra Mirror - can you ride without the sunglasses into the sun?

I do all the time. Actually I have clear glasses and have been riding with a clear shield for years. The light tint on the shield is...why didn't I do this years ago???? It's exactly the right amount for most riding conditions especially in bright environments like White Sands National Monument.

As for sun being in your face, the visor isn't the solution. You'll be blinded even with a dark shield. The solution is to cut down light from that huge opening that goes directly into your eyes. You need some kind of sun shield to block the direct light.

Bumblebee's Pennytech sun shield:
Black posterboard, box tape, scissors, and a small screwdriver.
Cut the posterboard to shape. This is about reducing the effective opening size. (The section that goes across the front is about 1-1/4" high and I have another one that is about 1-1/2" for lower sun angles. Note that I can also pull the front of the shield down to block the sun if it's lower)
The larger side pieces in the picture are for leverage to help keep it up against the top of the opening.
Take a small screwdriver and slide it into the space between the shell and impact foam at the back edge of the opening. You are NOT making a huge gap, just releasing the glue from between the foam and shell and nothing more to slide the ends of the sun shield into the helmet.
Slide the sun shield into the slot you created and it'll keep posterboard in place.
Once it's fit, put box tape on both sides of the sun shield. That's for waterproofing in bad weather.

This does not block your vision at all even on the sides. I can put my glasses on and off without removing it. It doesn't vibrate around even with the shield partially open at speed. I've never had it try to slide down and block my vision. It'll last about 2 years before it's beaten up if you're out a lot then duplicate it again and you're good for another 2 years or so. When you ride into the sun, just lower your head a little and the sun is out of your eyes.

I ride with it all the time day and night. Actually I took it off one day while cleaning the helmet and it's just too weird not having it in.

[SirSeanSean]

One of the reasons I love my HJC is that it has the retractable sun visor. This way I don't have to change shields and can keep the clear one.

[KarlJay]

I suspect the auto darkening shields use similar technology to the transitions lenses for glasses. They are unaffected by artificial light. I have them on my glasses and the only thing that makes them tint darker is natural light. Otherwise it would be like I'm wearing sunglasses inside or while driving. They do not work when the sun is filtered through glass. Eg: windshield or the picture window on my house.

Wow things changed over the last 30 years!  I'd really like to see this new helmet, but since I'm so cheap, I'd probably just look and drool. :)

Excellent point BB!

[Hawkens]

My Bell Star helmet has the auto darkening lens, as an option, and it is made by Transitions (it works great) highly recommend it.