New lid - worth trying a pinlock?

[Fullers1845]

The recent filthy weather has again reminded me how bad my cheap old Frank Thomas helmet is during damp/cold weather, so I'm looking at getting a replacement this weekend.

My biggest gripe at the moment is how quickly the poxy visor fogs up at anything under 50mph, plus the ventilation is totally gash and it's frigging noisy at speed even with ear plugs. Actually it's quite shit all round except comfort.

How much of a gamechanger is a pinlock visor? I've heard they are pretty susceptible to scratches but I'm actually really fussy around that and my current visor is still scratch free after 2 years.
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Honda CB125F, Kawasaki ZX6R J1, 1922 Sheffield-Henderson Blackburne grasstrack/sprint

[Nobby the Bastard]

It's a game changer.

The pinlock bit is actually an inner plastic bit that makes it essentially double glazed. Hard to see how you would scratch it.

The visor itself is a normal one, but with 2 pins,one each side on the inside to attach the inner to.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[stinkwheel]

I find they help up to a point but aren't the panecea most people seem to find them. Maybe it's just because I have a huge head and so am close to the visor or maybe it's just because I run hot and make a lot of condensation.

I have one in my current lid but still have to ride with the visor cracked if it's raining or I totally fog up. I find them really annoying in the dark when they seem to exascerbate the starburst effect of the oncoming headlights if there's any rain about.

Worth a try though. I generally get the helmet shop to fit it before I take the lid away. You sometimes need to adjust the pins with a flat bladed screwdriver to get them to fit properly and it gives me the shits because you could gouge a brand new visor really easily. You also have to stretch the visor almost flat to the table to fit them and they don't always get a good seal all the way round on the rist attempt. They know this because they invariably shimf and wince then try to evade the issue telling you it's easy when you ask. To which I reply if it's easy to do then it's no problem to do it and you're the trained helmet tech who I'm buying a brand new lid off.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[to v or not to v]

i wipe washing up liquid on the inside of my visor. helps reduce the fogging.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
its old and fat, but its a damned good ride. the bikes not bad either.

[stinkwheel]

Mr sheen rubbed into both sides with a microfibre cloth. Also helps shed rain off the outside. Works for about an hour then stops working.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[BRUN]

in my experience, a pinlock is a complete game changer

[A100man]

Are they any quieter..?

I had one supplied but just thought 'ah nice spare visor' until I realised what it was Not really fussed about the fogging aspect.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Nute]

Doesn't make any difference to the noise. Its on the inside face of the visor, but helps massively with fogging up.

It needs to be fitted correctly so it seals against the inside of the visor all the way around. Any gap and everything fogs up.

I was talking to someone a while ago who said that the plastic they are made of actually has some degree of moisture absorbency, and as they age this can become less effective so he changes his every year. No idea if there is any truth to that.

[jeffyjeff]

One trick I've used in the past is to slit a small (1-2cm) morsel of plastic tubing and slide it over the bottom edge of my visor. It keeps it cracked open about the thickness of the tubing, which helps air ventilate the inside of the visor and thus helps keep it clear.
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History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men - BOC

[A100man]

[MarJay]

[MCN]

Pin-Lock is vital.

Misting is inevitable.

Misting needs certain conditions to happen all at once.
Cold, moisture and moisture.

Cold weather and wet humid atmosphere means water vapour condenses on cold surfaces rather than stay suspended in the air.

Even when ventilation is provided, the air is so loaded with moisture is fails to lift mist away.

All one can do is reduce how much moisture is inside your lid.
Don't let the lining get wet, don't let rain blow in any opening and don't breathe.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Ayrton]

[Serendipity]

[Fullers1845]

Thanks for the replies, I bought a new lid on friday with pinlock visor.
I rode in to work this morning and it was cold and a bit of mist about but new visor was bloody brilliant.
I had to keep resisting the habit of lifting the visor at junctions.
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Honda CB125F, Kawasaki ZX6R J1, 1922 Sheffield-Henderson Blackburne grasstrack/sprint

[MCN]

[Capt Sisko]

I tend to find my Pinlock needs a small amount of time to acclimatise on cool mornings. An educated guess says cool outside air house temperature plastic of visor/pinlock and even hotter & moisture laden my breath, is just too much for it al at once,. A couple of minutes of riding, thing equalise and it then works perfectly thereafter.

[megaross]

I swear by them, being a man who has ridden multiple winters, especially in the days when I used to commute to the office.

Round town in winter it was almost essential, and I mean blokes coped without it before it. But it's like having an internal shitter - you'd be mad not to in this day and age.

My visors are always covered in scratches and dead flies. It's nature of the game when bike is your only transport and you often put on/ take off/ sling in topbox the helmet multiple times a day. Pinlock doesn't ever really get scratched though.
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'07 Tiger 1050