You could be a veteran biker looking to change your motorcycle goggles or a beginner rider looking to buy your first set of motorcycle goggles, this article is packed with everything you need to know about motorcycle goggles. From the best kinds of goggles to the things you need to know before buying them, down to whether or not you can wear them over your regular glasses.
What are Motorcycle Goggles?
While you already know the answer to this question, for the sake of connectedness. Goggles are the protective eyewear worn over the eyes to keep riders’ eyes safe. If you ride frequently especially on the highways, then you’re no stranger to the obstacles associated with driving without any eye protection gear
Goggles are more protective gear than they are fashion accessories. When riding you often have to battle a lack of visibility due to the enemies of the wind, from bugs, dirt etc.
Crashing because of this visibility obstruction is an important reason to buy buying motorcycles goggles.
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Everything You Need to Know Before Buying Motorcycle Goggles.
Before buying motorcycle goggles especially for the first time, there are things you need to know. In this section of this article, we’re going to give you a detailed list of everything you need to know before buying motorcycle goggles.
Helmet Compatibility
Like goggles, helmets are an important accessory to have when riding. Hence, before purchasing motorcycle goggles you want to make sure it fits well with your helmet.
Since you’re going to be wearing your motorcycle goggles with your helmet, you need to make sure they fit properly.
Helmets usually come in forms that either provide full coverage or partial coverage (protecting just the top of your head). If you’re using the latter, this means your goggles are the only protection you have from the wind.
You need to make sure the strap on the goggles is tight and comfortable around the helmet, but not so tight it’s difficult to remove when the need arises.
Wind Coverage and Protection
This is one of the main reasons to buy goggles. Your motorcycle goggles must protect your eyes from the uncertainty of the road. This means when on the road, your goggles are your main source of protection from the wind, dust, and other debris. This is why it’s advisable to go for the big goggles.
You also want to make sure that the goggles you choose have a wraparound shape that fits the curve of your head perfectly. This is extremely important as it serves to protect your eyes from light and debris from entering your eyes from weird angles.
Impact Resistance
As humans, we know accidents can happen at any time. But as a biker, the chances of an accident happening are higher than most. This is why it’s important to choose goggles that meet the ANSI safety rating.
For this, you want to make sure you choose frames that meet the rating and are known to be durable and long-lasting.
Goggles Vs Glasses
Whether or not you’re going to be wearing glasses or googles depends entirely on the type of helmet you have. If you have a full-face protecting helmet, you’re going to be wearing glasses instead of goggles. This is because motorcycle goggles can be too big to fit properly within the shield of your helmet.
For open-faced helmets, as said earlier, your only protection from light and debris is going to be the goggles. This is why for open-faced helmets, the best option for you is goggles, as they are stronger and will do the job of shielding your eyes from all forms of debris.
Closed or Open-Cell Foam
Some goggles come without foams. But when purchasing your goggles, it’s important to choose the motorcycle goggles with padding and protection. This is especially important for dusty and windy environments. And if you’re a veteran rider, you’d know this is almost all environments.
Closed-Cell Foam
Closed-cell foams are lightweight and durable, buoyant and can resist almost all solvents. This makes it a great option if you’re going to be riding in the rain. It’s also important to note that closed-cell foams are also more difficult and expensive to replace when compared to open-cell foams.
Open-Cell Foam
Open-cell foams are soft, compressible, cheap, and easy to replace. It also serves as a great insulator. Although, being a great insulator means it stores water and this, in turn, reduces its durability when compared to closed-cell foams.
Transition Lenses
If you ride for long periods, like riding from sun up to sundown, you need motorcycle goggles that work both during the day and at night. Hence, you need motorcycle goggles that can transition well with the day.
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Can You Wear Motorcycle Glasses Over Your Glasses?
To answer this question, the answer is YES. While you can wear motorcycle goggles over your glasses, it’s not advised. This is mainly because not all goggles are designed to be worn over glasses.
While motorcycle goggles are necessary when riding, so are your glasses. Especially if they’re prescription glasses and you need them to see.
There are specifically designed motorcycle goggles that can be worn over glasses. They’re called OTG motorcycle goggles. They also serve to keep your prescription glasses while being worn.
What’s Unique About OTG Motorcycles Goggles
What makes OTG motorcycle goggles different from regular glasses?
- OTG glasses are great transition lenses: As said earlier in this article, transition glasses are important as they function just as great during the day and at night.
- They have ultimate visibility: OTG motorcycle goggles are designed to be wider than regular motorcycle goggles. This is made to account for the fact that they’re going to be worn over glasses. Also, OTG motorcycle goggles are great for your vision as they help you see through your peripheral vision as well.
- Are designed to handle bumpy terrains: OTG motorcycle goggles are designed to keep your glasses saved even when riding on bumpy roads.
- They protect eyes and glasses: OTG motorcycle goggles are made uniquely so they have extra padding to provide extra protection for your eyes and your glasses.
Conclusion
Motorcycle goggles are a non-negotiable utility associated with motorcycle riders. With this article, we’ve equipped you with everything you need when you decide to purchase your motorcycle goggles.