Shark’s new IRID visor is claimed to tint in under a second
Using a built-in solar panel and liquid crystal film, Shark’s latest visor is said to react almost instantly to light changes, targeting both road and track riders.
Shark has unveiled a new visor that aims to solve one of riding’s most common issues: changing light conditions. At this time of year, low sunlight and wet roads can be a literal menace for motorcycle riders.
Shark thinks it has the solution, a new IRID photochromic visor. Claimed to be able to switch from clear to tinted in less than a second, the visor uses active technology rather than the slow-reacting chemicals found in traditional photochromic designs.
Instead of relying on UV exposure alone, the irid visor uses a small solar panel mounted at the top of the visor. When light hits it, power is sent straight to a liquid crystal film embedded in the visor, darkening it almost instantly. Shark says the whole process takes under a second, compared to up to 40 seconds for conventional photochromic visors to darken – and several minutes to return to clear.
The system is battery-free, fully waterproof and backed up with an anti-fog inner layer, so Shark is pitching it as a practical safety upgrade rather than a gimmick. It’ll also make the new product a direct competitor to a traditional Pinlock and Shoei’s e:DRYLENS Visordown we reported on earlier this week. In fast-changing conditions, such as tunnels, tree-lined roads or when riding in mixed weather, quicker adaptation means fewer moments riding half-blinded by the conditions.
The IRID visor is currently only compatible with Shark’s top-tier helmets: the Race-R Pro, Aeron GP and Aeron. It’s designed for daytime use and comes in three versions. VZ Clear has a light tint and is road legal, while VZ Dark and VZ Iridium Blue offer a stronger colour shift but are intended for track use only. VZ Clear will be the first item on the shelves, with the darker and iridium options following shortly after.
You may also like to read our Shark Aeron GP review.
Prices for the new system start at around £339.99, putting it firmly in the premium end of the tinting visor spectrum. For reference, Shoei’s e:DRYLENS comes in at around £130, while traditional photochromic visors can cost less than £100.
Find out more about the Shark IRID tinting visor on the official website.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!