Create a Simple Visor for Your Otherwise Visorless Full-face Helmets

Intro: Create a Simple Visor for Your Otherwise Visorless Full-face Helmets

This is a very cost-effective way to create disposable visors for your Full-face style helmets. This is a good way to save money because these style helmets are generally at least a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the helmets with "proper visors". Most of the materials and tools you should have lying around the house (if you're reading this website you should have more than enough). It only takes about 20 minutes total. (not held responsible for any assumptions as to what it will protect you against or cuts, burns, harm you receive during the process) (ALSO, this is not tested for extreme conditions)

STEP 1: Gather Your Materials

For this project you will need:

-A two litre pop bottle (no-name brands seem to spring into a roll, which could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.)

-Some velcro, enough of both sides (hoops and hooks) to cover the outer edge of where you're applying it

-A helmet with an open space for the visor to go

-Scissors

-Exacto knife (deadly)

-Sharpie (or other permanent marker)

-Something big enough to hold enough water to immerse, and hold the two liter pop bottle

STEP 2: Get That Unsightly and Sticky Label Off!

Get out your deadly Exacto knife and cut that hideous label off, being careful not to nick the plastic. It should look like this.

STEP 3: Get Rid of That Layer of Paper Still Stuck to the Bottle

That layer still stuck to the bottle? GONE, get your container (or sink) and fill it with hot water, also, fill the pop bottle with water (so it will stay in the container) and let it sit for 5 minutes. When you take it out, dry it off, and use your fingernails to pick off the paper, it shouldn't be that hard at all. There will be a small amount of glue left where the paper was, if this bugs you, you can take the extra time with anything relatively abrasive and a gentle household cleaner (orange cleaner, hand soap) to get it all off, it really isn't that much of a problem though, these things are disposable.

STEP 4: Mark Where You're Going to Cut It, Then Do It

This is just the general how tall its going to be, you should cut just after the bottle starts to curve at the top, and at the bottom just before the sections-thing starts (base), mark it with a sharpie first, then cut it out, scissors or the Exacto knife work fine.

STEP 5: Cut It So That It Is One Strip

Cut it right down the middle of the glue residue, so that it ends up being on the edges on either side, so that you end up with a single sheet of plastic.

STEP 6: Mark and Cut Out the Shape You Want

Hold the plastic up to your helmet, and get your sharpie ready. You'll probably want to cut it to conform to the contours of the helmet. Draw it all out, then cut it out and see how it fits, always cut on the outside of the marked line so that if you mess up, you have room to re-do it.

STEP 7: Velcro!

Once you have the visor to the shape and fit you want, its time to bring in the velcro. Cut into lengths and widths to fit inconspicously on the helmet, put the "scratchy" side of the velcro on the helmet, this is so that when the visor rolls up when not in use, the scratchy parts wont damage the visor, causing it to be un-see-through-able. Be generous when applying the lengths of velcro on the helmet. Cut out the soft side of the velcro now and apply it accordingly placed on the visor. An efficient way to do this is to place the visor up to the helmet and mark where the velcro will be with a dry erase marker then place the velcro where you marked.

STEP 8: YOU'RE FINISHED

You're finished! It should fit and conform to the shapes of the helmet and be very easy to see through, it works just as well, if not better than a real visor "built in" to a helmet. I use my helmet for longboarding and on my scooter (1981 Yamaha Beluga) and the visors havn't caused me any troubles so far, they do get scratched up, but I just make a new one, usually lasts a month for me.

Comments

[solaravoltara]

I lost my visor in a 120mph motorcycle crash. I broke my leg, but rode away on my bike, with a cracked visor as the only damage to my helmet. Dented tank and missing windshield as the only damage to my bike. That being said, I came here trying to find a solution to the sting from drizzling mist on my cheeks. Bravo! This will work great as a temporary solution if it will withstand the wind! However, I also believe that thicker acrylic is better, and plastic like this is a bit too flammable to be used as a face shield. Yes I know that helmets should be replaced after even a small drop, but I'm not rich...

[The Bacon KING I]

Just an overall question, could you dye the visor? If so, what would be recommended to dye it with?

[iLikeMoldyBread]

it would be best if you would use a cling-film tint rather than dyeing it.

[iLikeMoldyBread]

this would definitely not be a suitable replacement for a helmet that is meant to protect, but a GREAT visor for a cosplay helmet! thank you!

[agai111]

...Or a sheet of polycarbonate, like a sane person would use?

[DavidA87]

[rosoi]

Guaranteed to melt your face in case of fire !

Better use a pair of motocross/ski goggles.

[cristoph]

I might use this for a replica halo helmet visor thanks

[corkey123]

Thanks for sharing!

[allangee]

Don't make the water too hot. PET plastic -- which the bottle is probably made from -- shrinks if heated up too much. So don't put it into the dishwasher either. if you have an extra bottle around, put it in the sink and pour boiling water on it. It'll shrink and shrivel.

[allangee]

To remove the residue, try Goo-Gone or a similar product. If the adhesive is petroleum-based, butter, margarine, oil, may also work. Let it sit for awhile, remove whatever it loosens, repeat as needed. That way you don't get any scratches.

[fredellarby]

An original equipment face sheild for my helmets costs $70 and I use it to protect my face and EYES!
I'm not convinced trusting this job to a pop bottle is a good idea.

[BraisedDuck]

so.... if i want a black visor....then what??

[corkey123]

ALSO! Here is a pic of the helmet with the logging style face shield cut to size, with velcro applied like my 'ible said and tinted.

[corkey123]

Get window tint from Canadian Tire or your local auto glass shop and follow the instructions or ask for a quick play by play on how to apply it. It's extremely easy since the visor is flat when applied. Limo tint is an adequate darkness and is very easy to see out of. All you need to apply the tint on such a small scale is a mild soapy solution in a spray bottle, a credit card or something similar (hard, flat edge) and some lint free cloths. Here's the only shot of mine tinted.

[Spade115]

You guys want Snell not SHELL helmets. These are helmets certified with Snell.
http://www.smf.org/cert.html

Goes from bicycles to motorcycles

[Stonehopper]

 I have seen DOT helmets fail under normal highway speed crashes. Try to find one that is SHELL rated. These are put to much higher standards than DOT and I personally have never seen one fail even under extreme crashes. I figure if the NASCAR pros won't use DOT and only use SHELL it must be pretty good.

[corkey123]

I have never heard of SHELL but am very interested.  I own a motorcycle now and have a regular "cheap" (300$ is NOT cheap to me...) DOT helmet, which I'm led to believe is safe for one good crash.  I probably will do research, but from what you know, what are the main differences that make SHELL safer and more desirable than DOT certified helmets? They're probably more expensive, but you can't put a price on safety.  I also wonder about their availability, because I frequent the local bike showrooms and shops and they have never mentioned SHELL (what does it stand for by the way?).  Until I hear back, google will be my friend.

[jongscx]

For the sake of safety... All helmets should be replaced after one crash...

[Stonehopper]

I'm sorry but my memory has been fading some with age. What I meant was SNELL. This is an independent testing group and they test helmets to a much higher standard than DOT. They will not be cheap but as you say what price safety.