Motorcycle goggles can be regarded as a fashion statement, but they serve a much more important purpose than that: protection. When riding at 80 kilometers per hour down the road, even the smallest particles of dust or debris can cause serious damage to a person's eyes. Motorcycle goggles serve as a protective barrier between that dust and debris and the motorcycle rider's eyes.
Both the lenses and encasement for motorcycle goggles have a variety of types and material options. The old traditional encasement for motorcycle goggle lenses is leather with glass, mostly replaced now by high performance plastics and synthetic fibers.
A modern improvement is the advent of prescription motorcycle goggles. They eliminate the need to wear corrective lenses beneath the goggles, allowing a more snug fit and ensuring a safer ride. Goggles have also been made in a style that accommodates prescription glasses. Often these are made from modern materials treated to be anti-fog and scratch-resistant.
Other optimizations that have been made to motorcycle glasses/goggles include the ability to adjust the tint on the glasses. These goggles afford not only protection from flying debris, but also the harmful UV rays of sunlight. There also are motorcycle goggles made for night riding, as well as riding in less than optimal weather conditions.
Some of these lenses may improve riding in certain conditions, there are double lenses mostly for anti-fogging, vented lenses for hot conditions and sand lenses for desert riding which are hard to scratch.
Other types of lenses are:
Clear Lens: All-purpose. Allows the maximum amount of light through for the most accurate representation of your environment.
Blue Lens: Low to medium light. Comfortable lens tint that boosts contrast in a wide variety of conditions. For most conditions tending towards overcast.
Persimmon Lens: Flat to low light. Filters blue light to boost contrast and increase depth perception in overcast and shaded conditions. Good for fog and snow.
Grey Lens: Medium light. Reduces light levels with a neutral transmission for truer color perception. For most conditions tending towards sunny.
Black Iridium or VR28 Lens: Medium to bright light. Features a glare-reducing Iridium® coating over a high contrast lens for maximized performance in bright conditions. Great for sunny conditions.
All the capabilities and functional features will mean nothing if protective goggles are improperly fitted, hanging around your neck or worse NOT worn at all. Motorcyclists should ensure that the strap on the goggles is firm enough to stay on, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation. Also be aware that the goggles must always form a protective barrier around all angles of a person's eyes. If they do not do so, a different style or size may be necessary for fitment. In addition, goggles should not interfere with the choice of protective headgear that a rider chooses.
Motorcycle helmet goggles make accommodations in their size and shape to allow the rider to safely wear both a helmet and goggles. Most goggles are styled for use with a helmet. Different helmets are shaped differently, and it is wise for the rider to bring their helmet with them when purchasing a new pair of motorcycle goggles from a shop.
In summary, get goggles with interchangeable lenses ensuring extra and optional lenses are readily available to replace scratched lenses or change to the ride conditions.
Always wear your goggles no mater what the conditions you only have two eyes, protect them. In Enduro or MX riding it will be only a split second between between debris/branches hitting you and damaging one or both eyes.
Final tip in winter buy some “Rain-X” from the auto store and a “Ski Gee” from the Ski shop to keep the lenses clear of water and mud.