GEAR REVIEW: Shoei CWR-1 Photochromic Transitions Shield

Shoei CWR-1 Photochromic Transitions Shield

My Rating = 4.5 / 5

Having now had the opportunity to test out the Shoei CWR1 Transitions photochromic shield in a variety of conditions including cooler temps, overcast skies, bright sun, and riding west directly into the setting glare before dusk, I have to say that I give this shield a solid 4.5/5 stars. 

See my Video Review of it here.

The Helmet: Shoei RF 1200
A bit on why I went with the Shoei RF 1200 (feel free to skip this paragraph if you only want to see the Transitions review below) since I was on the fence about which new helmet to purchase: The Shoei RF 1200 or Schuberth C3W Pro. I *really* wanted a transitions shield to accompany my new helmet so I also had a look at the Bell line of helmets too. Based on some of the more recent reviews I've been reading and given the price of the Schuberth, I decided to hold off on the C3W (maybe next time) since it does not offer a transitions option (although it does have the internal visor which might also be a nice feature...not sure how well that would work on the days I decide to wear my glasses rather than my contacts though...). While the modular helmet would definitely be nice, I hold no real dislike for a full face in any way so I figured the Shoei RF 1200 would likely fit the bill quite nicely. I based my decision on this purchase on the following "wants" that were on my list for a new helmet: 1) Pinlock option (since I do quite a bit of riding in cooler temps that are also often wet and soggy), 2) Transitions Shield as an option, 3) Relatively quiet in terms of wind noise ( I do wear ear plugs) , 4) Light, 5) Available in White, and 6) Decent choice for ovalish head.  Thus, the RF 1200 pretty much seemed to be the one that would fit the bill for pretty much all the items on my list.

The Shield: Shoei CWR-1 Photochromic Transitions
For any of you who are in Canada and not sure who to order gear through online...
As with the majority of my other gear, I purchased the CWR-1 shield from Canada's Motorcycle (soon to be [Fall 2016] re-named to FortNine). Once again, purchasing from this supplier was quick, easy, and my package arrived quite promptly and well packaged as per usual. Based on my experiences with ordering my gear online in Canada, this is currently my go-to company to deal with as even when needing to return items, they make it hassle free. Additionally, I am never disappointed with what is in the box as it is obvious the order is carefully checked and packaged.

The shield did not come with an additional pin-lock so I just used the one that came with my helmet (although if I needed to buy one that would be an additional ~ $40.00). For me, the pinlock is a must have as I despise any fogging on my visor and I do ride often in cooler temps and/or wet conditions. I removed my clear shield from the helmet and pinlock from the clear shield, then added the pinlock to the new transition shield (inserting the pinlock can be a bit tricky in having to bend it while trying to not scratch the shield at all!) and then viola - my new visor went onto the helmet ready and raring to go. I was *so excited* about having this new shield, especially for the days that I ride with my glasses instead of my contact lenses. 

I was curious as to whether the shield would work well enough in our climate since it usually isn't super warm here and it did mention on the product description that temperature can cause fluctuation in performance. So I actually thought it might not darken all that well in everyday riding conditions here. I am happy to report that this was not the case at all - it darkens perfectly well even in the "cooler warm" temps (eg 12 degrees C) providing it is light out. I have been pleased with the transition in various conditions while wearing it as it darkens quite quickly. It does take a bit of additional time to fade out to clear. This is not highly problematic in most riding conditions (eg from sunny to overcast) but if you find yourself having to suddenly ride through a dark tunnel you may find that you need to flip up your visor as you may find it a bit too dark otherwise. This is not a deal breaker for me in any way but I did degrade the rating a tiny bit simply because I do find that the fade takes a bit longer than I would really like. It is, to me, a worthwhile trade-off though.

I have not found that the visor scratched more easily than any other visor I have had. I have washed it a good 1/2 dozen times now with a soft microfibre cloth and warm water (have not needed any soap)  without issue. 

A few people have asked me how dark it gets and how quickly, so to give a pic visual, here are a few photos. I did videotape the transition from clear to dark and then dark to clear but haven't included it on here as a) I have not yet edited it and I am already late in posting a review so wanted to get something posted as the start of sunny riding season is here!, and b) believe it or not but by the time I moved the helmet on the deck and placed the timer in front of it and got ready to hit record, it had already darkened to a pretty dark smoke color. Yup, I would say it transitions to dark very quickly!

Comparing Shoei CWR-1 Photochromic Transitions Shield (Left) with HJC Clear Shield (Right)

Shoei CWR-1 Photochromic Transitions Shield (with Shoei RF-1200 XS Helmet) in indirect daylight that was coming through the Window

Shoei CWR-1 Photochromic Transitions Shield in Direct Sunlight (Temperature 17 Degrees Celsius). The shield darkened to this tint in under 30 seconds (Compare to the photo above - by the time I set it on this outdoor surface and placed the timer in front in preparation to video it, the shield had transitioned to this already). Pretty excellent!

In giving this shield a rating of 4.4/5, it lost 1/2 point due to it being on the higher price point end (about 200.00 CAD for the shield + about 45.00 CAD for the pinlock insert) and also because I do find it takes a bit long to transition from dark (not a deal breaker by any means). Otherwise it has definitely been one of my gear purchases that I have been most happiest with!

If anyone has any questions about my experience with this product, please let me know and I will do my best to answer!

Enjoy Your Ride and Have a Safe One! 

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