A Buyer’s Guide for Prescription Sunglasses for Motorcycle

May 19, 2022

Riding motorcycles is an exhilarating experience; it gives you a sense of freedom while letting you see the world from a whole new perspective. But with that kind of freedom comes responsibility—and safety is always essential. One of the basic necessities of being safe while riding is having a full visual of the road ahead of you and being aware of the things around you.

You might be a casual biker who loves strolling in the city or a speed enthusiast who’s into races. Either way, you'll need prescription biker sunglasses that can block out the fast-blowing dust and wind, and filter out the bright sunlight while you ride.

Guide to choosing a new pair of motorcycle sunglasses

Fit and Coverage

The most protective design against the wind is sunglasses that wrap around the rider's face. Frame wraps and side shields offer lateral protection as they form to the curvature of your face that blocks small particles and other airborne irritants that get from the side of your glasses where there are openings.

Additionally, removable and replaceable eyecups and side shields create a more thorough seal around the eyes. We highly recommend this if wind or dry-eye are major concerns for you. Eyecups are an easy solution that come in two options:

Foam: more breathable and soft against the face
Rubber: better seal and easier to clean

Impact Protection and Durability

Rec Specs’ motorcycle sunglasses meet and exceed the standard for eye protection, ANSI Z87.1, which is particularly important for high-mass and high-velocity impacts. If your eyes are not protected by a face-shield or windshield on your bike, we recommend that you check this out.

All of our frames are made with the highest quality, durable nylon material–and we stand behind them with a Lifetime Protection Plan. This lifetime warranty covers complete replacement of broken frames and scratched lenses so you’ll never have to worry about them getting bent or broken, even if you drop them on the ground.

Helmet Compatibility

It's true that most full-face helmets provide very effective eye protection. They shield your eyes not only from any debris or small particles that might hit you in the face, but also from most of the wind. And if you're wearing a helmet, there's really no reason not to wear sunglasses.

Open-face and full-face helmets may require stiffer temple arms that wrap around the head. These features allow the frames to slide on after the helmet sits comfortably on the rider's head without causing pressure points.

Lens Technology

Tints

The type of tint that works best for you depends on your riding style, riding conditions, and what kind of vision protection you need.

Amber and Grey work well in bright light conditions and allow excellent depth perception and contrast on the road and trails. These lenses work well in most types of weather.
Rose Amber offers high contrast and is very soothing to the eyes while providing excellent light and glare protection. It works well in overcast and low-light riding conditions.
If you’re into night-driving, a clear tint is recommended as most visible light will be transmitted through the lens.
Yellow tint is an alternative option for those with high levels of light sensitivity during a night drive.

Light Responsive

If you're looking for a lens that can cover the widest range of light conditions, look no further than light responsive lenses.

These lenses adjust to UV light exposure and will go from clear to tinted. We offer both grey and amber tints in this style of lens so you can choose what best suits your needs and preferences.

Polarized Lenses

When riding a motorcycle, you want to block as much glare as possible because it can obscure your vision while on the road. Polarized lenses are best used on roads rather than trails because they can have an effect on depth perception and your ability to read digital displays when you're off-road.

Interchangeable Lenses

The Switch® lens technology provides a personalized vision experience that will boost overall visual activity. It lets you swap lenses quickly and easily as light conditions or prescription needs change.

Coatings

Lens coatings impact the quality of your vision and the comfort you feel while riding.

Fast-fog recovery lenses let you get the best performance out of motorcycle sunglasses. This type of lens coating helps reduce fogging in conditions such as cold-to-warm temperature transitions, humid environments, or when eye protection is worn with helmets.

Anti-reflective (AR) coating is highly recommended for those that are not using polarized lenses. This lens type perfectly reduces glare from headlights, the road, and other reflective surfaces.

Top Recommendations for Motorcycle Sunglasses

We have picked out some of our best options for motorcycle sunglasses that will keep you safe and comfortable on the road.

Best Frames with Eyecups

Pathfinder: From every day to road-ready sunglasses in seconds! This features a Switch® Lock and Load™magnetic eyecups for easy switching in varying conditions.

If you’re looking for more sizes, try Stormrider for a smaller fit and Highlander for a larger fit. Check out our entire collection of motorcycle sunglasses here.

Best Frames with Side Shields

Piston: ANSI Z87.1 certified and built for speed with its magnetic technology. That alone makes this frame your ideal motorcycle eyewear choice.

Our Pursuit and Throttle frames are also good alternatives that feature the same comfort, grip, and durability.

Best Aviator-style Frames

High-G: Wear that timeless style wherever you go. This frame offers all-weather protection with its patent pending, vented snap-off magnetic side shields and a removable brow cover.

If you prefer the navigator style, Strata is also a good option.

Best Frames with Interchangeable Lenses

B7: This frame brings versatility to sunglasses as light conditions and activities change. It offers impressive coverage and visibility while destroying harmful UVA and UVB sun rays, wind, and debris for a comfortable ride.

You can also check Lycan or Boreal for the same confident styling and great coverage.

Have you found your perfect pair of prescription motorcycle sunglasses yet?

We understand that this is a big investment for you and your safety, which is why we’re here for you every step of the way! Our outfitters are always a call or chat away if you have questions. Contact us and we’ll put you in touch with one of our friendly Rec Specs experts who can help outfit you with the best fit and frame-lens combination based on your needs.

Shop risk free with our RecSpecs guarantee. If your Rec Specs get broken or scratched during use, just send them back for a free replacement! And if you want them returned for any reason, we have our 30-day, no-questions-asked satisfaction guarantee so you have nothing to lose! Shipping is always free.

You can also use our easy at-home try-on process to test out motorcycle sunglasses from the comfort of your home. Click here to get started building your kit for FREE. Don’t forget – we also offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee on your purchase!