Best Photochromic Motorcycle Glasses in 2022

Unless you’re wearing a closed motorcycle helmet, your face, and most importantly, eyes, are exposed to the wind, road dirt, and possibly even small debris that accompanies most rides. In addition, you can experience eye strain during longer rides because of changing or simply sub-optimal lighting conditions. Tired eyes are not only going to make your trip feel less pleasant but also increase your risk of not being able to perceive your surroundings with due attention.

Fortunately, you can avoid all these problems with one simple solution: be sure to wear motorcycle glasses or goggles next time you take your bike for a ride. For the best comfort and flexibility, go for glasses that are adaptable to your surroundings, the lighting conditions in particular. Such glasses are often called “photochromic,” but you can also come across the term “transition glasses.” Both are used to refer to glasses that can filter out different amounts of light based on the lighting conditions. This way, your eyes don’t have to adapt to changing amounts of light, and you can comfortably focus on your environment.

Choosing a good pair of motorcycle glasses is not easy, so in this review, I’m going to describe six products I consider to be among the best photochromic motorcycle glasses available. Whether you are a newbie or an experienced biker, I hope you’ll be able to find just the motorcycle glasses you’ve been looking for here.

Time to Check out the Top 6 Best Transition Motorcycle Glasses

1. Bertoni Photochromic Motorcycle Glasses – it is the best all-rounder photochromic riding glasses
2. Global Vision Photochromic Glasses – top minimalist transition sunglasses
3. Bobster Renegade Sport Sunglasses – best for casual riding
4. Bikershades Motorcycle Glasses – great entry-level transitional motorcycle sunglasses
5. Get Lost Helmets Motorcycle Riding Goggles – best photochromic motorcycle goggles
6. Bikershades Photochromic Motorcycle Sunglasses – the darkest photochromic lenses

1. Bertoni Photochromic Motorcycle Glasses: Best Allrounder Photochromic Riding Glasses

Bertoni is one of the most well-established brands when it comes to quality glasses, so it should come as no surprise that a Bertoni product opens this list. These glasses are about as customizable as you could want, which means you’re very likely to get a good fit with them. Apart from interchangeable arms, these glasses also have a removable soft coating on the inside of the frame, making them more comfortable and offering excellent protection from the wind. In addition, you can also instantly transform these glasses into goggles by using the included strap.

However, what impressed me the most about these transition motorcycle glasses are their lenses. The photochromic lenses adapt themselves to lighting conditions with remarkable precision, providing equal degrees of visibility and comfort inside and outside regardless of the weather. You can literally wear these glasses all day without having to take them off or replace the lenses manually, and that’s the level of performance I’m looking for in photochromic glasses.

All in all, you get a lot of bang for your buck with these glasses despite the fact that they belong to the upper price segment. Given the sturdy frame and quality lenses, you’ll be able to use them for a long time, so I’d consider the Bertoni photochromic glasses a good investment.

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• Premium quality lenses
• Customizable frame
• Durable and reliable
• Can be transformed into goggles

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• It May is not compatible with open-faced helmets
• Rather expensive

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2. Global Vision Photochromic Glasses: Top Minimalist Transition Sunglasses for Motorcycle Riding

Some people love tearing up a product’s packaging and seeing lots of accessories inside while others are happiest with a minimalist “plug-and-play” solution. If you belong to the latter category, you need to take a closer look at my next pick, the photochromic glasses from Global Vision.

Inside the box, you’ll find the glasses themselves along with a handy pouch for traveling and storage. If you’re not looking for a highly customizable solution like the Bertoni glasses I described above, that’s really all you need. The frame is equipped with some soft foam padding for maximum comfort but bear in mind that it’s not removable. This is probably my only serious issue with these glasses, as it’s always nice to have the opportunity to remove the foam for cleaning or if you want a looser fit.

The lenses adapt to changing light conditions pretty well, you can definitely wear these glasses all day, and the lenses will let just the right amount of light get through to your eyes. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions and put the glasses into the freezer for a couple of hours before you wear them.

This has to happen on a sunny day because you need to expose them to direct sunlight once they’re out of the freezer to activate the UV filter. Once that’s done, the glasses perform a lot better than they do out of the box and provide a good level of protection against bright sunlight. Admittedly, they aren’t the darkest photochromic motorcycle glasses out there, but they will still get the job done in most (if not all) weather conditions.

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• An efficient minimalist solution
• Quality lenses
• Durable nylon frame
• Reasonable price

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• Non-removable foam padding
• The UV filter has to be activated

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3. Bobster Renegade Sport Sunglasses: Great for Casual Riding

You may assume that it’s only riders who spend hours at a time on their bike that need photochromic motorcycle glasses, but they are actually pretty useful for casual riders as well. Even if you only use your motorbike for commuting in a big city, you will still be amazed by how much of a difference a good pair of photochromic glasses can make.

Bobster Renegade is probably not the best photochromic motorcycle sunglasses you can find, but they are reliable, affordable, and surprisingly well-equipped to handle just about any type of lighting condition. Despite its very attractive price tag, the Renegade is even convertible from glasses to goggles, a feature that is normally found in higher-tier models. The included strap feels durable and responds well to stretching, so I’d expect it to last for at least several seasons of heavy use.

The lenses have an active UV filter that makes sure that harmful UV rays do not reach your eyes. Both the frame and the lenses are made from polycarbonate, which is a lot more scratch and impact resistant than glass or regular plastic. The foam padding on the frame is removable, which could be a significant advantage over the Global Vision model if you’re looking for riding glasses that turn to sunglasses on a whim.

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• Quality impact-resistant lenses
• Convertible to goggles
• Reasonably priced
• Removable padding

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• It may not fit people with a narrow facial profile
• It May not be compatible with open-faced helmets

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4. Bikershades Motorcycle Glasses: Great Entry Level Transitional Motorcycle Sunglasses

Bikershades is another well-known brand when it comes to motorcycle glasses and goggles. Bikershades products usually offer great value for the money, so I ended up including two pairs of Bikershades glasses in my review. The first one is a solid mid-range model that offers a lot of the same features as the Bertoni glasses (the first entry) at a considerably lower price.

These Bikershades glasses come in a frame that is most likely to fit people with wider faces and larger heads, so female riders may want to look for a different pair of protective motorcycle glasses. The lenses are made from polycarbonate, which makes them very resistant to scratches and physical impact. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can throw these glasses around and expect them to stay intact, but they can definitely survive an accidental fall.

The Bikershades come with a removable soft foam cushion, which is a very welcome feature for the reasons I’ve already discussed above. However, the arms are not removable, so you’ll have to look elsewhere if you’re after glasses that can double as transition motorcycle goggles. The lenses offer a decent amount of flexibility, performing well in a broad range of weather conditions. Depending on your expectations, you may wish for the lenses to get darker when facing direct sunlight, but personally, I didn’t find this to be much of an issue.

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• Quality polycarbonate lenses
• Durable frame
• Removable foam padding
• Attractive price

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• Can’t be transformed into goggles
• May limit your peripheral vision

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5. Get Lost Helmets Motorcycle Riding Goggles: Best Photochromic Motorcycle Goggles

If you’re specifically after transition motorcycle goggles and don’t mind the inability to switch between glasses and goggles, this model from getting Lost Helmets is probably going to be right up your alley. Designed to function as goggles and goggles only, the frame is very ergonomic and avoids the pitfalls common for the 2-in-1 models, such as the strap leaving a red ring on your face after you take the goggles off or the wind getting in around the sides of the frames.

I found the adjustable straps to be one of the best things about the Get Lost Helmets goggles. They offer such a degree of flexibility that you can make them fit just about anyone from a child to a tall, bulky man. If you’re a female rider looking for a pair of protective eyewear that will fit you comfortably, you might be better off with these goggles as most glasses are designed to fit larger heads. Of course, you could still find the fit uncomfortable because the frame just won’t “work” with your facial features, but the fully adjustable straps set these goggles up for a good start.

The lenses perform pretty well in all kinds of lighting conditions, so you shouldn’t have any problems with the goggles in that regard. The transitions between different lighting conditions are smooth and generally contribute to better visibility and comfort. In addition, the goggles do a great job protecting your eyes from wind and road dust, performing considerably better than most glasses no matter how much padding they have. Overall, I think this model is a great choice for anyone who doesn’t mind not being able to use this product as regular sunglasses.

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• Great fit thanks to the adjustable straps
• High-quality lenses suitable for most environments
• Come with a hard storage case as well as a soft pouch
• Impressive protection from wind, dust, and road debris
• Compatible with most open-faced helmets

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• Do not double as sunglasses
• The lack of foam padding may mean an uncomfortable fit for some people

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6. Bikershades Photochromic Motorcycle Sunglasses: The Darkest Photochromic Lenses

As I’ve already mentioned before, Bikershades always deliver high-quality products, which is clearly the case with these glasses. You can get them in two varieties, with lenses that go completely clear or yellowish in poor lighting conditions. Both models have their pros and cons, but I personally prefer the one with clear lenses because once they went gray in direct sunlight, my eyes didn’t feel any strain from the sun at all. They are easily one of the darkest photochromic motorcycle riding glasses I’ve ever tried, and I’m sure there are riders out there who are going to appreciate that a lot.

Apart from the impressive lenses, the glasses also boast an ergonomic frame that provides a surprisingly comfortable fit while keeping your peripheral vision unobstructed. Both the frame and the lenses are made from extra durable polycarbonate, so you should be able to use these glasses for at least several years before you need a replacement. I do wish that the foam padding was removable, but given the quality of the lenses, I’m willing to let that one slide.

All in all, both versions of these glasses are top-quality products that are definitely worth their price. The yellow lenses are great at filtering out the halo around artificial lights at night but don’t perform as well in direct sunlight as their clear/gray siblings. If you don’t ride at night all that often, it makes a lot more sense for you to choose the clear/gray version.

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• Great lenses regardless of what colors you go for
• Comfortable fit
• Durable construction
• Lots of value for the money

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• Non-removable foam padding
• It may not fit some open-faced helmets

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Best Photochromic Motorcycle Sunglasses Review: The Bottom Line

Now that we’ve talked about 6 pairs of awesome photochromic motorcycle glasses and goggles, how do you choose the one that’s going to work for you? I’d say you can’t go wrong with all of these products, so you’ll have to make a choice based on priorities such as the importance of removable foam padding or the ability to switch between glasses and goggles. I’d recommend the Bikershades Photochromic glasses as one of the best all-rounder options with great lenses if you don’t mind the non-removable padding. Otherwise, take a closer look at the Bobster Renegade or go for the Get Lost Helmets goggles to avoid padding altogether.

Did you find this photochromic motorcycle sunglasses review helpful? Do you have any remarks or wish that the review included a different product? If so, be sure to share your opinion in the comments section below.