World-class eyewear: Best motorcycle goggles

Many riders like open-face helmets with motorcycle goggles for a variety of reasons; they like the feeling of air on their face, the bike they ride looks best with an open-face or they are off-roaders and a motocross or enduro-style helmet works best.

And while some open-face helmets may include a visor, for those that don’t, some form of eye protection is essential, like motorcycle googles.

There are numerous styles of googles around, notably for MX or enduro helmets. But there are also lots of retro-style goggles though finding a set that will look after your eyes is trickier than you might think.

And there are goggles that include a mask to not only keep insects and debris out of your eyes but your mouth too.

Like helmet visors, goggles should conform to British Standards EN 1938 which is the UK standard that sits alongside the EU regulations and as such, should be CE marked or wear a BS kitemark. This ensures they won’t shatter in an impact and harm your eyes.

In addition to construction standards, there are also standards regarding light transmission and tinted goggles and like visors, any that transmit less than 50% of the light are deemed unfit for use on UK roads.

In addition to goggles, there are also various sports sunglasses, with changeable lenses that will help keep your eyes safe in an open-face helmet. The choice, as they say, is yours…

About the author: After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, Jim Blackstock began working on magazines in the early 1990s. He remains passionate about product testing to ensure readers know what products offer good value and why. He relishes torrential rain to see if riding kit keeps water out and an hour or two to tinker on a project bike in his workshop.

Be the first to know what’s coming in the latest issue of MCN, plus the latest road tests, recommendations, and competitions. Sign up to the MCN newsletter.

- Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us.