The KYT R2R is a full-face sport helmet whose outer visor (shield) clips onto a mechanism on each side of the shell. Changing it is a short job that needs no tools once you know the order. This guide covers KYT R2R visor removal and refitting, how to check you really have an R2R before ordering a part, and what to look at before your next ride.
Aftermarket visors for KYT helmets
The short answer: put the helmet on a soft surface with the eye port facing away from you and raise the visor to the very top of its travel. Release the side mechanism on one side, ease that side of the visor away, then do the same on the other side. Fit the new visor in the fully open position, one side at a time, and press until each side clicks.
Before you start: confirm the helmet is an R2R
KYT has sold several sport helmets with short, similar names, and the R2R PRO is a separate model with its own listing in our catalogue. A visor is cut for one shell aperture and one pair of side mountings, so the model name matters more than the look of the helmet.
- Read the label. Lift the comfort liner or check the chin strap label. The model name is printed there.
- Note the size range too. It does not change the visor on most helmets, but it helps if you ever need to contact a dealer about a part.
- Check the old visor for pins. Two small pins on the inside face, near each side, mean the visor is ready for an anti-fog insert.
If the label is missing or worn, our visor finder walks you through identifying the model. Our overview of visors that fit KYT helmets sets out how the other shells in the range are grouped.
What you need for the job
The swap itself is done by hand. Preparation is mostly about protecting the paint, the side mountings and the new visor’s surface.
- A folded towel or the helmet bag to rest the helmet on
- Two clean microfibre cloths, one dry and one slightly damp
- The replacement visor, with its protective film still on
- The owner’s manual that came with the helmet, which shows the release point on your exact model
- Good light from the side, so you can see the mechanism clearly
Wash your hands before you start. Skin oil on the inside of a new visor is the most common reason it smears the first time it fogs.
KYT R2R visor removal, step by step
This is the general sequence for a tool-less side mechanism of the kind the R2R uses. Where the diagram in your manual differs from these steps, the diagram wins, because it is drawn for your helmet.
- Set the helmet down. Rest it on the towel with the chin bar towards you and the eye port facing away.
- Raise the visor fully. Lift it through every detent until it stops. Most side mechanisms will only release in this position.
- Find the release. Look at the side mounting just behind the visor’s pivot for the lever or tab that frees it.
- Operate the release and hold it. Keep it held while you draw that side of the visor gently away from the shell.
- Repeat on the second side. Free the other side in the same way and lift the visor clear of the helmet.
Lay the old visor down on its outer face so the inner surface stays clean. If one side will not let go, stop. Check that the visor is still at the very top of its travel and that the release is still held, then try again.
Never prise the visor off with a screwdriver, a coin or a knife. The tip slips, and it marks the shell, the mounting or the visor itself. Our general guide to removing a motorcycle helmet visor shows how other common mechanisms release if you own more than one make.
Cleaning the side mountings while the visor is off
With the visor removed, you can reach parts of the helmet that are normally hidden. This is the best moment to clean them, and it takes a couple of minutes.
Wipe each side mounting with the dry cloth and look for grit packed into the recesses. Road dirt that collects here is the usual reason a visor feels stiff, creaks as it moves or refuses to seat squarely. Use a soft brush for anything the cloth cannot reach.
Run the damp cloth along the rubber seal around the eye port too. A clean, supple seal is what stops air and noise leaking in along the brow once the new visor is closed. Let everything dry fully before you fit the replacement.
Fitting the new visor
Fitting is the removal in reverse, done slowly and squarely. Work on one side at a time and do not force anything.
- Peel back the film at the edges only. Keep the centre covered so you cannot fingerprint it while you handle the visor.
- Hold the visor in the fully open position. Offer it up at the angle the old one came off.
- Line up the first side. Sit the visor’s pivot opening square over the mounting, not tilted.
- Press it home. Push in the centre of the mounting until that side clicks into place.
- Fit the second side. Keep the first side seated while you line up and press in the other.
- Work the visor through its range. Close it and open it several times, listening for an even click on both sides.
A correctly fitted visor closes flat against the eye port seal along its whole length. If one corner stands proud, or one side moves before the other, that side is not fully home. Take it off and seat it again rather than pushing the visor shut harder.
Finally, peel off the rest of the film from both faces and wipe the outer face with the damp cloth. The Highway Code is direct about why this matters: “Before each journey check that your helmet visor is clean and in good condition.”
Adding an anti-fog insert to an R2R visor
A pin-style anti-fog insert is a thin second lens that sits between two pins on the inside of the visor. It traps a sealed layer of air against the visor, which keeps the inner lens warmer than the outer one so your breath is far less likely to condense on it.
Check for the two pins before you order. If they are there, the visor can take an insert, and the KYT R2R anti-fog insert is listed for this model. If there are no pins, an insert cannot be fitted to that visor, and its own coating is all the anti-fog protection it has.
Always fit an insert with the visor off the helmet, flat on a soft surface. Our guide to fitting a pin-style anti-fog insert shows the method step by step. For how inserts compare with coatings, see our range of Pinlock-compatible anti-fog inserts.
Choosing a replacement visor for the KYT R2R
The removal is the same whatever you choose, so the decision is about where and when you ride. The table below summarises the visor types in our KYT R2R visor range.
| Visor type | Suited to | Road use in Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | All-round riding, dusk, night and rain | Depends on the marking on that individual visor |
| Photochromic | Riding in and out of sun and shade | Depends on the marking on that individual visor |
| Dark tint (smoked) | Track days in bright sun | Dark smoke tints are not permitted |
| Mirrored or iridium finishes | Track and off-road use | Not permitted at any time of day |
For most riders a clear visor is the sensible first purchase, because it works in every light. Our page on clear replacement visors explains what to look for. The replacement visor listed for the R2R comes in clear as well as several tints.
If you ride from bright mornings into shaded lanes, a photochromic visor darkens in sunlight and clears again in shade, and the KYT R2R Photochromic Visor is listed for this helmet. For circuit days, iridium visors cut glare on a bright track.
When to replace the visor
Deep scratches are the obvious reason to change a visor, but they are not the only one. A visor that has hazed, cracked near the pivots or lost its coating scatters light from oncoming headlights, and that is worst at night and in rain.
A simple test is to look through the visor towards a bright light in a dim room. Starbursts, halos or a milky glow mean it is time for a new one. Our guide on when to replace a motorcycle visor goes through the signs in more detail.
The law in Great Britain: the marking on the visor is the test
In Great Britain the legal test for a visor is the marking on that individual visor, not its colour or the name of its tint. The Motor Cycles (Eye Protectors) Regulations 1999 prescribe BS 4110 and require a protector to be marked with an approved certification mark of an approved body. A visor is only road legal in GB if it carries that marking.
Iridium, mirrored and dark smoke visors transmit too little light to be legal for road use in Great Britain, day or night. They are sold for track and off-road riding.
Selling eye protection for road use when it is not of a prescribed type is itself an offence under section 18 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. That is why ClearLine never describes any visor as approved or certified: we do not check the marking on individual items. Read our guide to tinted visor law in Great Britain for the detail, and riders in the US can start with our guide to visor tint rules in the US.
Troubleshooting after a visor swap
Nearly every problem after fitting a new visor comes from a side that is not fully seated or from dirt in a mounting. Work through these before deciding a part is faulty.
Why will my KYT R2R visor not come off?
The visor is usually not at the very top of its travel, or the release was let go before that side came away. Raise the visor fully, hold the release and keep holding it while you draw the visor off. Never lever it with a tool.
Why does the new visor whistle or let air in at the top?
One side is probably not fully home, so the visor cannot close flat against the eye port seal. Take it off, clean both mountings and seat each side again until it clicks. Check the seal itself for dirt or a fold while the visor is off.
Why does the visor feel stiff or creak as it moves?
Grit in a side mounting is the usual cause. Remove the visor, clean the mountings with a dry cloth and a soft brush, and refit it. Avoid oils and sprays on the mechanism, because they collect more dirt.
Does an anti-fog insert change whether a visor is road legal?
No. The insert sits on the inside and works the same way whatever the outer tint is. In Great Britain the legal status still depends on the marking the visor carries.
Looking after the visor and mechanism
Visor coatings are thin, and the wrong cleaner removes them quickly. These habits keep a new visor clear for longer:
- Soak before you wipe. Lay a wet cloth over a dirty visor for a few minutes so insects and grit lift off instead of scratching.
- Use mild soap and microfibre only. Paper towels and glove fingers are abrasive enough to dull the surface.
- Keep solvents away. Petrol, glass cleaner and household sprays attack polycarbonate and its coatings.
- Clean the side mountings every few months. Wet rides pack dirt into them faster than dry ones.
- Store the helmet in its bag. It protects the visor from knocks and scratches between rides.
Our full guide to cleaning a motorcycle helmet visor covers technique in more depth. For the other models in the range, browse our visors for KYT helmets. This guide was written by the ClearLine team.
Visors and inserts mentioned in this guide
- KYT R2R Replacement Visor — Smoke, Clear, Silver Tints
- Photochromic visor for the KYT R2R
- See the R2R anti-fog insert
- Every visor and insert for the KYT R2R
Frequently asked questions
Do you need tools to change a KYT R2R visor?
No. The visor releases by hand from the side mechanism once it is raised fully. A tool only adds the risk of scratching the shell or the visor.
Is an R2R PRO visor the same part as an R2R visor?
Do not assume so. We list the R2R PRO as its own model, so order the visor listed for the exact model on your helmet’s label, or use the visor finder if you are unsure.
How often should I clean the visor mechanism?
Every few months for most riders, and sooner after a run of wet rides. It is quickest to do whenever the visor is off for cleaning or replacement.