The Bikerguard visor wiper is a thoroughly excellent but expensive bit of kit that I just don't need

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Before I took delivery of the Bikerguard visor wiper system, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I’ve tried a few novel and niche bits of bike kit over the years and they’re often a bit mad cap, usually conceived with the best of intentions and always a total waste of money.

Call me unprofessional, but I had decided I wasn’t going to like the Bikerguard before it even arrived. So, you can imagine my frustration when it turned out to be a thoroughly excellent bit of kit. The attention to detail that has clearly gone into the design, the build quality, the ease and simplicity of use; all of these things blew me away.

I had to question the wisdom of placing a lump of motorbike tech on the brow of your helmet from a safety perspective, but Bikerguard were quick to supply a Transport Research Laboratory paper investigating the safety of helmet mounted cameras and it all seems to suggest that the unit will probably just break off in a crash. It’s also been designed without sharp edges to minimise any risk, say Bikerguard.

When you first put your helmet on with the Bikerguard fitted, you can notice the additional weight, but you adapt and get used to it after a couple of minutes and at road speeds you can’t really tell it’s there at all.

Is the Bikerguard good quality?

First of all, the Bikerguard works beautifully. A swish of the blade takes the blink of an eye to complete and leaves your visor completely clear and rain-free. In terms of quality of performance I cannot fault it at all.

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It also comes in a neat, rigid carry case slightly bigger than what a pair of specs might live in. It’s certainly compact enough that it could live in your rucksack until you hit rain.

This packaging gives an air of quality you don’t normally get from a gadget of this kind and that only continues once you open it up. The Bikerguard oozes quality from the faux carbon finish to the magnetic charger cable connection. Even the wiper blade feels more like a miniaturised car windscreen version than a silly novelty.

The brushless motor is designed in such a way that even holding the blade and forcing it the wrong way won’t cause any damage at all. It’s seriously impressive stuff.

And I can say with absolute certainty that the Bikerguard feels infinitely higher quality than some of the Chinese versions available online, because the European firm were good enough to send me a couple along with their own product for comparison and they are awful.

How easy is the Bikerguard to use?

Full disclosure, as a pampered journalist I was sent a helmet visor with the Bikerguard bracket already fitted, but it looks very simple to fit for yourself. And the slide and click attachment on the device couldn’t be simpler to use making removal for charging or dry weather quick and easy.

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The system is truly wireless, the controller speaks to the wiper without any cabling at all and both are powered using internal batteries so there aren’t any wires or power packs to hide away.

You simply pair the controller to the wiper by pushing the buttons on them simultaneously and away you go.

The controller wraps around your left grip with strong Velcro and can be moved between bikes in seconds. This placement means you can operate the wiper with a simple push of the button without taking your hand away from the handlebar at all.

Does the Bikerguard look good?

The faux carbon finish is nicely executed but it’s not a look I would choose for myself. Plain or even matte black would be preferable but this is a small and subjective issue. My bigger issue with the looks is that it is an obvious and quite silly looking addition to the front of your helmet.

Admittedly, no one looks the height of cool in a downpour with their waterproofs or textiles on anyway, but I felt a bit self-conscious wearing it.

Is the Bikerguard good value?

I thought long and hard about this section of the review because it’s very easy to write of the value of a gadget that does one job, admittedly very well, and costs upwards of £270 depending on the offer you get at the time of purchase.

The issue is that in terms of build quality, design and performance you can justify the price. You even get a three-year warranty to sweeten the deal, but it’s still an expensive luxury.

And here’s the real bind: I don’t think I need one. I’ve been riding for the best part of twenty years and have never once in that time wished for a visor wiper of this type. Sure, it’s annoying if you get caught in the wrong gloves when it rains and you don’t have a visor wipe on your hand, but not £275-worth of annoying.

The verdict

If I rode for hours a day in the rain regularly, and I’m thinking motorcycle courier, emergency services rider or maybe a motorcycle training professional of some kind, then I can see that there really is a place for the Bikerguard.

The ease of use, quality and effectiveness of the product make it a very impressive gadget and there are clearly safety advantages to keeping your hands on the ‘bars and also the improved vision you get. If you are in the market for a visor wiper then this is unquestionably the one you should buy.

Having said all of that, it’s not a product I don’t particularly feel the need for, and so the high asking price is a big stumbling block.