Tested: Fly Racing's
Platinum LX Renaissance Helmet
What: Fly
Racing's premium off-road helmet
Contact:
www.flyracing.com, see your local dealer
Description: Fly
Racing has made great strides in design and quality over the years, while
maintaining a price tag that suits most anyone. The Platinum LX line of helmets
is Fly's premium helmet offering. We tested the 2008 Platinum LX Renaissance
helmet last season.
The Platinum LX helmet features a carbon fiber and Kevlar
shell for minimal weight. The shell is durable and meets or exceeds Snell M2005
and DOT standards. Other standard features include closable air vents
above the forehead, a high-flow mouth piece, a goggle strap locator and a
removable snap-in liner.
The Platinum helmets' (and other Fly helmets) finish is
hardened with a high-tech UV system that flash-cures the paint and clear coat
for a durable finish-which is a good thing for us snowmobilers who drop helmets
on running boards.
How it works: The
design of the Platinum LX is an improved fit for Fly helmets with increased
face guard clearance. The added space makes it easier to get goggles with nose
and cheek guards on and off. That's a plus. Past Fly helmets had tight
tolerances between the rider's face and the mouth piece of the helmet, but the
Platinum LX is well thought out. We also didn't experience any negative
pressure points with the Platinum LX lid. No headaches, no sore ears.
We also like the weight of the Platinum LX. It's a light
helmet, especially considering the reasonable price (less than $240 at most
retail locations). The weight and comfort of the Fly Platinum LX made it easy
to put on and leave on for the entire day.
As for ventilation, the Platinum LX does a fair job at
flowing air, but if you're a regular sweat factory, you might not be satisfied.
Speaking of sweaty heads, the removable liner is another big
plus for us. Riding in snow may seem like a cleaner environment than dirt, but
we like being able to wash our helmet liners just as much as dirt riders do.
Goggle fit is good in the Platinum LX. Scott Voltage frames
fit best, but the 89 series of Scott goggles get pushed down on your nose a
bit.
Other features we like are the chin strap retention snap,
which keeps an ice-cold nylon strap from whipping your bare neck at high
speeds. We also like what Fly has been doing with graphics lately and the
Renaissance version of the Platinum LX is no exception.