Track Tested | Fly Racing Lite Racewear
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Price: $179.95 (pants); $49.95 (jersey); $21.95 (gloves); $649.95 (Formula helmet)
What It Is
Lite Racewear is Fly Racing’s mid-level line of motocross riding apparel, but it packs features that are normally found in premium-level racewear. The Lite pant is built with a minimalist feel thanks to lightweight materials, multi-directional stretch panels, sublimated graphics, and mesh panels at the back of the knee and calf areas. At the same time, however, the pant is built to last with genuine leather panels on the insides of the knees, Dupont Kevlar stitching, and a full-floating seat area. Perhaps the most unique feature of the Lite pant is the Boa waist-adjustment system and zipper-lock and ratchet closure system, which allow for a fine-tuned and secure fit.
The Lite jersey, meanwhile, boasts stretch material construction with an athletic fit and laser-cut ventilation holes in key areas for a cool ride. Low-profile cuffs and collar keep in line with the comfortable, minimalist design of the Lite line, and simple color-block designs are tasteful and appealing. The Lite Glove, meanwhile, offers a snug fit with a single-layer palm, Spandex-mesh finger walls and cuff, and double reinforced thumbs and silicone finger grippers.
The Fly Formula helmet, meanwhile, is the premium offering from the brand and it features a boatload of safety features, highlighted by Fly’s exclusive Impact-Energy Cells made of RHEON. The seven Impact-Energy Cells help dissipate forces in the event of a crash in both linear and rotational impacts. Conehead EPS technology utilizes multi-density EPS in six key areas of the helmet, and they offer a softer density foam for a wider range of impact dispersion, while other areas of the helmet boast expanded ESP areas for greater protection. EPP lining in the chin bar area offers impact mitigation in the facial area, while cutouts and EPP padding in the sides of the helmet offer relief from impact to the rider’s collarbones in a crash. A premium carbon fiber shell provides excellent penetration resistance and impact performance while remaining lightweight and the Formula helmet tips the scales at under three pounds. Other features include quick-release cheek pads that are designed to aid in helmet removal by medical personnel in the event of a serious crash, a removable and washable comfort liner, an advanced venting system for excellent airflow, and a high-end helmet bag.
On The Track
The first thing that we noticed when slipping on the Fly Racing Lite Racewear was how comfortable it was. Even though the jersey has an athletic cut, it still slipped easily over our chest protector easily and stayed tucked in. The fabric is soft and has just enough stretch, and we liked that the sleeves have a tailored fit without being overly snug. The laser-cut perforations allow a nice amount of airflow through. The Lite Racewear Pant is awesome! The legs have just enough room for a pair of knee braces but aren’t so baggy that they bunch up when bent. We really like the feel of the leather knee panels inside the knees as they offer exceptional grip against the side of the bike. And unlike the leather knee panels of some competitors’ pants, they do not mark up the sides of your bike. Furthermore, they stay soft after being washed. The pant itself offers plenty of stretch in the right places without losing its form and suffering a vague feeling when seat bouncing and under heavy acceleration. The Boa adjuster on the waist is unique and offers micro-adjustments for a perfect fit. We like that the Boa panel on the back panel of the pant has been refined and scaled-down since the feature was first debuted on Fly’s high-end pant years ago. The actual waist closure features a Velcro anchor at the top of the zipper, as well as a ratcheting buckle. To be honest, the system seems like overkill, but high-level racers have been known to blow their waist closures open when aggressively seat-bouncing in Supercross conditions and this directly addresses that problem. We love the minimalist feel of the Lite Racewear gloves. Comfortable from the get-go, they require zero break-in time and offer a completely unrestricted feel. We love them!
The Fly Racing helmet is – hands down – one of the most comfortable helmets we’ve ever worn as it envelops your head in a well-designed comfort liner that does a great job of absorbing sweat and muffling wind and engine noise. This is one of the quietest helmets we’ve ever ridden in, and until you ride in a quiet helmet, you won’t realize how fatiguing excess noise can be. The shape of the shell allows all goggles to fit and seal against your face nicely, and the visor offers the perfect blend of roost and sun protection, while at the same time offering enough adjustment to be up and out of the way. The simple design of the chinbar offers no mouth vents to break or fall off, as the shell itself is molded into the venting system and design. The simple graphic treatment allows the beautiful carbon fiber layup to show through, and the surface of the helmet isn’t easily scratched in a crash.
While we can’t speak to the safety or performance of the helmet because we haven’t crash-tested it (yet), we can say that the unique technology behind the helmet makes sense and is trusted by many of our sport’s top performers.
