PAGE 117
FALL 2018 ISSUE 02 / VOL . 03
graded on a curve
PRODUCT REVIEWS
PHOTO BY KEVIN WING
Fly Sentinel Helmet
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I rode a 3,500-mile loop around California on a Yamaha FJR1300ES while wearing a fresh-out-of-the-box Fly Conquest helmet . What could have resulted in long hours of discomfort turned out to be a smart choice ; during successive 16-hour days the Conquest cradled my noggin in comfort . So I didn ’ t think twice about going on a four-day , 2,000-mile tour on the Yamaha Tracer 900 GT ( read the story on page 99 ) with a brand-new Fly Sentinel helmet , even with daily highs topping 100 degrees .
Priced starting at $ 249.95 , the Conquest is Fly ’ s top-ofthe-line street helmet ; starting at $ 179.95 , the Sentinel is a more affordable option that gives up almost nothing in terms of real-world performance . At 3 pounds , 10.3 ounces for a size medium , the Sentinel weighs only an ounce more than the Conquest , and both are as light or lighter than many helmets that cost two or three times as much . The primary difference is the material used to construct their shells — the Conquest is made of Advanced Composite Spectra and the Sentinel is made of a polycarbonate blend — yet both meet DOT and ECE 22.05 safety standards , and both have dual-density EPS liners for progressive impact protection .
The Sentinel ’ s clear face shield has anti-fog and scratchresistant coatings , 100-percent A / B ultraviolet protection and a shield lock , and removing it is easy and requires no tools . Rather than having to swap between clear and tinted shields , an inner drop-down sun shield deploys or retracts quickly by sliding a tab on the left side of the helmet . The removable , washable Qwick-Dry comfort liner and cheek