Anyone who follows Rider knows that we’re big fans of the flip-up convenience of modular helmets. We’re also fans of ADV helmets, which combine the sun-blocking peak and pointy chinbar of a dirtbike helmet with the faceshield and other features of a street helmet. The Fly Racing Odyssey Adventure Modular Helmet offers the best of both worlds, with a flip-up chinbar and a 2-in-1 design with ADV (peak visor) and street (no peak) modes.
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The Odyssey has a polycarbonate outer shell with a slippery shape sculpted in a wind tunnel. Inside the shell and reinforcing the chinbar is dual-density EPS for impact absorption, and there are recessed speaker pockets for installing a comms system. Between the EPS and the rider’s noggin is a removable, washable, moisture-wicking Quick-Dry comfort liner that’s perforated to aid ventilation. There’s also a removable chin curtain and a dual D-ring chin strap.
The clear faceshield has an exterior hard coating to resist scratches and an interior coating that resists fogging. A tinted drop-down sunshield blocks 100% of harmful UVA/B radiation. Fly Racing’s True Functional Ventilation system combines intake vents in the chinbar and the top of the helmet with a negative-pressure rear spoiler that has a built-in exhaust vent.
Versatility is the name of the game with this helmet. It is comfortable, reasonably quiet, and well-ventilated, and it works well on hot days, cold days, pavement, and dirt. The chinbar release, sunshield lever, vents, and faceshield are easy to operate with gloved hands, and the faceshield has large detents for three open positions.
There are two drawbacks, however. The first is weight. My medium Odyssey with the ADV peak installed weighs 4 lb, 5 oz, making it one of the heaviest modular helmets we’ve tested. The second is sensitivity to dry, dusty conditions. After riding in someone’s dust cloud for a while, the chinbar release became finicky. This is a problem that plagues moving parts like zippers and hinges on all sorts of riding gear, not just the Odyssey. A quick rinse at the end of the day cleared things right up.
The Odyssey Adventure Modular Helmet is a good value at $279.95 for solid colors (gray, white, and black) or $289.95 for the Summit graphic (black/gray/white, navy/gray/white, and tan/black/gray). It’s available in sizes XS-2XL and comes with a soft fleece helmet bag, a color-matched peak visor (for ADV mode), and color-matched visor block-off plates (for street mode). Mirror-tinted and Pinlock-ready faceshields are also available.
For more information, see your dealer or visit FlyRacing.com.
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Source: RiderMagazine.com