Date reviewed: January 2021 | Tested by: Bennetts Rewards member Jon Mansfield | RRP: £199.99 | cabergcares.co.uk
The Caberg Flyon is a relatively budget-priced jet helmet that many will find ideal for commuting or touring. Combining the large field of view and airy nature of an open-face with the extra protection of a full-depth visor, the style might not be for everyone, but there are plenty of benefits to this design.
We gave one to Jon Mansfield, a Bennetts Rewards member and riding instructor at 1on1 Rider Training in Bedford, where he used it for work and pleasure over more than 2,000 miles riding everything from his own Kawasaki ZZR1100 to an ER6 and a Grom…
For and against
- Excellent field of view
- Very comfortable
- Good value
- Matt finish marks easily
- Obviously not as safe as a full-face or flip-front
Outer shell
Given a street price of around £160 at the time of writing, it’s great to see a composite fibre shell on the Caberg Flyon, rather than a cheaper polycarbonate. Overall construction is very good with a quality finish, though it’s worth noting that the matt blue finish that I have, while very attractive and costing no more than the plain white or the matt black, does attract a lot of finger prints and isn’t the easiest to keep clean.
Graphics are available with a retail price of £229.99 and £234.99, the street prices currently being just over £170.
Weight
This certainly doesn’t feel like a heavy helmet; while claimed to be 1,420g +/- 50g, this large one weighs in at 1,491g. That’s a fraction heavier than 1,455g of the Shoei J-Cruise that Bennetts BikeSocial’s Steve Lamb reviewed here and absolutely loves, but you really wouldn’t know it when it’s on.
To be honest, I’ve never worn any helmet that’s too heavy – while in the hand you can sometimes tell a difference, once on the head they’re all fine in reality. All that can be noticeable is the drag from wind, but there’s none of that here.
Ventilation
There are two open/closed vents on the top of the helmet, along with a twin-port exhaust, one of the exits having a cover. These work well – you can certainly feel the air moving over the top of the head.
The deep visor really does beat the wind, with no buffeting or drafts, at least on the bikes I’ve used it with. It feels a lot more like a full-face lid with the visor down than you might expect, though there is some gentle air movement in hot weather, hence why some many touring riders like this design.
Surprisingly, the Caberg Flyon is still usable even in winter, though you will want a scarf.
Visor
The helmet comes with a Pinlock 70, which is a mid-range anti-fog insert. In colder weather it is worth installing as your breath can mist the visor a little – with it installed there’s a small patch below where it covers, but you don’t look through there so it doesn’t matter.
The visor is just two-stage – clicking into place when fully up or fully down. However, thanks to a good strong spring mechanism, you can position it wherever you want if you fancy a bit more wind.
It’s a little bit of a fiddle to get the visor off, but you soon get used to it and you don’t need any tools.
The integral drop-down sun shield sits about half an inch over the tip of my nose, so it’s down far enough that it covers my eyes well and I don’t really get a feeling of light glaring up underneath – it’s great for low sun on wet roads.
No rain gets in along the top edge of the visor – a typical entry point on many helmets – so while this wouldn’t be my first choice in the rain, you’d be surprised what you can get away with wearing a jet like this.
Lining
The plush lining is easy to remove for cleaning and while not having the feel of the most high-end helmets, it still feels soft, comfortable and of decent quality.
There are apertures for speakers if you want to fit an intercom, be that Caberg’s own ‘Just Speak Evo’, or any other brand.
I don’t wear glasses, but I’ve tried the Flyon with a pair of specs – while a snug fit they don’t press against the sides of my head, and they rest easily on my nose.
Fastening
I love micrometric ratchet straps like this – once set up they always do up securely and give a perfect fit. Plus it’s a real bonus for me that I can undo it, or do it up, while wearing my gloves.
Fit
Needless to say, fit it very subjective, but the Caberg Flyon is very comfortable. I typically take a large, but some cheaper lids require an XL. This is spot-on in my usual size and doesn’t feel like it’s perched on my head like some budget helmets can.
Whenever you buy any lid, even if it’s a brand you’re used to, always try it on first – check it fits snugly all around the head with no pressure points anywhere; if you can feel something in the shop, it’ll likely be awful after an hour on the road!
The expanded polystyrene (EPS) inner of the Flyon is sectioned into various densities, with a soft crown area. A harder composite fibre outer shell like this can allow for a softer inner, which generally benefits comfort; Caberg really does seem to have done a great job here.
Cutouts make it easier to fit intercom speakers
Noise
For what’s effectively an open face helmet, the Flyon isn’t excessively noisy at all; with the visor down it’s surprisingly quiet, though of course you should still wear ear plugs. No helmet, despite its marketing, is quiet enough to wear above about 40mph without ’plugs.
For more information on why earplugs are vital with any helmet, and advice on which are the best, click here.
Caberg Flyon helmet review: Verdict
This isn’t the type of helmet I’d usually wear – I must admit I tend to prefer a flip-front. Of course this isn’t as safe as that or a full-face, but a jet helmet does still offer real protection from stones and bugs.
If you’re tempted by this style of lid, I really would recommend the Caberg Flyon – it’s excellent for summer touring and I can see the appeal of cruising across the Alps with the great view you’ll have while wearing something like this.
