Dear Fly Racing

the consumers in our sport aren’t exactly on the cutting edge of aesthetics in street clothes either, so i don’t know if Fly is just doing what sells in leu of trying to actually make very cool gear aesthetically.  I agree it looks like Npc (non playable character) gear though.

Alpinestars, Fox and previously TLD have done a great job selling really good looking gear but people still buy Thor???? Or O’Neal? 

I see a lot of “ON” brand shoes at the track too so it makes sense that brands like fly can sell this gear and people buy it.

I’m a visual designer and artist for the last 17 years and yes I follow fashion and design closely so we may have different perspectives 

To begin with, this looks like it's been drawn by a sixth grader in his math notebook.

IMO, that branding iteration is waaaaay better.

BTW, that's kind of a clean, simple, elegant looks for us boomers who are to old and slow to wear flames, lol...

But not in flo yellow… who made that horrid choice… 

I think part of issue gear companies face when making good looking gear is that the design is basically just screen printing on a non descriptive jersey/pant base.

In the mid 2000s form followed function, panels and different cuts and materials created different silhouettes. A raglan sleeve. Seperate mesh panels. Piping to join panels.  Stretch panels. 3 dimensional logos. Rubber to create form. Articulation panels etc etc etc.  

Now, in search of reduced weight, reduced manufacturing costs and necessitating repeated purchasing (becuase they are weak as piss now) tops are tops and pants are basically pyjamas.  So the design element is a screen printed slop. 

Theres no underlying functional chasis that creates interesting forms, so designs are just slopped on top for the piggies to suckle. 

not to mention the design gods of Silicon Valley (sarcasm) created some weird ‘demand’ that everything must be legible on an iPhone tile rather than memorable.  So every rebrand is just a fucking version Anvenue Next or Futura in, if your lucky, italics.  


I wouldn’t know how to fix it but what I wouldn’t give for a modernized fit, but of mid 2000s gear construction let alone design.  Give me some of that technical detail baybee. But don’t make it LBZ baggy like it used to be. 

And when did their tagline become “ fearless pursuit” ?

I don’t recall the exact brand but they really need to stop with the pants with white bottoms. Two laps in and these guys look like they’ve shit their pants. 

You’re right! It’s exactly what it’s always looked like to me 

Maybe people like ON shoes because they’re comfortable? 

Yeah that was my point exactly.  Not exactly an aesthetics first crowd which is totally cool just a different consumer 

I'd hate to see what y'all have to say about Fasthouse  😉

I think it’s pretty timeless for the most part. Would have looked good in the 80’s. Looks good now. 

It’s just laundry anyway. 

Where do I get one of these…

Yeah gear looks like lame now and is a bit too tight fitted.  This cat jersey though..  I’d rock it.

I guess it could be worse lol

‘Timeless' just seems to mean ‘has no discernible design quality, perspective or distinctive features so I can’t place it in a specific time’ — Which to me is very much a negative.

Real design stands the test of time but that doesn’t mean it began life as simply ‘timeless,’ it means was distinctive, influential, beautiful, truly a time capsule.

 

Here are some truly timeless designs

Fly makes some pretty sick gear sometimes. Just not for you. Anything they make that looks actually good is for a one off weekend or its a limited run. They hate giving the consumer something cool to wear. Fly makes the same ugly basic gear year after year. They arguably make the most comfortable helmet but fucked it up as branding it as a fly helmet. 

Being so afraid of bad design, you avoid design all together is just pure cowardice...

For dudes who suck but wanna look cool and drink 805

This is my biggest issue with fly.  I can't fathom why this emblem is still around.  It's absolutely hideous.  Granted, most of their stuff uses the FLY emblem, but still.  

 I'll leave this here for everyone to enjoy 

Plenty of other options out there. Something for everyone, really.

All I can think about FLY gear is wearing a shit kit with this as a logo: 

No, you just hire better designers. 

yeah, it seems FLY took the coward route not the 'hire better designers' route.

And what we get is the blandest nothing release I've ever seen

Bland can still look good

This thread should be named "I Hate Change"......

I'd think most are pretty open to new stuff.  One industries in my opinion has been knocking it out of the park.

Sometimes a change just won't sit.  Personally, I've never liked the new fox head logo compared to old.  Some probably like it.

The original Fox 360 was incredible. Had the forest green and the blue.

To add to how incredible they looked, Fox also had the "lifetime" warranty. I'd crash my brains out on my KX500, rip the Kevlar knee area, and my dealer would send them in and I'd get new pants for free.

Basically had new pants every third race!

Was pretty bummed when towards the end I sent my forest green pants back in and got red ones in return because the green was no longer available.

These logos are between 5 and 15 years outdated, so yes, some here were likely in sixth grade when last used officially.