Transcend Barriers – FLY Past Expectations

Market repositioning is, in essence, the action that a brand must take in order to alter the perception of their contribution. It is a troublesome task – the human brain tends to interpret and recall information in a way that confirms an existing belief – and a process that cannot be forced. It takes a perceptive, inspired collective to make such significant steps forward. Enter FLY Racing.

To understand the position that FLY Racing once occupied in the off-road space, consider that there was no item that leaped from the extensive brochure that was distributed each season. There was no premium offering and therefore the consensus was that the brand had adequate products for an amateur who did not prioritize style. Bear in mind that this was, in fact, a sector in which FLY Racing was forceful. It would have been quite reasonable for the powers that be to remain in that field, focusing on the return customers and reaping the benefits of a stable business model.

Ambition lied within the walls of Western Powersports, nonetheless, and there was a desire to become a brand that ticked all of the boxes. Few believed that FLY Racing could ever be uttered in the same breath as titans like Alpinestars and Fox Racing, yet titanic steps forward have caused that to become the norm. It would even be fair to state that FLY Racing is unrecognizable. "Unrecognizable, yes, and thankfully so," exclaimed Sr. Media and Communications Manager Jason Thomas at the recent launch of their 2025 line in Portland, Oregon.

"The trials and tribulations that we have experienced in the past, as well as those difficulties, have set us up in a perfect way," Thomas remarked with aplomb. "It was a harsh experience that taught us a lot about the level that we had to reach. The situation has changed a lot. Think about what the capabilities were in the early days, plus the perceived ceiling, and how different that is to now. The current desire is clear: We want to have the best of the best products and reach people on a premium level. In contrast, when I recall what the brand was 25 years ago, that was not the thought process at all.

"We just wanted to be a part of the game and offer products that were in the middle of the road. We were not trying to be the best of the best or have a top-tier item on the market. It was not even an idea. That's an evolution that has to come – you cannot put the cart before the horse. You have to understand where you are within that process and what is good for you, because otherwise you will set yourself up for a lot of disappointment. Ultimately, realizing how far behind you are spurs change. It forces improvement and investment."

Investment is what prompted a radical shift in FLY Racing's dynamic. Western Powersports, owners of FLY Racing, capitalized on their success and determined that it was time for a front-end investment that would allow the brand to enter a new arena, that being the production of premium products. Risky, yes, as it is not as simple as "build it and they will come" – there was no assurance that consumers would respond in the wake of the positive alterations. The devil was truly in the details, as communicating the fact that such magnificent steps had been taken was paramount in order to shift that narrative that followed FLY Racing across the world.

"Think about the resources that are required to do something like that," pondered Thomas. "The successful growth of Western Powersports opened a lot of doors for us. The front-end investment required to make top tier products… The funds have to appear from somewhere. WPS was able to invest in FLY Racing on the front end, understanding that if they could build the products then the customers and business would follow. I believe that is the challenge that so many brands face today – they do not have the resources to necessarily propel it forward before its time.

"Communicating this with potential customers is probably our biggest challenge, right? We have this core group of customers. If you ask who is wearing FLY Racing, then it will be your veteran or family-orientated rider. That is who we have really connected with. Just look at our ambassadors – athletes like Trey Canard and Andrew Short – and it's clear that was a market that we were very specifically going after. It was who we wanted to be. Now, as we grow, we want to maintain that. We never want to move away from that – it is our core – but we want to engage with other customers."

Engaging with a customer is imperative. If a rider feels a strong relationship with a brand, they will support and talk about it within their respective networks. FLY Racing has taken steps to improve their awareness via brand engagement – the activation that runs at each Monster Energy Supercross event (and has done for six seasons now) is a prime example of that and the increased investment that has propelled them to a new level. The recent collaboration with Jeremy Stenberg, the winner of six gold medals at the X Games, is further proof of their ambition to attract new eyeballs.

"We have added Jeremy Stenberg, who has just a tremendous audience, and his DBK line to our line-up," Thomas explained. "They are just a bunch of younger, dirtbike-orientated people. For that audience to be exposed to FLY Racing for the first time is a massive win for us. We have never had much success engaging them. You are going to see a lot of projects with DBK on them in the future – there'll be a lot of association with Twitch. We must get younger as a brand. If you ask me how we will grow, and what my number one priority is, then it would be to get younger and engage with a younger audience than ever before."

There are notable steps that have been introduced to the FLY Racing line to further entice the youth. The BOA fit system, fitted exclusively to their products and improved for 2025, has been distributed amongst youth pants to match the adult offering. It is a rather premium item that is attached to a mid-priced youth pant. There are examples of youth-specific patterns and, of course, the incredible Formula helmet has also become a banner item in the adolescent section of their brochure. This underlines the dedication that all in Boise, Idaho, have towards those who are in smaller sizes.

Those who crunch numbers could view this as a curious choice. A minor can be oblivious to advancements made in technology, as well as the benefit of that, so why 'waste' resources on elevating their experience? This line of thinking is noticeable in all walks of life – youth items tend to follow a more basic model. FLY Racing's adamant that all riders deserve the best, nonetheless. This is, of course, another example of their commitment to becoming the premium brand and challenging preconceived notions. It is vital to leave no stone unturned when attempting to succeed in a rebuild. 

"You are right, they may not care," Thomas theorized. "We want them to be customers for life though. If we give them the best – so that the parents react to the value and dedication put into their child's product – then we think that we can win them over in the long run. I know what this brand is all about, as well as the performance that we can deliver. If we get them locked into that then they aren't going anywhere. We need to win them over the first time and, if we accomplish that, I have absolute confidence that they will be customers for life."

All of this is positive, but the job is far from done. Can it ever be complete? Fashion is subjective and so it's just impossible to transform the manner in which all customers perceive a brand, especially when style is ever-changing. "It is extremely fluid," Thomas stated with confidence. "Think about all of the trends that are constantly changing! Think of LBZ and SMP – those were cool. A brand like JT Racing chased that by building baggy stuff, but it eventually fizzled out. You're never quite at the finish line. The goal posts are constantly moving, so you must listen to consumers and question yourself.

"Are we giving people what they want? If not then we need to figure out what that is, if we want longevity. Fox Racing's been around since 1974 and for good reason. They have consistently given consumers the look and performance that they want. That is our biggest competitor, but there are massive lessons to be learned there. We can respectfully look at that and say, 'Okay! They have done a brilliant job and we also need to do a brilliant job.' How have they found success? They have built their own pathway. We are not their brand – we have our own distinct look, feel and heritage."

The distinct look, feel and heritage of FLY Racing revolves around a fearless pursuit of perfection. It's that sentiment that best encompasses the steps that have been made in the last decade and the progress that will undoubtedly be made in the future. "I've never been one to back away from a fight. If you tell me that our biggest problem is living up to being awesome, that is a pretty cool place to be."

The steps that the FLY Racing brand has taken, outlined in the editorial above, have been made possible by the introduction of the revolutionary Formula helmet. Enjoy a brief history of the product that has established a new benchmark in the off-road space. "It is crazy to think about how long ago this was, but go back to the 2013 Arlington Supercross," Thomas started to explain. "Zach Bell crashed his brains out in a 6D and he was able to race that night. It did wonders for the 6D brand. 

"We were at the Indianapolis Trade Show that night, watching the race, and our former owner called us all in and said, 'I want to build the best motocross helmet that has ever been built. This has inspired me and I want to take the next step in our evolution. Understand that I want to make the best helmet ever.' That launched this wild fact-finding mission – it is such a broad subject. Our key designer looked around like, 'How?' He went all around the world to trade shows and spoke to psychists about what technology exists, what is on the horizon and how it could be integrated.

"He found this Conehead EPS from a developer in Australia and met with the RHEON Technology team in England. Dr. Dan Plant designed the RHEON Technology that started in bulletproof vests. They were working to add it into NFL helmets, and it is there today. It was a case of piecing together the best designs and materials from around the world – it would be the hodgepodge of patents and developments, but something that no one else can come close to. We are collaborating with these people who have their individual pieces of the pie.

"It was in 2018 that we launched that helmet and I believe that we fully changed expectations. If you look at how light it is, 1290 grams, the technology, the way it tested and how quiet it is… No one could touch that thing! We rode that wave into the Formula S, which added smart technology into a helmet. When you talk about building the best brand possible, it is ideas like that. Products and innovation like that. Now, if we launch something awesome, they are like, 'We kind of get it.' When we launched that Formula helmet, they were like, 'What? They did what?' Everyone had to take a double take.

"We have slowly, over time, chipped down the preconceived notion to get to a point where you are not blowing anyone away anymore. They expect excellence. That, for me, defines it. I do not want to shock you that we made something awesome. I want you to expect us to release something awesome. That, for me, is how you have truly won. You have completely changed everyone's preconceived notion of what you are going to deliver to them."