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AGV (helmet manufacturer)

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AGV
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryMotorcycle helmets
Founded1947
FounderGino Amisano
Headquarters,
ProductsAGV
MDS
ParentDainese
WebsiteOfficial Website

AGV (Amisano Gino Valenza) is an Italian motorcycle helmet firm, founded in 1946 by Gino Amisano (1920–2009). AGV is known for its use of innovative designs and materials, tested on the racetrack and developed with sponsored World Championship riders, including 9-time World Champion Valentino Rossi.

The company was purchased by Italian dynamic sport clothing company Dainese in July 2007.[1] Dainese was acquired by Investcorp of Bahrain for €130 million in 2014.[2]


Product range

AGV produces an extensive range of motorcycle helmets, from full-face racing, sport, touring and off-road models to modular helmets, urban jet helmets and open-face cruiser designs in a spectrum of materials from carbon fiber to aramid, fiberglass and thermoplastics.[3]

All current AGV helmets are developed following the AGV Extreme Safety protocol, an integrated technical development and construction approach that “designs around the head”, which the company claims achieves tangible and measurable improvements in protection, fit, comfort, reliability and environmental impact.[4] [5]

The top-of-the-range racing product is the Pista GP R, a full carbon lightweight helmet available to the general public and used by professional MotoGP racers, including World Champion Valentino Rossi.[6]

In 2017, AGV launched its Sportmodular helmet, the first full-carbon modular helmet, described as providing the protection, light weight and performance of a racing helmet combined with the practicality and comfort of a touring modular.[7] [8]

History

AGV was founded in 1946 by Gino Amisano (1920–2009). The company name is an acronym of his own name and the town, Valenza, where the company was based.[9] The company logotype incorporates the acronym within a helmet shape bearing the colors of the Italian flag. Amisano liked to joke that this simple profile was how other riders always saw the helmet of his most famous rider, Giacomo Agostini, on the racetrack: from behind.[10]

AGV initially made leather seats and motorcycle saddles, adding leather motorcycle helmets a year later, in 1947.[11] However, despite a number of innovations, helmet production only came to the fore with the advent of the fiberglass helmet in 1954.[11] This marked the beginning of decades of collaboration with the world’s top motorcycle racers, including Kenny Roberts,[11] Barry Sheene,[11] Johnny Cecotto,[11] Steve Baker,[12] Angel Nieto,[11] 15-time World Championship Winner Giacomo Agostini[11] and most recently Valentino Rossi,[11] with both the latter having used AGV helmets throughout their careers.[13]

The company was quick to capitalize on its racing prominence and was the first to use a motorcycle race for its advertising, having banners hung around the most-photographed track bends.[11] AGV was likewise a pioneer in the use of product placement in the movies, including A place for lovers by De Sica, starring Marcello Mastroianni.[14]

AGV moved into Formula One from the early seventies, sponsoring drivers such as Niki Lauda,[11] Emerson Fittipaldi[11], Keke Rosberg[11] and Nelson Piquet.[11]

Valentino Rossi was made an honorary president of the company in 2008.[15]

AGV Helmets was purchased by Italian dynamic sports clothing company Dainese in July 2007.[1] Dainese was acquired by Investcorp of Bahrain for €130 million in 2014.[2]

Research and innovations [11]

1954 First Italian fiberglass crash helmet

1956 First Jet crash helmet

1958 First company to use trackside advertising

1967 First Italian full-face helmet

1977 AGV sponsors the first racetrack Mobile Clinic

2007 AGV Extreme Standards integrated technical design and construction approach developed[16]

2012 First AGV Extreme Standards helmet launched: the Pista GP[17]

2017 AGV Sportmodular, the first full-carbon sport modular helmet.[7] [8]

Sponsorships

AGV sponsors the following:[18]

MotoGP

Moto2

Moto3

Super Moto

Isle Of Man TT

Australian Superbike Championship

Former Athletes

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Dainese buy helmet brand AGV". Visor Down. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Investcorp buys protective clothing maker Dainese for $163 million". Reuters. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  3. ^ "AGV Product Range". Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  4. ^ "AGV and Valentino Rossi Present the Pista GP R 2019 Winter Test Helmet". 7 February 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Dainese Group and Sky Racing Team VR46 together for the 2019 Season". 1 February 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Review: AGV Pista GP R Carbon Helmet". Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  7. ^ a b "AGV unveil the fully-carbon flip front SportModular helmet: In a Class of Its Own". 7 November 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  8. ^ a b "A NEW BREED AGV Sportmodular Carbon Helmet Review: In a Class of Its Own". 10 July 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  9. ^ "AGV About Us". Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  10. ^ "AGV X3000". Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "AGV Helmets History". Retrieved 2017-11-29. Cite error: The named reference "revzilla" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  12. ^ "AGV e Gino Amisano in mostra a Valenza". Moto.it. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  13. ^ "Rossi Helmets". Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  14. ^ "Dainese e AGV: 115 anni di passione (vol. 2)". Motociclismo. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  15. ^ "Tavullia's Valentino Rossi Becomes AGV Honorary President". London Bikers. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference esh was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Valentino Rossi launches the AGV PistaGP Helmet". Rossi Helmets. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  18. ^ "Athletes - AGV". agv.com. Retrieved 2017-11-29.