AGV (helmet manufacturer)

AGV (initials for "Amisano Gino Valenza") is an Italian motorcycle helmet manufacturer active in motorcycle sport. Founded in 1947 by Gino Amisano, since 2007 the company is a subsidiary of Dainese,[1] which was taken over by Investcorp in 2019.[2] The AGV brand is well known in motorcycle sport.

AGV
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryMotorcycle
Founded1947 (1947)
FounderGino Amisano
Headquarters
Colceresa
,
Italy
ProductsMotorcycle helmets
Owner
ParentDainese
Websiteagv.com

Products

AGV makes a range of motorcycle helmets, including full-face racing, sport, touring and off-road models to modular helmets, urban jet helmets and open-face cruiser designs, using various materials including carbon fiber, aramid, fiberglass, and thermoplastics.[3]

Current AGV helmets are developed with an integrated technical development and construction approach the company calls the AGV Extreme Safety protocol, which AGV says has measurable benefits.[4][5]

History

AGV was founded in 1947 by Amisano Gino (1920–2009). The company name is the initials for Amisano Gino Valenza, Amisano's name and Valenza, the place the company was based.[6] The AGV logo is the initials in a helmet shape, in the colors of the Italian flag.[7]

AGV initially made leather seats and motorcycle saddles, adding leather motorcycle helmets a year later. Helmet production came to the fore for AGV when they started making fiberglass helmets in 1954. This was when AGV began making sponsorship deals with motorcycle racers including Kenny Roberts, Barry Sheene, Johnny Cecotto, Steve Baker, Angel Nieto, Giacomo Agostini, and Valentino Rossi.[8][9]

In 1958 AGV began hanging advertising banners around the most-photographed track bends.[9] An early example of product placement in movies was 1968's A Place for Lovers by De Sica.[10]

AGV began sponsoring Formula One drivers such as Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi, Keke Rosberg, and Nelson Piquet in the early seventies.[9] Valentino Rossi was made an honorary president of the company in 2008.[11]

AGV Helmets was purchased by Italian sportswear and equipment company Dainese in July 2007.[12] Dainese was acquired by Investcorp of Bahrain for €130 million in 2014[2] and by The Carlyle Group in 2022. In 2017, AGV began selling its first full-carbon modular helmet.[13][14]

Niki Lauda

During the 1976 Formula 1 Nürburgring race, the car of Niki Lauda (1949–2019) suddenly made a right turn and crashed into rocks. Lauda lost his AGV helmet and was belted in the car while the car and gasoline on the ground caught fire. The head mask was thinner in the areas usually covered by the helmet. Lauda was severely burnt especially on one side of his head. He survived the burns, with hurt lungs and broken bones.

In 2006 Lauda explained in an interview, that previously he always wore a helmet from Bell, but for the 1976 season AGV had developed a new more lightweight and comfortable helmet and Lauda tested it. The AGV helmet fitted too loosely. He believes that the Bell helmet would not have flown away.[15]

Lauda was awarded a high compensation payment from AGV. [16]

Research and innovations
  • 1954 — First Italian fiberglass crash helmet[9]
  • 1956 — First Jet crash helmet[9]
  • 1958 — First company to use trackside advertising[9]
  • 1967 — First Italian full-face helmet[9]
  • 1977 — AGV sponsors the first racetrack Mobile Clinic[9]
  • 2007 — AGV Extreme Standards integrated technical design and construction approach developed
  • 2012 — Begins selling first Extreme Standards helmets
  • 2017 – AGV Sportmodular, the first full-carbon sport modular helmet[13][14]

Sponsorships

AGV sponsors the following:[17]

MotoGP

Moto2

Moto3

WSBK/ Supersport
  • Italy Gabriele Ruiu

BSB

Motard
  • France Thomas Chareyre

Legends

See also

References
  1. DAINESE BUY HELMET BRAND AGV at VisorDown News, 15 Aug 2007
  2. "Investcorp buys protective clothing maker Dainese for $163 million". Reuters. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  3. "AGV Product Range". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. 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. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  6. "AGV About Us". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  7. "AGV X3000". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  8. "AGV e Gino Amisano in mostra a Valenza". Moto.it. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  9. "AGV Helmets History". Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  10. "Dainese e AGV: 115 anni di passione (vol. 2)". Motociclismo. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  11. "Tavullia's Valentino Rossi Becomes AGV Honorary President". London Bikers. 2 September 2008. Archived from the original on 9 January 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  12. "Dainese buy helmet brand AGV". Visor Down. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  13. "AGV unveil the fully-carbon flip front SportModular helmet: In a Class of Its Own". 7 November 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  14. "A NEW BREED AGV Sportmodular Carbon Helmet Review: In a Class of Its Own". 10 July 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  15. Michael Schmidt: Niki Lauda über Nürburgring-Unfall : "Falle in ein Loch und denke, ich sterbe" auto-motor-und-sport.de, 22 August 2016, retrieved 21 October 2019. (German)
  16. Niki Lauda and refers to "Mike Doodson für F150: Formel 1: 50 goldene Jahre. Band III. 1999" (German)
  17. "Athletes - AGV". agv.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
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