leading since 1947
Since its founding, AGV has been a dominant force in helmet design and motorcycle racing, constantly developing in every field, including aerodynamics, comfort, and safety, as well as graphics, sponsorship, and advertising.
AGV was established in 1947 by Gino Amisano (1920-2009), and it quickly gained a reputation for its cutting-edge materials and designs that were tested on the racetrack and developed with sponsored World Championship riders, including 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini and contemporary MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi.
AGV has grown steadily since being acquired by Dainese, an innovative motorbike and dynamic sport wear manufacturer from Italy, in July 2007.
AGV and Dainese produce incredibly comprehensive safety and performance solutions that deliver cutting-edge protection from head to toe by combining their research and design skills.
Motorcycle competition changed
A legend was created when Gino Amisano's company proudly adopted the initials of his name and the name of his hometown, Amisano Gino Valenza. a figure who would change practically all facets of motorcycle racing.
Amisano's first products, leather saddles for the revolutionary Lambretta and Vespa just released on the market, and an equally innovative leather helmet, were immediately on the cutting edge. Amisano was trained as an accountant and had prior experience as a partner in a company making leather saddle covers and soft helmets for cyclists.
First fiberglass helmet and first shell helmet
AGV's futuristic design, in contrast to the soft helmets of the period, produced a leather outer over a mold and then slowly baked it to make a solid protective shell that was equipped with a cozy energy-absorbing padded leather interior. Thus, the first instance of the contemporary helmet idea was created.
In order to find a creative solution that represented a breakthrough advancement in helmet design, AGV tested a wide range of alternate shell materials before developing the first fiberglass crash helmet in 1954.
Just two years later, AGV made the next significant advancement by replacing its traditional "pudding basin" or "shorty" shape with the significantly more protective, encompassing "Jet" helmet.
innovative advancements from the racetrack to the big screen
AGV has influenced development in a variety of fields besides helmet design. Carlo Bandirola, the star racer for MV Augusta, was an early adopter of the first fiberglass design. This company actively involved top champions in the testing and development of its world-leading designs, revolutionizing life on the racetrack. Renzo Pasolini, who had only switched from his beloved AGV Jet to the brand's championship-winning full-face models in the 1970s, followed him swiftly on wheels.
AGV was the first business to truly leave its stamp on the racetrack when, in 1958, it invented trackside advertising by erecting a banner on a noticeable bend. Within a few months, the business had established itself as a household name, with its logo appearing frequently in photographs for international newspapers and magazines as well as subsequently on television.
The film "A place for lovers" by Vittorio De Sica, starring Faye Dunaway and Marcello Mastroianni, was one of the first films to use product placements. Amisano expanded on this.
Following on from these successes, Amisano started a rider sponsorship scheme in 1972, which is still in place today, and this is when AGV's global exposure truly took off. From Marco Lucchinelli, Franco Uncini, Kenny Roberts, Barry Sheene, Randy Mamola, Johnny Cecotto, Steve Baker, and Angel Nieto to the all-time greats Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi, who have both worn AGV helmets throughout their careers, the names read like a roll call of the world's top champions and most adored riders.
The intense engagement of multiple world champion Valentino Rossi in the design, testing, and development of AGV's helmets has culminated in his designation as the company's Honorary President in 2008.
Claudio Costa's life-saving "Mobile Clinic"—which started offering riders trackside medical care in 1977—was another significant advancement on the racetrack made possible by Amisano's foresight and generosity.
Making the full-face a total remedy
The first full-face helmet to be worn at an Italian Grand Prix in 1969, worn by Alberto Pagani at Imola, had the name AGV. In the meantime, helmet development progressed at a rapid rate. AGV's models made the design their own by enhancing the early examples that were seen in the United States in terms of comfort, aerodynamics, and field of vision. These advantages and the models' greatly increased safety assured not only their quick adoption by all the best motorbike riders but also in Formula 1. Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, and Nelson Piquet all wore the AGV emblem within a short period of time.
Toward the horizon and beyond
The AGV Initials and the colors of the Italian flag were added to the profile of a full-face helmet seen from behind, which, as Amisano liked to joke, is how Agostini's competitors always saw his helmet on the racetrack, to modernize the logo itself and make it more expressive.
With its distinctive multicolored patterns that capture Valentino Rossi's lively energy, AGV has always stood out when it comes to helmet colors and graphics thanks to this sense of humor.
AGV was acquired by fellow Italian motorcycle inventor Dainese in July 2007, allowing the two businesses to combine their leadership experience in cutting-edge solutions giving head-to-toe protection. The two companies have similar track records for enthusiasm, ingenuity, and world championship achievement. The same year, AGV announced a new integrated technical design and construction technique called AGV Extreme Standards, which designs around the rider's head and not the helmet shell. This approach turned conventional thinking inside out as well as on its head.
With observable and quantifiable advantages in protection, fit, comfort, dependability, and environmental effect, the results speak for themselves. The first Extreme Standards helmet, the Pista GP, debuted in 2012 to widespread praise. All of the AGV helmets now on the market were created using this methodology.
In order to support their ongoing worldwide expansion and product innovation, Investcorp, a top global provider and manager of alternative investment products, purchased an 80% share in AGV in 2015. As a result, AGV benefited from a sizeable investment.
2017 marks the continuation of their 70-year adventure. They continue to strive for improved performance and safety while upholding the core principles that have always distinguished AGV and its legacy of excellence demonstrated on the racetrack and on the open road.
