Reason. Passion. Lifestyle
AGV is most likely the company that introduced the
concept of racing endorsements into the motorcycle
world. Always a pioneer AGV helped create the first
Mobile Clinic. In the Seventies AGV started one of
the races that is a legend to these days: the AGV
Cup which was born as a three race endurance
Championship raced in Daytona, Paul Ricard and
Misano Adriatico; the Daytona 200, possibly the
single most important race in the world, would not
be raced today if it wasn’t for the far-sightedness
of AGV founder Gino Amisano who, thirty years ago,
understood its incredible potential.
Through the years AGV has raced and won with the
main motorcycle and auto racing icons. Giacomo
Agostini, Barry Sheene, Kenny Roberts, Johnny
Ceccotto, Angel Nieto, Marco Lucchinelli, Franco
Uncini, Fausto Gresini, Nicky Lauda, Nelson Piquet,
Emerson Fittipaldi, Randy Mamola, Luca Cadalora,
Troy Corser, Max Biaggi and Manuel Poggiali. The
list is long and impressive.
Valentino Rossi deserves a chapter of his own. In
his never ending search for new challenges and new
records to break – which he never fails to do –
there has been one single standard: his AGV helmet.
Eight years, four classes, five bikes, five world
titles and 60 GP victories. Only one helmet.
For the future AGV is going to maintain the
direction followed so far: keep working with the
number one Valentino Rossi, but with a special eye
to the new pilots generation.
In 2004 AGV supports many different riders in the
main classes of motorcycle racing. In the World
Motorcycle Championship, besides Valentino Rossi,
AGV also races in the 250cc class with Lukas Pesek
and in the 125cc class with young guns Mike Di
Meglio, Steve Jenkner e Hector Barbera. who, after
finishing third in?the 2003?championship will try to
take home the 2004 title. Many young promising
riders compete in the national and European
championships, as well as in the World Endurance
Championship wearing an AGV helmet.
In off road racing, Mickael Maschio will once again
battle for the World Title of the MX2 World
Championships. With him, racing in different
classes, but all wearing an AGV helmet, will be
Stephen Sword, Antoine Meo, Jeff Dement and Kenneth
Gundersen.
Legendary Helmets:
TRUE MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF MOTORCYCLE HELMETS
1946 - AGV (Amisano Gino) began as a manufacturer of
leather seats and bicycle saddles in Valenza, Italy.
1948 - AGV enters into the world of motorcycle
helmets; an important step which gained, since the
beginning, unprecedented commercial success together
with the chance of being part of sport competitions.
1949 - The first open-face helmet with a leather
shell was developed and produced.
1953 - The first fiberglass vulcanized helmets were
introduced into the market.
1954 - AGV produces the first 100% fiberglass
open-face helmet. A few years later, by taking
advantage of the experience acquired in creating a
special helmet to run the flying start kilometer on
skis, AGV develops the first fiberglass full-face
helmet.
1977 - AGV, which has always been investing to reach
the highest safety standards, decides to commit
itself to the “Clinica Mobile” project by sustaining
all costs for the first structure. The "Clinica
Mobile" is a facility that provides emergency care
to riders that have suffered injuries during races.
This partnership is still alive today.
1985 - Nelson Piquet takes part in the Formula 1
World Championship wearing a brand new Kevlar/Dupont
fiberglass full-face AGV helmet. Since the beginning
AGV’s history has been directly linked to many of
riders who have made motorcycle history: Giacomo
Agostini, Barry Sheene, Kenny Roberts, Johnny
Cecotto, Angel Nieto, Marco Lucchinelli, Franco
Uncini, Fausto Gresini, Niki Lauda, Emerson
Fittipaldi, Randy Mamola, and Luca Cadalora. These
co-operations have brought many victories to AGV and
over 130 World Championship Titles, in addition to
the definitive establishment of the AGV brand name
on a global scale.
1988 - AGV completes its range of products with the
acquisition of MDS, a brand that in the very short
time emerged by virtue of its versatility and gained
important World Titles in off-road championships
with talented riders such as Pekka Vehkonen and Dave
Thorpe.
1995 - Valentino Rossi starts his outstanding
professional career wearing an AGV helmet. Together
with AGV Valentino began his dominant reign which
has won 7 World Championships Titles.
2002 - AGV becomes part of an important Belgian
Multi-national Group which already owned the LAZER
brand. The IMAG Group together with AGV, MDS, and
LAZER is now the 4th worldwide producer within the
sport helmets market. |
