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.
