AGV SpA. is an Italian motorcycle helmet

Motorcycle helmet

A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...

 firm, founded by Gino Amisano (1920–2009), which started out in 1946 making leather seats and motorcycle saddles. A year later, in 1947, it started making motorcycle helmet

Motorcycle helmet

A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...

s. In 2007, the company was acquired by Dainese

Dainese

Dainese is an Italian company founded in 1972 by its current President Lino Dainese. It specializes in protective wear for sports such as motorcycling, mountain biking and downhill skiing....

.

The brand is most notably associated with motorcycle World Champions Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi, , is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class.Following his father, Graziano Rossi,...

 and Giacomo Agostini

Giacomo Agostini

-Non-riding career:Like John Surtees and Mike Hailwood before him, Agostini raced in Formula One cars. He competed in non-championship Formula One races in 1978. He competed in the European Formula 2 series in a Chevron B42-BMW and British Aurora Formula 1 with his own team and a Williams FW06...

, both of whom have used AGV helmets throughout their career. In 2008, Rossi was made an honorary president of the company.
The brand can also count past Formula One

Formula One

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

 world champions such as Niki Lauda

Niki Lauda

Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...

, Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...

 and Nelson Piquet

Nelson Piquet

Nelson Piquet Souto Maior , known as Nelson Piquet, is a Brazilian former racing driver. He was Formula One world champion in , and . He is one of eight drivers to win three or more world championships, the others being Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna , Alain Prost , Juan...

 as wearers.
Through the years, AGV has raced and won with a number of motorcycle and auto racers including Giacomo Agostini

Giacomo Agostini

-Non-riding career:Like John Surtees and Mike Hailwood before him, Agostini raced in Formula One cars. He competed in non-championship Formula One races in 1978. He competed in the European Formula 2 series in a Chevron B42-BMW and British Aurora Formula 1 with his own team and a Williams FW06...

, Barry Sheene

Barry Sheene

Barry Stephen Frank Sheene MBE was a British World Champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.-Early life:...

,
Kenny Roberts

Kenny Roberts

Kenneth Leroy Roberts is a former motorcycle racer and racing team owner. In 1978, he became the first American to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship. He was also a two-time winner of the A.M.A. Grand National Championship...

, Angel Nieto

Angel Nieto

Ángel Nieto Roldán born January 25, 1947 in Zamora, was a multi-time Grand Prix motorcycle roadracing World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with 13 Grand Prix World Championships to his name....

, Marco Lucchinelli

Marco Lucchinelli

Marco Lucchinelli is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In 1981 he won the FIM 500cc World Championship.Lucchinelli began his road racing career in 1975 on a Laverda in endurance racing...

, Franco Uncini

Franco Uncini

Franco Uncini is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion.-Career:Uncini was born at Recanati, province of Macerata....

, Fausto Gresini

Fausto Gresini

Fausto Gresini is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion. He is currently team manager for the Gresini Honda MotoGP team.Gresini was born at Imola...

, Niki Lauda

Niki Lauda

Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...

, Nelson Piquet

Nelson Piquet

Nelson Piquet Souto Maior , known as Nelson Piquet, is a Brazilian former racing driver. He was Formula One world champion in , and . He is one of eight drivers to win three or more world championships, the others being Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna , Alain Prost , Juan...

, Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...

, Randy Mamola

Randy Mamola

Randy Mamola born in San Jose, California is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is considered one of the most talented riders never to have won a world championship.-Career:...

, Luca Cadalora

Luca Cadalora

Luca Cadalora is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion.-Early career:He won the 1986 125cc World Championship on a Garelli and then the 1991 and 1992 250cc World Championship aboard an Erv Kanemoto tuned Honda.-500cc:In 1993 he rose to the blue riband 500cc division...

, Troy Corser

Troy Corser

Troy Gordon Corser is a professional motorcycle road racer, the and Superbike World champion....

, Max Biaggi

Max Biaggi

Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi is an Italian motorcycle racer and winner of the 2010 World Superbike Championship. Throughout this racing career, he has won the 250cc World Championship four times, and finished as runner-up in both the 500cc and MotoGP championships...

 and Manuel Poggiali

Manuel Poggiali

Manuel Poggiali is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion from San Marino. He was the 2001 125cc World Champion, and the 2003 250cc World Champion. He scored 12 race wins, 11 pole positions, and 35 podium finishes...

.

In the 1970s, AGV started the AGV Cup, which was born as a three race endurance Championship raced in Daytona.
In 1985, AGV signed a worldwide licensing agreement with AGV Sports Group

AGV Sports Group

AGV Sports Group, Inc., based in Frederick, Maryland, designs, develops, and produces motorcycle safety clothing for road race and sportbike markets.-History:...

a US corporation to design and develop a full line of AGV brand motorcycle apparel.

External links

• AGV official website