clothing and helmet » AGV Sportmodular review

On the old site I mentioned about having a problem with the AGV from a quality standpoint. I returned it to Revzilla and received another that did not suffer the same deficiencies re construction. So now, after having used the helmet for several weeks I though it might be useful to do a report.

IMO, the helmet is NOT equal in quality to my Shoei Neotec. The padding in the Neotec is better, both from the quality of the padding itself as well as the general fitment. So the Shoe is more comfortable on my head. More importantly, the AGV is also considerably louder (noisier). In fact, I can't see how AGV or anybody can remotely call the helmet quiet. Additionally, the ventilation also suffers compared to the Shoei. Further, the sun visor is not dark enough; I had to wear sunglasses with the AGV to get an adequate level of light reduction which the Shoei provides provides. Overall, the Shoei just feels/looks like a higher quality helmet.

IOW, FOR ME in almost every way, the AGV is not as "good" a helmet as the Shoei Neotec.

So that's it, right? The Neotec is a better helmet?

Well, as I said, it's better "in almost every way" and "almost" allows the one (and only) aspect about the AGV that is superior to the Neotec to stand out...the reduced weight! And that makes the difference. When riding with my Neotec, at the end of the day my neck muscles are quite achy; with the AGV they are not! So despite all the other things that I find superior about the Neotec, the AGV's lower weight makes it my preferred helmet. ;)

I hope somebody makes a darker sunshield for it... ;)

I write a review on the old site but a quick update on my experience.
My Sportmodular leaked so badly from the top visor seal that there was a pool of water caught in the bottom of the visor chin area. The padding inside was so wet that the visor or my glasses steamed up and I couldn't ride with the visor down. Full refund so all is good.
Bill

There seems to be a lack of quality control with these 'high-end' helmets.
The same model can have really good ones and then very poor ones.

I was never happy with the quality of my C3 Pro until I refreshed the visor, which had become too scratched inside for the pinlock insert to stay put. That completely transformed the helmet, and I'm now far happier with it. So the problems I was having were simply caused by a slight defect in the original visor. These caused it to flop closed when trying to open it in 'town mode', and it allowed tons of water to run down the inside of the visor when it rained. I was on the verge of switching back to a BMW lid after only 2 years.

By comparison, both of my wife's C3 Pro helmets have been absolutely fine (one destroyed in an accident).

A friend has also had two C4 helmets replaced due to quality control issues.

Well...today the neck roll is starting to pull out every time I take the helmet off, just as the neck roll did out-of-the box on the one I returned to Revzilla. I definitely cannot call this a good quality helmet; Im not sure I could even call it a decent quality helmet. I have a cheap Airoh modular (my first modular, purchased about 5 years ago) that has no such issues... :( But the AGV IS lightweight! ;)

OK...just completed a ride today - about 200 miles with the Sportmodular. It may be the last time I wear it. I would NOT recommend this helmet to anybody. It is noiser with earplugs than a Neotec is without earplugs! It is not comfortable in comparison, and, as I mentioned previously, the neck roll is starting to pull out. My wife, who initially liked hers hates it now and says she's going back to her Neotec. I have been raving about the AGVs' light weight - probably as much to convince myself that it was worth the money as anything else - but now with more time on the helmet I no longer think the weight is worth the rest of the annoyances/discomfort.

The AGV Sportmodular it is NOT worth the money and we wasted about 1500 bucks on a pair of them. Sadly, because it's impossible to really "test" a helmet without putting extensive miles/use on it, there is no way to really know if a helmet works for you until you use it and once you do that or remove any of the stickers, you can't return it.

AGV fooled me once (well twice, actually but since we ordered two at the same time I prefer to count it as once); they AND Revzilla, who call this the new top tier of the modulars, won't fool me/us again. I won''t buy any helmet in the future that doesn't have SHOEI on it. I'M not saying SHOEI is better than anybody else but I have been using them for many years and have never been disappointed in their quality or function.

Well as Forest Gumps mom says, "Stupid is as Stupid Does." And "stupid" is what we were buying two of them. I at least tried to go back and update my review of the helmet on Revzilla but I cannot do that since I already posted a review. It's a shame it can't be updated because saying a helmet is "good," when all you can do is try it on is not really useful to folks who may be interested in the helmet. In retrospect, I should have waited until now - several hundred miles on it - to write my review.

This added a couple of hours later: I went back on the Revzilla site and not only can I not update my review because I already posted a review, my original review is no longer there. Maybe they didn't like a 3 star review (it would be 1 now) for a helmet that Anthony states is the new gold standard. ;)

I've got a HJC Carbon for the track, it's excellent quality but too noisy for the road where I use a Shoei Nx. This is quality too but not the quietest either.

I've had Shoei for the last 20 years so after my disappointing experience with a AGV Sportmodular and still wanting a flip front helmet I bought a Neotec; these are heavily discounted here. It's heavier than my XR1100 by about 300 grams so will have to see how that feels on long trips.

Bill

Thanks for the review. I also have the AGV and it is my first modular. While I really love the ability to flip up, it is, as you stated, the noisest helmet I have ever owned (all my other helmets are non-modular ADV helmets) and also, it just does not vent well. Still in search of the elusive quiet, well ventilated modular helmet... argh!

Clearly yet another example of "just because it's made of carbon fibre doesn't automatically make it great quality"...

I guess you're paying a premium for the lack of weight, as much as anything.

Cheers

Paul B.

Here is a link to Motorcycle.com's take on the AGV Sportmodular helmet: http://www.motorcycle.com/products/mo-te...tmodular-helmet

Comms are compromised within a carbon Faraday cage. Max. distance between Pete GSA with same carbon AGV as mine 50 metres range but Adrian RT with a Neotec 2 reaches 150m.
Suspect if I pay another £600 for a Shoei I'll be able to talk to my buddies in Texas.