ome riders shop for a new helmet strictly by price. Fair enough. There are plenty available in that $100 to $150 price range if all you're interested in is a helmet in its most basic form, D.O.T. certified and not offering much more than that and maybe a fancy paint job. There are also experienced riders demanding more from a new helmet. These guys come in ready to spent $300 or $400 to protect their head. They're set to spend that amount for a top-of-the-line helmet, and then get sticker-shocked when they see that these days the price for what they want is considerably higher. Like in the $600 to $700 range. But properly educated as to why that top-line helmet costs what it does, most often these customers will see the benefit and make the purchase. Educating these riders is up to you, and the AGV Ti-Tech "Industriale" is the perfect teaching aid. It's also become a great helmet to sell!
     Want to show someone the difference between a $100 helmet and a really good one? Here's how - A few months ago the AGV reps, searching for a way to easily explain just what a top-of-the-line carbon-fiber/Kevlar helmet is, brought a couple unfinished shells back from the Italian factory. They began using these bare Ti-Tech helmets as demonstration props to show the real differences between a $100 helmet and a $600 helmet. They took a Ti-Tech helmet straight out of the mold before it was painted so everyone could see just what goes into a hand-constructed helmet using Kevlar and carbon fiber, as opposed to the more economical construction methods of injected thermo-plastic or fiberglass. There's a real difference there, and those raw helmet shells showed it.
     And lots of dealers, seeing those raw shells, fell in love with the look! They wanted helmets just like that. So the reps, almost on a lark, had a couple Ti-Tech helmets made up but left un-painted; only a clear coat or a matte clear covered the still-exposed carbon fiber and Kevlar. The response was phenomenal. These helmets were completely different than anything else on the market, and actually became the next step in helmet graphics. No graphics at all, not even paint!
     That raw-look Ti-Tech "Industriale" turned into quite a boutique piece. Naked sportbike riders obviously loved the "naked" helmet as-is, and custom helmet painters everywhere began having a field day working with the raw Industriale". They'd use the exposed carbon fiber and Kevlar as a graphic element, painting their designs around it. The idea caught on fast. Sportbike riders coast-to-coast now had the opportunity to not only have a top-of-the-line helmet but also make it one-of-a-kind. Literally. Since every AGV helmet is handmade there are no two exactly alike in appearance, even before they're painted.
     And the Ti-Tech is definitely a top-of-the-line helmet. This helmet was designed to keep racers like Valentino Rossi safe, and safe from everything from silly 30-MPH get-offs to horrific 215-MPH crashes. These helmets are so far beyond any D.O.T. or Snell requirement that those standards become almost meaningless. That's why a helmet like this costs what it does. High-tech carbon fiber is used in the high-impact areas and Kevlar is used to protect the rider against abrasion after the initial impact. The Kevlar goes in the mold first; that's what shows on the outside, exactly where it belongs to protect against abrasion. The carbon fiber, used throughout the helmet, protects against impact and since it's unlikely anyone will be sliding on his chin for an extended period that's why the carbon-fiber is left exposed in the front of the Industriale".
     High-tech materials and design continue on the inside. The Ti-Tech's interior includes a dual-density lining, tight-fitting cheek pads and a neck guard that can all be easily removed for cleaning. To enhance the comfort factor the Ti-Tech uses DuPont CoolMax material to wick perspiration away and keep the helmet dry. That CoolMax is even treated with a permanent antibacterial to prevent odors. Then there's the Ti-Tech's ventilation system. This alone puts the Ti-Tech in a class by itself. An Integrated Ventilation System (IVS) uses air vents made of pure titanium that are set in channels hollowed directly into the shell and the liner. This system not only brings more fresh air into the helmet, it channels it across both the top of the rider's head and across the interior surfaces of the shell itself before exiting out the back of the helmet. The venting channels keep a constant flow of air going through the helmet. It's the next generation of helmet ventilation. AGV has four different internal EPS counter-shells to go with all this, too, all easily swapped in the Ti-Tech shells to achieve a perfect fit every time for all head shapes and sizes.  That's an important consideration; if a helmet doesn't fit right it can't begin to do its job right.
     All this adds up to the difference between a $100 helmet and a top-of-the-line helmet like the AGV Ti-Tech. It comes down to what you really want protecting your head. What kind of materials and features do you want in a helmet, and what kind of manufacturing and craftsmanship do you want built into it? It's no trick to make a helmet that will pass a D.O.T. impact test. Plenty of helmets do that. The question is, what happens after that initial impact? And what about the lining of that helmet?      And how well is that helmet made to fit? The AGV Ti-Tech passes all those tests in a breeze. This helmet uses nothing but the best, inside and out, design and manufacture.
     The Ti-Techs are available through Parts Unlimited, and along with the raw-finish Industriale" model they're offered in lots of other colors and graphics. There's a pair of Rossi Replicas ($649.95), there are four Multi-Graphics models ($629.95) and there are four Solids ($569.95). The Industriale' retails for $629.95, and that price includes a Mirror Shield along with the standard Clear Shield. There's a 3-year warranty on all the Ti-Techs, too, and that's top-of-the-line, as well. Call your Parts Unlimited rep today to find out more on all that AGV has to offer.

AGV offers two great looking Rossi Replicas for the Ti-Tech.

The AGV Ti-Tech is a handmade, top-of-the-line carbon fiber and Kevlar helmet. Engineered for ultimate protection, the Ti-Tech far surpasses all D.O.T. and Snell requirements and is available in great variety of colors and graphics.

The interior of the Ti-Tech is also designed for ultimate comfort and protection, with a dual-density lining, removable cheek-pads and neck guard, an Integrated Ventilation System to channel air directly into the shell and liner, and the Ti-Tech also features DuPont Coolmax material to wick away perspiration.