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Overview
The K1 from AGV is the everyday riders helmet. Developed using AGV’s years of experience and technology to give us an affordable and simple helmet for the road. It reminds me of my old AGV Horizon (which by the way, I loved. I’m a huge AGV fan). The goal for this helmet is to provide comfort, safety and simple yet sportly looks at a budget entry level price.
Don’t expect groundbreaking technology, but do expect a bloody good helmet for the £140.
Price
I always see AGV as a brand that outperforms it’s price. I’ve owned AGVs most of my time riding as they just seem to have the right balance of price, quality, comfort, features and style. The K1 comes in at £140 to £180 depending on the colour scheme you choose which makes it cheaper than the average price of a full face helmet which is around £180. It also benefits from a 4 star SHARP safety rating. You’d expect to pay over £185 on average for this level of safety rating, so AGV is really pushing hard to make this entry level helmet work for the safety and budget conscious rider. Because AGV are keeping it simple with the K1, there are only 6 different colour options currently on sale at SBS, so you don’t get the usual hundreds of pounds price variation between colours, just £40 between the cheapest and most expensive.
If you’re looking for something cheap, but decent quality the K1 is a good place to start.
Quality and Safety
To keep costs to a minimum AGV have used a thermoplastic shell, typical of the majority of budget helmets. The inner of the helmet is made from a multiple density EPS, again typical of a budget helmet. Whilst I sound negative when I say typical of a budget helmet, don’t be put off. Thousands of helmets use these materials because they’re low cost yet proven to deliver high quality and safety. The K1 scored 4 out of 5 in the UK Government Safety Test called SHARP. That’s a better score than the £500 Shoei GT Air, so don’t be put off.
You won’t be blown away with features, but the K1 has been built to deliver the basics, but deliver them well. So nothing like internal sun visors or intercom connectivity. But for the £140 price point it does surprisingly well with its features. So it’s pinlock ready, which means you can fit anti-fog visor inserts for fog-free riding all day. It also features a really handy “micro-opening visor system” which allows the visor to be cracked open the tiniest amount for constant airflow and removal of fog. It’s also got a really cool shape to it, which has been tunnel tested to deliver great aerodynamics, with the spoiler on the rear added to further enhance aerodynamics and stability.
Because it’s new on SportsBikeShop there aren’t any AGV K1 reviews at the moment, but as soon as they start coming in we’ll do a bit of analysis to pick out the key likes and gripes.
AGV K1 Sizes
I’ve ridden with a few AGVs now, and with each of them the brand has been consistent with it’s sizing. My advice is follow the size guide closely as that seems to work perfectly for me with AGV. Do bear in mind that it takes a while for the inner padding to bed in and mould to the shape of your head though. Particularly around the cheek pads.
The K1 is available in the following sizes.
XS = 53-54
S = 55-56
MS = 57
ML = 58
L = 59-60
XL = 61-62
XXL = 63-64
Wind Noise
Because it’s new there’s no reports on the wind noise of the AGV K1 just yet. My experience with other AGV helmets has been fine, although I tend to ride with ear plugs on long journeys which totally blocks out any wind noise anyway.
We’ll keep an ear out (very punny) for any reports of wind noise on the K1 and update the review as soon as we can.
Ventilation
The K1 features some great ventilation for an entry level helmet, matching that of some of the much more expensive lids in the AGV range. With air intakes at the chin and the forehead there’s plenty of airflow coming in. The spolier on the rear of the K1 features integrated exhaust ports which means that the air is constantly flowing through the helmet. The spoiler is built in to the helmet to enhance aerodynamics but also makes it look much sportier and of course benefits the airflow with the exhaust ports built in. The helmets interior has some hollow channels built in that run between the air intakes and the exhaust, again helping to push the air through providing constant fresh air.
Visor
The visor on the AGV K1 is an anti-scratch material that has been designed to provide the maximum field of vision possible with a 190 degree horizontal view. The visor is pinlock ready so you can buy the pinlock inserts which are great for fog-free riding.
As you’d expect from a modern helmet, the visor removal is really simple, with no tools required.
I’ve mentioned it earlier but worth pointing out again that the visor features AGVs Micro-opening visor system which keeps the visor open very slightly to provide a small amount of airflow. Great for preventing a fogged visor.
Styling
AGV has kept things simple but sporty with the K1. There are only 6 colour options to choose from at the moment, with my favourite being the Matt black. But take your pick i’ve shown them below. The looks of the K1 remind me of many of AGVs recent helmets, a real aggressive sporty look which I think differentiates AGV from many of the really boring lids out there. If you’re after a budget helmet that looks great this one definitely fits the bill. The integrated spoiler and sharp pointed chin really set it apartfrom the rest.
You’ll notice three of the colour options are Valentino Rossi inspired, with the VR46 emblem.
Other Features
- Strong Thermoplastic outer shell
- Proven multiple density expanding polystyrene foam inner
- Double D retention strap
- Removable and washable liner
- Multi-point air intakes and exhaust
- Designed to help prevent collarbone injuries with its shape
- wind tunnel tested aerodynamic design
- tool free visor removal
- 4 star SHARP rating
- Pinlock ready visor
- 1500g overall weight
Summary
AGV has done a brilliant job of introducing an affordable helmet into their range. They’ve kept things simple with the K1 and I respect them for it. No gadgets, no gizmos, just a decent helmet that will keep me safe on the road for a few years of riding. If you’re new to biking or just want a cheap lid from a brand you can trust I’d look no further. For any experienced riders expecting more, I’d steer you towards the AGV K5-S.
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AGV K1 Videos
AGV K1 Helmet Review
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Safety
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Comfort
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Features
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Quality
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Value
Summary
For the money you’ll be hard pushed to find a better helmet, perhaps something like the Shark S900 or HJC FG-ST, but for me the AGV wins with it’s aggressive race styling.
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