Oli
Well-known member
I've used the Pista GP for roughly 18 months for commuting, weekend blasts and a few track days. I have recently upgraded the to GP R.
I can whole heartedly say that the Pista GP R is a significant and substantial improvement on the Pista GP, it is quite literally the helmet AGV "should" have made to begin with.
You look at the photos of the two side by side and you think all the little winglets and minor changes to the visors are just marketing BS, but the reality is all of the issues of the Pista GP have been addressed as I'll explain in detail in this review.
What you're left with, is a truly amazing helmet, I can't tell you how much of an improvement this is ...
Visors used are Iridium, dark smoke and clear, all with PinLocks.
Aesthetics: This one is subjective, but to my eyes this is the sexiest helmet on the market. What do you think? My GP R is the "gloss carbon" style, pictured with the Iridium shield.
There is one negative with regard to aesthetics, or perhaps this is a quality issue, but there's no getting away from the fact that the finish on these helmets is not quite 100 % perfection. Very minor imperfections in the carbon fibre are present in a few specific places and there are, for some random reason, 2 or 3 individual flakes of blue paint present beneath the gloss.
Now I don't want this to put you off in anyway, as I just see it as a bit of Italian character lol, but I'm afraid the finish is not truly perfection.
Fit and Weight: Arguably the most important category, so to start with let me clarify my head shape and size. My head is size large exactly on AGV?s sizing (60 cm in circumference) and is towards the rounder side of intermediate oval. My head shape is widest at the top sides above my temples towards the back. I have struggled with Shoei helmets in the past (RF-1100 and GT Air) as they have been too narrow at the upper side portion of the helmet and left a slight gap at the front of the helmet. However, AGV?s Pista GP and GP R have slightly rounder shapes which I find very comfortable.
The fit is typical modern ?race fit?, with very snug check pads and a very high cut at the back/base of the helmet. Coming from a more allrounder helmet, this high cut back is very strange at first as you feel quite ?exposed?, as if there is a section of helmet missing. However, once you adjust to this feeling of exposure it?s fantastic as allows for absolutely no interaction, or catching with an aero hump and/or the carrying loop of a rucksack. Both helmets are also particularly snug to begin with around the ears, but this breaks in after a little bit of use.
The retention system for the helmets are double D-rings and both helmets have slight customisation options within the inner lining, you can tailor the fit ?slightly? for rounder or narrower head shapes (Apparently altering how high or low the helmet sits on your head).
When you read the spec sheet of the Pista GP or GP R vs the Corsa, it doesn?t seem to be ?that? much of a weight saving. In the hand the helmets feels light, but not disconcertingly light, however when you wear and ride in the helmet it feels significantly lighter than any helmet I?ve previously used. It?s indeed true that any weight saved in a helmet is very noticeable and beneficial to the rider. I don?t exactly have the most robust spine from years of Rugby so for me personally the reduced weight of these CF helmets makes a big difference to my riding comfort, and allows me to ride all day without undue neck pain.
Ventilation: The Pista GP and GP R both have pluggable vents (3x on the forehead) along with an open/closed switchable chin bar vent. There are also 2x exhaust vents at the back of the helmet which are permanently open and are not pluggable. Personally, I have not found this plugging system to be an inconvenience on the road as just leave them open for the late spring and summer and closed when the weather is cooler. That being said, it is a considerable faff to remove and re-install the plugs, and is certainly not something you?d want to do at the road side. When the vents are open/unplugged, the amount of air flow through the helmet is absolutely fantastic, and I?m somewhat follicularly challenged so you can take my word for this lol!
One considerable area of improvement the GP R has over the GP, is the chain bar vent, the little winglets present on the R genuinely direct a lot more air through the vents. Riding at speed it feels at least 50 % more air flow, which is great as this was a little lacking on the previous helmet. Another great feature of the chin bar vents is the mesh grill behind them which prevents a constant stream of insects from entering the helmet (A massive plus point frankly).
Aerodynamics/Noise: This helmet is by far and away the most aerodynamic helmet I?ve ever used. This is possibly the biggest area of improvement between the latest and greatest current generation helmets and those from previous generations. For example, a Shoei GT Air, is significantly more stable at speed than an RF-1100. The AGV Pista GP is another league up in terms of high speed stability and the GP R is another incremental step forward. There is absolutely no ?lift? when popping up from behind the bubble and there is no buffeting and or lift when tucked in behind a screen, or when cruising along. The GP R remains absolutely planted when looking in mirrors too, however the only time you are aware of the massive rear wing is when doing shoulder checks/life savers, as the wing essentially becomes an air break and you feel the wind on the back of the helmet like a rudder. It's not a problem, just a quirk, or the price to pay for such awesome high speed stability.
With regard to noise, this is another area the GP R is a massive improvement over the GP. The GP is very bloody loud, like properly loud, ear plugs are absolutely essential the moment you turn the bike on, let alone at speed loud. I think the reason for this, is that CF acoustically has no sound dampening whatsoever (Just think how loud a stone is that rattles under a front CF hugger as an example). As a result, the combination of mega air flow, minimal EPS and CF makes for truly immense wind noise. The GP R however, is substantially quieter. Don't get me wrong, it's still a thoroughbred race spec helmet, but it's nothing like the old helmet. I don't know how or why this is as the helmets look remarkably similar, but I would imagine it's got a lot to do with the revised wing moving turbulence further away from the helmet. Regardless, the result is very impressive.
It goes without saying though, that you must ride with good quality ear plugs, or custom moulds. You'll protect your hearing and have absolutely no concerns with excess wind noise!
You?ll see some reviews online (Revzilla) that mention this helmet is inappropriate for anything other then a sport bike on a track day or racing, but this is quite frankly nonsense. The helmet vents well and is supremely stable on both a bolt upright naked bike just as it is on a super bike. I think all of the benefits these helmets display on track are transferable to the road.
Safety: Both the Pista GP and GP R pass the Snell Rating in the USA, ECE whatever it is in Europe along with the ACU Gold sticker and both score a 5* Sharp rating (Something that not all of the major helmet brands achieve ? cough, Arai!).
One significant improvement of the Pista GP R, over the GP, is that the current helmet has an Emergency Cheek Pad Removal System, something which was quite frankly a serious omission on the previous generation helmet. For current AGV Corsa or Pista owners, this newer lining is retrofittable to the older generation helmets.
Visibility: This is also arguably a safety feature. The range of visibility is absolutely fantastic, when the helmet is positioned correctly on your head you can barely see the top brow of the helmet, nor when looking forward or sideways can you see the periphery of the helmet. The dark smoke visor is particularly dark and works fantastically in bright weather, however, I actually have found the Iridium shield to be perfectly adequate (even on very bright days), but with the added benefit of looking better on the Pista GP R. So if you?re considering a mirrored visor I?d certainly recommend one and you definitely don?t "need" to purchase a dark visor in addition. The only negative of the Iridium visor is that it is prone to scratches, and when these occur it is particularly noticeable.
Miscellaneous/Tweaks: The Pista GP-R has received the most significant updates in AGV?s road helmet lineup, with the Bi-Plano rear wing (Which is frankly gigantic), the winglets on the front chin bar air intake, a small ?spoiler? on the rear exhaust vents which I presume is to prevent water entering the helmet when it?s raining (Can?t say I noticed the issue on the GP, but I guess it?s an improvement). The USP for the GP R though, is the integration with a Camelpak hydration system, as the GP R has a bite valve which is screwed into the chin bar of the helmet and there is routing within the liner to accommodate the hose. This system is very well integrated but also totally removable, something I did before even riding in the helmet as I doubt I?ll ever use it, but for Endurance racing and also possibly touring in hot climates, this would be a fanatic feature.
One big negative of both helmets, for road riders, is that there are no "cut outs" in the ear cups to accommodate internal speakers from a Bluetooth communicator. Personally, I wish they made the helmet with these removable foam pieces as Shoei do, as wouldn't really add weight and would be useful to road riders (who lets face it will be the vast majority of people buying these helmets).
I can whole heartedly say that the Pista GP R is a significant and substantial improvement on the Pista GP, it is quite literally the helmet AGV "should" have made to begin with.
You look at the photos of the two side by side and you think all the little winglets and minor changes to the visors are just marketing BS, but the reality is all of the issues of the Pista GP have been addressed as I'll explain in detail in this review.
What you're left with, is a truly amazing helmet, I can't tell you how much of an improvement this is ...
Visors used are Iridium, dark smoke and clear, all with PinLocks.
Aesthetics: This one is subjective, but to my eyes this is the sexiest helmet on the market. What do you think? My GP R is the "gloss carbon" style, pictured with the Iridium shield.
There is one negative with regard to aesthetics, or perhaps this is a quality issue, but there's no getting away from the fact that the finish on these helmets is not quite 100 % perfection. Very minor imperfections in the carbon fibre are present in a few specific places and there are, for some random reason, 2 or 3 individual flakes of blue paint present beneath the gloss.
Now I don't want this to put you off in anyway, as I just see it as a bit of Italian character lol, but I'm afraid the finish is not truly perfection.
Fit and Weight: Arguably the most important category, so to start with let me clarify my head shape and size. My head is size large exactly on AGV?s sizing (60 cm in circumference) and is towards the rounder side of intermediate oval. My head shape is widest at the top sides above my temples towards the back. I have struggled with Shoei helmets in the past (RF-1100 and GT Air) as they have been too narrow at the upper side portion of the helmet and left a slight gap at the front of the helmet. However, AGV?s Pista GP and GP R have slightly rounder shapes which I find very comfortable.
The fit is typical modern ?race fit?, with very snug check pads and a very high cut at the back/base of the helmet. Coming from a more allrounder helmet, this high cut back is very strange at first as you feel quite ?exposed?, as if there is a section of helmet missing. However, once you adjust to this feeling of exposure it?s fantastic as allows for absolutely no interaction, or catching with an aero hump and/or the carrying loop of a rucksack. Both helmets are also particularly snug to begin with around the ears, but this breaks in after a little bit of use.
The retention system for the helmets are double D-rings and both helmets have slight customisation options within the inner lining, you can tailor the fit ?slightly? for rounder or narrower head shapes (Apparently altering how high or low the helmet sits on your head).
When you read the spec sheet of the Pista GP or GP R vs the Corsa, it doesn?t seem to be ?that? much of a weight saving. In the hand the helmets feels light, but not disconcertingly light, however when you wear and ride in the helmet it feels significantly lighter than any helmet I?ve previously used. It?s indeed true that any weight saved in a helmet is very noticeable and beneficial to the rider. I don?t exactly have the most robust spine from years of Rugby so for me personally the reduced weight of these CF helmets makes a big difference to my riding comfort, and allows me to ride all day without undue neck pain.
Ventilation: The Pista GP and GP R both have pluggable vents (3x on the forehead) along with an open/closed switchable chin bar vent. There are also 2x exhaust vents at the back of the helmet which are permanently open and are not pluggable. Personally, I have not found this plugging system to be an inconvenience on the road as just leave them open for the late spring and summer and closed when the weather is cooler. That being said, it is a considerable faff to remove and re-install the plugs, and is certainly not something you?d want to do at the road side. When the vents are open/unplugged, the amount of air flow through the helmet is absolutely fantastic, and I?m somewhat follicularly challenged so you can take my word for this lol!
One considerable area of improvement the GP R has over the GP, is the chain bar vent, the little winglets present on the R genuinely direct a lot more air through the vents. Riding at speed it feels at least 50 % more air flow, which is great as this was a little lacking on the previous helmet. Another great feature of the chin bar vents is the mesh grill behind them which prevents a constant stream of insects from entering the helmet (A massive plus point frankly).
Aerodynamics/Noise: This helmet is by far and away the most aerodynamic helmet I?ve ever used. This is possibly the biggest area of improvement between the latest and greatest current generation helmets and those from previous generations. For example, a Shoei GT Air, is significantly more stable at speed than an RF-1100. The AGV Pista GP is another league up in terms of high speed stability and the GP R is another incremental step forward. There is absolutely no ?lift? when popping up from behind the bubble and there is no buffeting and or lift when tucked in behind a screen, or when cruising along. The GP R remains absolutely planted when looking in mirrors too, however the only time you are aware of the massive rear wing is when doing shoulder checks/life savers, as the wing essentially becomes an air break and you feel the wind on the back of the helmet like a rudder. It's not a problem, just a quirk, or the price to pay for such awesome high speed stability.
With regard to noise, this is another area the GP R is a massive improvement over the GP. The GP is very bloody loud, like properly loud, ear plugs are absolutely essential the moment you turn the bike on, let alone at speed loud. I think the reason for this, is that CF acoustically has no sound dampening whatsoever (Just think how loud a stone is that rattles under a front CF hugger as an example). As a result, the combination of mega air flow, minimal EPS and CF makes for truly immense wind noise. The GP R however, is substantially quieter. Don't get me wrong, it's still a thoroughbred race spec helmet, but it's nothing like the old helmet. I don't know how or why this is as the helmets look remarkably similar, but I would imagine it's got a lot to do with the revised wing moving turbulence further away from the helmet. Regardless, the result is very impressive.
It goes without saying though, that you must ride with good quality ear plugs, or custom moulds. You'll protect your hearing and have absolutely no concerns with excess wind noise!
You?ll see some reviews online (Revzilla) that mention this helmet is inappropriate for anything other then a sport bike on a track day or racing, but this is quite frankly nonsense. The helmet vents well and is supremely stable on both a bolt upright naked bike just as it is on a super bike. I think all of the benefits these helmets display on track are transferable to the road.
Safety: Both the Pista GP and GP R pass the Snell Rating in the USA, ECE whatever it is in Europe along with the ACU Gold sticker and both score a 5* Sharp rating (Something that not all of the major helmet brands achieve ? cough, Arai!).
One significant improvement of the Pista GP R, over the GP, is that the current helmet has an Emergency Cheek Pad Removal System, something which was quite frankly a serious omission on the previous generation helmet. For current AGV Corsa or Pista owners, this newer lining is retrofittable to the older generation helmets.
Visibility: This is also arguably a safety feature. The range of visibility is absolutely fantastic, when the helmet is positioned correctly on your head you can barely see the top brow of the helmet, nor when looking forward or sideways can you see the periphery of the helmet. The dark smoke visor is particularly dark and works fantastically in bright weather, however, I actually have found the Iridium shield to be perfectly adequate (even on very bright days), but with the added benefit of looking better on the Pista GP R. So if you?re considering a mirrored visor I?d certainly recommend one and you definitely don?t "need" to purchase a dark visor in addition. The only negative of the Iridium visor is that it is prone to scratches, and when these occur it is particularly noticeable.
Miscellaneous/Tweaks: The Pista GP-R has received the most significant updates in AGV?s road helmet lineup, with the Bi-Plano rear wing (Which is frankly gigantic), the winglets on the front chin bar air intake, a small ?spoiler? on the rear exhaust vents which I presume is to prevent water entering the helmet when it?s raining (Can?t say I noticed the issue on the GP, but I guess it?s an improvement). The USP for the GP R though, is the integration with a Camelpak hydration system, as the GP R has a bite valve which is screwed into the chin bar of the helmet and there is routing within the liner to accommodate the hose. This system is very well integrated but also totally removable, something I did before even riding in the helmet as I doubt I?ll ever use it, but for Endurance racing and also possibly touring in hot climates, this would be a fanatic feature.
One big negative of both helmets, for road riders, is that there are no "cut outs" in the ear cups to accommodate internal speakers from a Bluetooth communicator. Personally, I wish they made the helmet with these removable foam pieces as Shoei do, as wouldn't really add weight and would be useful to road riders (who lets face it will be the vast majority of people buying these helmets).
