MotoGP™ riders aren’t human. That’s something you often hear in the face of epic feats in sport. They push powerful bikes to their limits, putting themselves and all the materials involved under extreme stress. But they’re actually made of flesh and blood too, and need to protect themselves just like everyone else. To get the most out of their bikes, they need the opportunity to ride in optimal conditions, in complete safety but with complete freedom.
This is why all the top products in the Dainese and AGV racing line are developed and tested here, in an environment of extreme stress. And since the riders are legendary, it goes without saying that all their equipment is legendary too, so not really accessible to mere mortals. As it happens, however, that’s not the case.
Pista GP RR is the helmet AGV professional riders use. It epitomizes a helmet that redefined the concept of head protection. The Pista GP RR has established new standards in impact protection, weight, aerodynamic penetration, wide field of vision and ventilation.
The strict design criteria followed by the AGV Research and Development department have allowed the Pista GP RR to ace the tests for the equally strict FIM homologation. It’s one of the very few FIM-homologated helmets on the market with everything in order, and it’s available to all.
In 2007, Dainese was the first to bring an electronic airbag system to world championship racing. Just eleven years later, this system was made compulsory for riders in all classes, but even before it became compulsory, all of Dainese’s standard-bearers were only too happy to take it to the track. The words of Pol Espargarò, Moto2 World Champion, stay with us: “D-air® is like a helmet. Once you get used to it, you can’t do without.” The suit that professional riders wear is the Mugello 3 D-air®, the ultimate in protection and performance. Mugello 3 D-air® packs a wealth of cutting-edge technology into a single article of clothing.
As well as the D-air® device, the suits incorporate the conventional rigid protectors, on knees, elbows and shoulders. There are metal plates in the same places, designed to promote sliding and prevent rolling in the event of a fall.
Full Metal 7 means state-of-the-art technology applied to a glove. It’s made with refined, sophisticated materials, like goatskin, aramid fiber and titanium. It’s born crooked, in the true sense of the word, to follow the natural curvature of the wrist in the riding position. Full Metal 7 is designed with a pre-curvature, so you don’t have to strain the joint more than necessary to bend the glove.
The composition of the glove involves the integration of overlapping carbon and titanium plates on the back and knuckles, to better absorb impacts and encourage sliding on contact with the asphalt. Other carbon protections are present on the thumb and phalanges, while the little finger has the DCP system to prevent twisting. There are elasticated inserts throughout the glove to ensure maximum mobility.
Between the end of the 1990s and the early 2000s, Dainese designed a revolutionary boot, the first to be worn inside the suit, capable not only of better protection against impact, but also of preventing dreaded fractures and twisting. The top-of-the-range Axial 2 boot incorporates the Axial Distortion Control System, an ergonomic and jointed carbon fiber structure built into the boot, capable of guiding ankle movements.
The Axial Distortion Control System prevents any unwanted joint movement. Any lateral twisting or hyper-extension is prevented by a system which is a real ankle brace. The lower section and tibia protection are made from a composition of carbon fiber and aramid fiber. The resistance of carbon and aramid fiber make it an exceptional protection against perforation, all in an extremely slim and lightweight boot to be worn inside the suit.
From head to toe, professional riders have maximum protection, so they can give free rein to their best performance. But it’s not a privilege reserved for them, because the development carried out on the track means that all fans can benefit from the same technologies used in MotoGP™. There are faithful replicas of the most advanced protectors, from helmet to boots, so you can concentrate on the track and nothing else.