Dainese buys AGV from the Belgian group Imag

As reported by Il Sole 24 Ore on 7/28/2007, Dainese has concluded the acquisition of AGV from the Belgian Imag, bringing back to Italy the ownership of the company specialized in motorcycle helmet. Indeed Dainese has had for a long time its line of helmets but they has never reached volume of sales similar to those attained by the apparel line. Dainese and AGV has been Valentino Rossi’s brands for as long as I remember, so, from a marketing perspective, it was the most logic move to make for Dainese to improve the return of image from its own investments. Other major brands are ARAI used by Hayden and probably the most fashionable; Nolan used by Stoner and then Suomy, Shark, Z-Lite. The helmet, more then the leather suit is linked to the rider’s personality, as matter of fact often we have to pay almost twice the price to buy a specific graphic used by our heros.
Dainese now can count on 2300 stores world wide, a number that it’s going to increase in the future: in NYC, a new store will be open in 2008. As of now, in the west coast we can order Dainese suits from any supplier that carry the Italian brand, but only a few people are so lucky to enjoy a perfect fit right out of the box. This is most likely the reason why the custom-made Vanson leather suits have been the choice of most American riders. In Vanson they use a very thick cow leather that is definitely sturdy but, at the same time, a bit too heavy. I have never weighted mine, even thought I am positive that it’s not even close to the Rossi’s 7.7-pound Dainese leather suit or the Pedrosa’s 6.6-pound made by Alpinestar: both of them are in kangaroo skin leather, a much lighter material that also offers more resistance and flexibility than cowhide.
Together, Dainese and AGC have almost 100 years of experience in creating and manufacturing products aimed to reduce the risks involved in motorcycle racing, a tremendous amount of knowledge now available under the same umbrella.

The NYC Motorcycle Show 2007

Recently I was at the Motorcycle show held at the Javits Center in NYC with the purpose to promote the Lombardi Road Racing School. By going there I have really broke an old promise to pass over a show that it has been totally unappealing to me especially when compared to the Motorcycle Exhibition in Milan or the Motorshow in Bologna, Italy: countless pavillons organized by type of vehicles and brands, race tracks with competitions all day long, stunning exhibits, breathtaking models, tons of fashion all around you and a very good chance to obtain your favorite champion’s autograph. Yes ... Rossi, Melandri, Capirossi and Biaggi among the most famous Italians and others from different countries attending the shows to promote their sponsors and build or consolidate the relationships with their admirers flocking to the events from all around Italy and the rest of Europe.

Unfortunately I have never been able to experience those emotions at the NYC Motorcycle Show. The place is small, with no scenography, but only a bare jumble of stands set up around the middle space taken by the biggest players of the sector. Then, when you look at the content, it really looks like a “low-ride bikes show”. If a husky visitor in leather pants and jacket or a young wheelie stuntman is the target for the NYC event, the absence of amusing displays about road racing, motocross and supermotard bikes would be justified.
New York city doesn’t reflect customs and trends more typical in New Jersey, Connecticut or Pensylvania, but in the recent years the growth of road racing clubs, scooters and supermotard bikes, has become frantic. And if the European markets could be an indication of where we are heading, why didn't we have the opportunity in the NYC Motorcycle Show to see and enjoy the presence of professional riders along with their winning machines?
It’s understandable that the organizers could not have over the Italians, the Spaniards, the English, the Australians or the Japanese riders but what about the Americans? Where was the MotoGp World Champion Nicky Hayden or the Texas Tornado Colin Edwards? Where was the AMA 2006 champion Ben Spies or Jamie Hacking? How come their sponsors didn’t force them to attend such a stage where to promote products and services? How it is possible that the rich Honda’s budget and its sophisticated marketing resources could not provide us with one of the 2006 Kentucky Kid's bikes? If Honda doesn’t support his top rider here in the United States, where does it want to do it, in France?
At the Javit center I saw Rossi’s bike in between two blue AMA bikes: unfortunately it was deprived of all his personal decals to the point that most of us wondered if the Tavullia’s champion had ever ridden it. I also recall Ben Spies’s bike, but no one of these winning machines were presented with any sort of videos or special merchandising, or even models or better “umbrella girls”: nothing that it could really generate some sort of excitement.

Once again the NYC Motor show had disappointed me, so, between a conversation with a friend and an explanation of the Lombardi Road Racing School program to potential “customers”, I wondered around to take a few pictures of the young models working at the event: I have put together a short slide show that I am comparing to a video portraying something “similar” on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean: some time a picture is worth thousand words.