AGV's ultra-lightweight Sportmodular helmet is still my all-time favorite flip-face brain bucket, and the company has backed it up with a more affordable Tourmodular lid focused on longer rides, with the option to add an integrated Cardo comms unit.
Where the Sportmodular is ridiculously light, starting at just 1,295 g (45.6 oz), the Tourmodular is roughly middle-of-the-pack at a claimed 1,620 g (57 oz) thanks to a carbon-aramid-fiberglass construction where the sporty one goes for full carbon.
But many of the things that make the Sportmodular special carry over to this more accessible new lid: the reversible, sweat-wicking Ritmo/Shalimar liner with its warmer and cooler sides; the enormous visor opening, allowing a massive 190 degrees of horizontal vision and 85 degrees of vertical; the top-shelf Pinlock 120 anti-fog insert; the flip-down fighter pilot sun visor; and the micro-opening system that lets a bit of air in when you need it, without unlocking it from the closed position.
It might weigh your noggin down a little more at a standstill than its lightweight big brother, but AGV has designed it to have a dynamic weight of zero at 130 km/h (80 mph) on the highway thanks solely to aerodynamics. One hopes this effect doesn't vary with the square of speed; I know some pretty fast touring types that probably don't want their heads pulled off by a helmet trying to achieve takeoff.
AGV says it's tested this helmet up to P/J homologation standards even with the chin guard flipped up. That strikes me as a good idea, I only ever flip the chin guard down when I have to, and I know I'm not alone.
The Tourmodular is also the first helmet set up to take a specially-designed "AGV Insyde" integrated Bluetooth communications system designed in conjunction with Cardo. That means it'll have a lot of the same capabilities as Cardo's top-shelf Packtalk units, including self-healing dynamic mesh intercom connections between up to 15 riders, spread out over up to 6 km (3.7 miles).
Where the Sportmodular starts at US$749, the new Tourmodular is considerably more approachable at $599 – well, until you add $329 for the intercom, but then it's absolutely lovely having a comms unit that's built right into your helmet rather than hanging off the side like an electronic colostomy bag.
Check out a video below.
Source: AGV
