Gear Review: AGV K-3 SV ‘Liquefy’ Helmet

I’ve always found AGV helmets are a perfect fit for me. I do admittedly have a small head and have found it difficult in the past to find other helmets that are a good fit but with the AGV K3 SV I fit comfortably and confidently in a Small.

What I love most about this AGV though, and this is particularly important as a rider with long hair, the helmet doesn’t slide back and forth on my hair, it has a firm hold that reassures me of my safety on the road while wearing it.

AGV K-3 SV Helmet – Liquefy

In terms of style, this AGV K-3 SV with the Liquefy graphic goes very well with the BikeReview.com.au Long Term Ninja 400 I’m riding at the moment. It’s both bright and eye-catching, and is a good match in colour and style for the Kawasaki. It has just the right look for the Ninja to impress on the road.

For short or long rides the K-3 SV is also comfortable, while it feels fairly lightweight – although I haven’t used super light helmets in the past, with the K-3 SV weighing in at around 1500g.

The AGV K-3 SV got some extensive use with a full day riding at the Top Rider Level 1 course

There’s good pressure and support from liners, and it sits firmly in place with a rotate or shake of the head, although part of this is ensuring you’ve got the right size and a good fit. The helmet also features removable and washable liners with dry-comfort fabric which will come in handy during the warmer months.
Other noteworthy features include a nose guard and wind protector, which is removable for those of us who like a little extra air space. The shell is high resistance thermoplastic resin, designed in two sizes, with four density EPS structure, with what AGV call their ‘Integrated Ventilation System’ with five large front vents and two rear extractors and I’m still working out the right air.

Chin vents are always open on the AGV K-3 SV.

In the cold winter weather I barely noticed the outside air temperature but I manage to always fog up the visor. I found the overall level of noise at normal and highway speeds to be reasonable but not noteworthy as particularly good or bad. It is an obvious improvement on the half face I’ve been wearing prior to this however!

The top of the helmet features two forehead vents which can be closed and a central vent with a ‘wheel’ for fine adjustment.

Which brings me to the visor. When wearing the AGV my vision is clear and uninterrupted, and I’m happy with the range peripheral vision. The visor is anti-scratch, which adds a little resilience for the clumsy. In the coming months I’ll probably add an anti-fog guard – it’s compatible with Pinlock – as I found I have an unfortunate habit of fogging the visor and my glasses at the same time.

AGV K-3 SV Helmet

The visor also has a micro-opening system, which I must say I haven’t worked out because when I opened it just a touch it would snap close again. I like my visor open just a crack, if only because I’m slightly claustrophobic in a helmet, and with the K-3 SV I was struggling to find the right opening point. I credit this to a new helmet and expect it to become natural with more wear. The helmet also features something called a Extra Quick Release System (XQRS) visor mechanism which makes changing visors quick and easy.

The chin Micro Opening system can be pushed up to prevent the visor totally closing.

I also found the internal sun visor to be a useful and welcome accessory – it cuts out glare and saves me popping on the prescription sunnies. There’s a simple switch on the side of the helmet that is easily reached and is flicked up and down. The visor itself though is quite wide, almost the length of the external visor. I felt this greater coverage from the glare and didn’t touch the nose or face. Additionally, the colour of the shade is just right for riding west in the afternoon. The sun visor is also anti-scratch (bonus!), and removable without tools (but why would you?)

The ratchet strap is a cool piece of technology, but you do need to be careful how it is adjusted.

There is only one minor flaw with the helmet that fortunately I have been able to overcome but still watch out for. Having never used a chin strap ratchet (also called a micrometric retention system for jargon-junkies) you can imagine my surprise when I did it up tight slightly choking myself and panicked. That was my mistake.

My second attempt at doing it up was on the mark, I now keep it slightly looser than a traditional strap, and pull the straps away from the chin to ensure a comfortable fit. I find if the strap is too tight it can be uncomfortable and pokes in to my neck when I move your head about.

The AGV K-3 SV Helmet in Liquefy

Available in four sizes and I found the AGV helmet exceptional – it’s a great fit, comfortable, aerodynamic and a bright eye-catching design. The extras – sun visor, chin strap – are a convenient bonus for what is a value for money helmet. I would recommend this helmet to anyone who is a daily commuter.

The K-3 SV is available from $329.00 for Solid Colours, with the Liquefy as tested $349.00, while some graphics are $399.00. Visit the Official AGV Helmets Australia webpage for more information, or your local AGV stockist.