Matt carbon shell, gloss outer panels: this AGV Pista GP R3 turns the usual carbon look around. The satin weave takes the light out of the helmet, and the panels of the new Sphera system catch it. Those panels are the reason the R3 exists. They are mounted on micro-bearings and slide away from an oblique impact, which is AGV's answer to rotational brain injury in racing. The helmet carries FIM FRHPhe-02 for racing and ECE 22.06 for the road. At Inter-Pace it is sold only in our store in Forstern, with a personal fitting.

The matt finish with gloss panels

Matt carbon is the finish racers tend to choose when they want the helmet to look like equipment rather than jewellery. It does not reflect sun into your mirrors or the TV camera, and small scuffs from the paddock show far less than on a gloss coat. The trade-off is cleaning: a matt surface should not be polished or waxed, since that leaves shiny patches. Water, a drop of mild helmet cleaner and a microfibre cloth are enough. On this version the Sphera panels are glossy, so the moving layer stands out against the satin shell. AGV has not yet published the official colour name and part number for this finish; we add both as soon as they are confirmed. In our colour filter it is listed under Carbon.

Tried on in Forstern, not ordered blind

We do not sell this helmet online. You can reserve a fitting on this page, choose your size and tell us which day suits you. We either hold that size for you or let you know when it arrives. In the store we measure your head, compare MS and ML if you are between sizes, and check the fit in a tucked riding position before you pay. Race helmets are meant to fit closely, and a close fit is exactly what a size chart cannot promise. According to our supplier's schedule the first R3 helmets reach us in early 2027.

Which Pista is right for you

For a championship that checks FIM stickers at scrutineering, the choice is simple. For road riders and track-day regulars, the RR S at 1,500 g is still one of the most complete carbon helmets we stock, and you can order it online.

How Sphera works

Between the carbon shell and a thin outer skin of polycarbonate sit more than 1,600 spheres of roughly 2 mm. The outer panels rest on them like on ball bearings. In an angled impact the panels roll in the direction of the force; if the load gets high enough, they break free of the structure. Both movements take rotational energy away before it becomes a twisting motion of the head. Beneath it, the R3 keeps a multi-density EPS liner, and EQRS emergency release cheek pads let track staff remove the helmet safely after a crash. RLS, the London firm behind the technology, has its roots at Oxford University. AGV lists three years and over 28,000 development hours for the project, and more than 100 new moulds for the shell.

The Zaragoza test behind the six-fold figure

The claim on AGV's page is a six-fold reduction in the risk of concussion, measured in the lab at the Aragon Institute for Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza. Three impacts were used: front, right and left. For each one the head's rotation was scored with the Brain Injury Criterion (BrIC), converted into the likelihood of an injury of AIS2 or higher, and the three results were averaged. The baseline, according to AGV's press release, is the same configuration without the Sphera system. That is a transparent method from an independent institute. It is also exactly what it says: an average of three defined lab impacts. We quote it as a measured effect of the system, not as a promise for every crash.

Racing approval and road approval

FIM FRHPhe-02 is the helmet approval of the international motorcycling federation, and AGV's launch material lists it for the R3. Scrutineers check it in FIM road racing, and it tests beyond the road standard, including the visor. For public roads the relevant mark is ECE 22.06, which AGV's designation E2206 DOT MPLK also confirms, together with DOT for the United States. ECE 22.06 replaced 22.05 for new helmets in the EU from January 2024. It adds oblique impacts that measure rotation, more impact points, several impact speeds, and tests with accessories fitted. A helmet that carries both is race-legal and road-legal without a second purchase.

Sizes and fit

Seven sizes are planned: XS, S, MS, ML, L, XL and XXL. The removable interior comes out completely and is washable, which matters on a race helmet that gets sweated through every session. Splitting medium into two steps gives riders in the most common size range a finer choice. AGV describes the new interior as snugger and more ergonomic than before, with a small chin deflector and patented grooves at the base of the cheek pads. Head circumferences per size and the number of shell sizes are not yet published. We will put the size chart online when we have measured the first helmets ourselves.

Visor, vents and aero

The race visor is up to 5 mm thick and held by a stronger retention mechanism. It is prepared for a Pinlock insert, which is what the MPLK in the AGV designation stands for. AGV promises the widest field of view in its class but gives no degree figures yet. Air enters through intakes made of Grilamid and leaves through redesigned exhausts at the rear. The spoiler is new in size and side shape to reduce drag when you are tucked in, and Italian press reports that it is designed to separate in a crash rather than catch. Weight: AGV only says the R3 keeps the weight of the Pista GP RR. One practical point for owners of an older Pista: this is a new visor generation, and Pista GP RR or RR S visors do not fit the R3.

Raced before it was sold

The R3 made its debut at the Misano MotoGP weekend on 11 September 2026, on the heads of all AGV riders across MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3, including Marco Bezzecchi, Luca Marini and Franco Morbidelli. Valentino Rossi tested it during development.

Open points

Some details are still missing from AGV: the weight in grams, the number of vents, the contents of the box, the warranty terms and whether spare panels will be sold separately. There is no SHARP rating for the R3; the five-star entry there is the old Pista GP R. After any crash in which panels have released, plan on replacing the helmet. We will fill in each of these points here as soon as there is a reliable source.

In the box

• 1x AGV Pista GP R3 helmet, Matt Carbon
• 1x race visor MPLK, fitted
• Accessories in the box to be confirmed by AGV

Specification

• Model — AGV Pista GP R3
• Part number — Not yet assigned by AGV
• Colour / Finish — Matt Carbon, matt carbon shell with gloss Sphera panels
• Homologation — FIM FRHPhe-02, ECE 22.06 and DOT (AGV designation E2206 DOT MPLK)
• Helmet type — Full-face racing helmet, road legal
• Shell — Carbon fibre with AGV Sphera outer layer powered by RLS
• Rotational system — AGV Sphera: outer panels on micro-bearings that slide and release
• Sizes — XS, S, MS, ML, L, XL, XXL
• Visor — Race visor up to 5 mm thick, MPLK (prepared for a Pinlock insert)
• Availability — In-store only, fitted in person in Forstern
• Weight — not yet published by AGV; AGV states it is no heavier than the Pista GP RR
• Riding styles — racing, track days, fast road riding

• 1x AGV Pista GP R3 helmet, Matt Carbon
• 1x Race visor MPLK, fitted