On February 13, 2024, Dainese S.p.A., which is helmet maker AGV's parent company, issued a safety recall for certain AGV Tourmodular full-face motorcycle helmets. As the name implies, the Tourmodular is a full-face helmet with a chin bar that flips up, thus also making it a modular helmet.
On affected helmets, the micrometric buckle could start to not engage automatically due to out-of-tolerance components. If the rider is not aware that their helmet is not properly secured on their head, it could potentially increase the risk of injury or even death, Dainese writes in the recall.
Affected helmets were produced between February 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022. They come in a variety of sizes, colors, and graphics. All affected helmets have a micrometric buckle closure. In the US, approximately 2,142 helmets may potentially be affected. This represents approximately three percent of the population.
Instructions in the user safety manual for the AGV Tourmodular helmet give instructions on how to engage the ratchet mechanism manually (instead of automatically), so it is possible for a rider to still secure their chin strap (and thus, the helmet) on their head successfully. However, if a rider is not aware that the helmet hasn't been properly secured, or realizes it but doesn't know that they can still manually engage it, this could present a serious safety issue.
What's The Problem?
On affected units, Dainese writes that the supplier provided parts that were not produced to their specifications. Since that's the case, excessive friction can develop due to the out-of-spec componentry. Over time, this could result in the ratchet not automatically engaging as it should when a rider closes it.
Should this problem develop on a rider's AGV Tourmodular helmet, they may notice that they don't hear the audible clicking sound that is usually evident as the buckle locks into its proper place. Additionally, the red engagement lever on the ratchet may not close or lock into place, and may still be able to move freely (which it shouldn't do once it's secured). The helmet may also feel loose or even move on a rider's head if the ratchet is not properly engaged.
Dainese's Recall Remedy For Affected AGV Tourmodular Helmets
Dainese plans to notify all known owners of helmets that are believed to be affected about this recall, as well as both its distribution and its retail network. It plans to send notification to all three groups: Customers, distributors, and dealers on April 12, 2024.
Once it has notified the affected parties that they can receive Dainese's remedy for this recall issue at no charge, the company will apply lubricant to the buckles of affected helmets. It has already done this for AGV Tourmodular units produced between January 2023 and July 2023, which is the time period directly after the one covered by this recall. From July 2023, the company updated its quality assurance checks to include 100 percent of buckles on this model.
Who To Contact With Concerns
Owners can contact Dainese US Customer Service at 1-855-327-5639. Additionally, owners may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov. NHTSA's campaign number for this recall is 24E-014.
