People fall off motorcycles, it’s a fact of life. Unfortunately, it can hurt quite a bit, or even worse it can be fatal. Motorcycle gear is there to try and stop that, and the latest, highly effective innovation is airbags for motorcycles.
Everyone’s familiar with airbags, you’ll struggle to find a modern car without them, and their effectiveness is undeniable. Obviously, you’re not strapped into a metal box when you’re on a bike, so bike and gear manufacturers have a bigger challenge on their hands. The solution that’s been settled on is gear with airbags integrated into them, and while it’s still not a ‘cheap’ option, it’s definitely no longer the preserve of the top motorcycle racers.
Multiple gear brands have their own take on the motorcycle airbag, with Dainese being one of the most advanced out there.
Here's a 'willing volunteer' being subjected to Dainese's latest and greatest Smart Jacket, showing just how rapidly their latest tech deploys.
D-air, Dainese’s airbag solution used to be a little clunky, requiring sensors attaching to the bike to tell the airbag when to deploy, however nowadays with improved processors and detection it’s all integrated into a jacket. Aside from D-air emblazoned on the gear, you’d be hard pressed to tell at a glance that you’re wearing the latest and greatest protective gear.
As mentioned, some airbag technology does come at a premium, and D-air is a case in point. The integration of airbags, gas cylinders, processors and sensors is a remarkable achievement, and one that requires an awful lot of development costs, along with the fact you’re getting a great jacket too!
D-air comes in both Street and Race varieties, with the Race versions appearing in their suits designed for the track, while Street appears in sporty and adventure jackets. The latest variants start around the £1099 mark before heading up and beyond for the Race suits. It’s also worth mentioning that Dainese do women’s versions of their D-air gear, so the fairer sex can now enjoy the same protection that will actually fit them.
There's also the new D-air Smart Jacket, and it bridges the gap between the jacket with integrated airbags, and the vest that goes over your gear which I'm coming onto next. The Smart Jacket is the first offering from Dainese that fits under your gear. Arguably, this solution is going to be one of the best for most riders, offering convenience in its use (no wires, external sensors or ripcords) and its compatibility with other gear.
If you’re on a stricter budget, all is not lost however. If you want the latest and greatest, then of course you’re going to pay for it, but airbag technology is maturing, allowing for less advanced, but still highly effective, solutions to drop in price. The ripcord solution is pretty self explanatory; you attach a ripcord to the bike before you set off and, if you’re unfortunate to part company with the bike, the ripcord pulls and the airbag deploys. Naturally this isn’t as convenient as an integrated sensor solution, but the simplicity means that it’s reliable and, more importantly for some, considerably cheaper.
Bering have the C-Protect line, and if you’re looking to get airbag tech into your gear, this is probably the way to go if you’re not willing to splash too much cash. The C-Protect is a vest that goes over your existing gear and uses a ripcord for deployment. It can inflate all about your body, and pushes up against your helmet to reduce head movement. One thing that is an undeniable advantage over the advanced integrated D-air in jackets is the fact that it can be used with multiple jackets, especially useful in the varied climate of the UK where you might be in a vented summer jacket one week, and in an Arctic-ready textile one the next! It also undercuts the D-air Smart Jacket in cost, coming in at just £369.99, a full £200 less than Dainese's closest offering.
If you ever have any questions about airbag-equipped gear, or any other gear for that matter, don't hesitate to visit our shop in Stevenage, or our website using the web-chat facility.
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