If you’re looking for the best protection possible for riding a motorcycle then getting airbag equipped kit should absolutely be on your shortlist. Historically this was always expensive and/or awkward to use, so it was reserved for those riders who could afford it, be bothered to use it or absolutely needed it, like motorcycle racers.
Times have changed however – be under no illusion that it’s not going to be the cheapest protection option, but let’s be clear; it is the very best protection you can buy.
Airbags work on the basis of cushioning an impact and bracing you; armour does its best to cushion by absorbing impact, however it’s limited by its very physical suze and shape with current technology. Admittedly there have been leaps and strides in this area too, but it still can’t compete with a well implemented airbag. A combination of airbags and top end armour will provide you the best impact protection possible for you.
When you see an inflated airbag vest or jacket you can see why this level of protection can’t be achieved with conventional armour, the amount of space it takes is considerable and allows for your impact with something to be extended, thus reducing the force transmitted to you and reducing injury. Airbag kit is a one-time use before it needs recharging if no damage has occurred, but it’s much like all other gear in that once it’s been badly damaged it’ll highly likely need replacing – this is your life we’re talking about after all!
So what airbag solutions are there? You used to have the choice of rather expensive jackets with them built in or vests that sit over your existing jacket, and generally speaking these required sensors attaching to your bike or a slightly archaic ripcord. Neither of these solutions is intrinsically bad, however they require extra faff which reduces your odds of constantly using them.
Nowadays we’ve got past that point with several major brands all having their own take on things – currently it’s easy to get airbag equipped gear that is a fully self-contained unit with processors and sensors inside them to take care of deployment automatically. You can even get airbags that will fit under your existing gear!
Dainese are one of the manufacturers that have made the biggest advances in this tech – their D-air kit has come a long way from its initial employment in MotoGP. It’s fair to say they don’t target the lower end of the market, however they have kit that is some of the very best in the business. Their biggest step forward to date is the creation of the Smart Jacket, the first airbag vest that can genuinely fit under your existing gear. At £569.99 it’s as expensive as a high end helmet, however what it offers is an upgrade to almost all gear all year round. If you don’t want to buy a new jacket – this is the best option you have for sheer convenience and style, with no sensors required and rechargeable lithium batteries that last 26 hours.
Dainese’s other D-air gear covers both sporty and touring kit with prices starting at £699.99 - these are similar to their non-airbag ranges but with fully integrated airbag tech that doesn’t require sensors. If you’re looking for the best airbag jackets money can buy – these are probably it. Like the Smart Jacket these all include rechargeable batteries that will outlast any ride you undertake. Our man Fab takes you through the Carve Master 2 below, a superb touring jacket including the latest D-air tech.
Helite have also got a rival to Dainese’s smart jacket with a vest that sits over your gear, but crucially doesn’t require any ripcord to deploy as they historically have, although for road use it requires a fork sensor. The e-GP Air is their sleek solution to a ripcord equipped vest – more aimed at racers looking to enhance their leathers this is still a worth proposition for the road. If you’re looking to cut costs then Helite’s conventional ripcord vests are the most budget option available to you, just be aware that you need to connect the ripcord prior to riding and you’ve always got that risk of a misdeployment. Their Turtle vest is the one to get in this lower segment of the market.
RST have recently joined the fray with their first airbag equipped suit, alongside standard jackets. In true RST fashion these massively undercut the equivalent big brands, such as Dainese. In&Motion are the suppliers of the airbags in RST jackets and they’ve also teamed up with Furygan. Much like the latest D-air systems this requires no sensors on bike or ripcord. RST’s airbag equipped kit starts at only £399.99 for their textile jacket, rising to £899.99 for the race suit. Some conventional race suits cost more than that! If you’re not fussed about branding and want autonomous airbag tech in your kit RST could be the brand to go for.
Alpinestars have of course also got involved with their Tech-Air solution – this slots in nicely between RST and Dainese price-wise, however their vest is only compatible with specific Alpinestars jackets. If you’ve got your heart set on the right Alpinestars jacket already and you want to upgrade this could be a great way to get airbags in your life, however if you’re wanting to upgrade with a vest and don’t want to change jacket then this won’t be the best solution. If you’re in the market for a new jacket anyway then the overall cost of the vest and jacket is in the same region as the Dainese jackets, so this is one to consider in this scenario. Much like the RST and Dainese solutions this is a fully autonomous system – no ripcords or bike sensors here!
The Bike Stop shop in Stevenage is currently temporarily closed, but our online shop is still alive and well and taking orders (and calls Monday to Friday!) We’re even doing a 10% off promotion – just enter the code ‘TOGETHER’ at checkout. You can check out our full range on our website with free delivery for any order over £25 on the UK mainland, and delivery possible to almost anywhere else. Not only that but our ‘No Quibble’ returns policy allows for returns within a 365 day period – see our returns page for more details.
