7 MIN READ
Motorcycle Airbags, Ride Safer Than Ever Before
Motorcycle airbag jackets are increasingly being used and recognized as a particularly valuable addition to motorcycle gear thanks to the optimal protection they provide. But how does such a motorcycle airbag actually work?
Origin in the MotoGP
In the early 2000s, several brands, including Helite, were busy developing a universal airbag vest. The first patent for an airbag vest as personal protection for motorcyclists and horse riders was soon applied for. The airbag is activated with the help of a pull cord. It didn’t take long for other manufacturers to see future potential in developing their own version of the airbag.
The MotoGP naturally took note of this, which led to the development of the second type of airbag jacket, one without a pull cord so that the riders are not restricted in their movements. The Alpinestars Tech-Air system was one of these new systems. The first electronic airbags were introduced in the MotoGP in 2007 and since 2018 these have been mandatory at all MotoGP races and trainings. As is often the case with the safety of motorcycle clothing, it is the developments that take place within racing that slowly trickle down to everyday motorcyclists.
In 2013, Marc Marquez crashed at 337.9 km/h during training for the Italian GP in Mugello. Thanks to the Alpinestars airbag he was wearing, the damage was limited to a bruised chin and he was able to continue his training after a medical examination. The Tech Air-race suit detected the crash within 50 milliseconds, and the airbag was fully inflated, 30 milliseconds before the first contact with the road surface. The ultimate proof that an airbag can make a difference.
2 types of airbag systems
Within the motorcycle airbag range, there are 2 different systems to be found. These differ in the way the airbag is activated. We are talking about mechanical and electronic airbag systems.
Mechanical airbag vest
As you can probably guess, these airbags work without a battery or electronics. The mechanism consists of a pull cord with an activation ball. This is attached to your motorcycle using a click system. A minimum pulling force is required before the ball is pulled from the system and the CO2 cartridge is activated. Subsequently, the CO2 gas from the cartridge inflates the airbag jacket. These airbags are simple to use and you run no risk of the battery being empty. As long as you attach the pull cord, the airbag will go off if you fly off the motorcycle. These airbags were the first to hit the stores.
Electronic airbag vest
In MotoGP, teams and riders began experimenting with airbag systems early on. These systems were often custom-made and equipped with electronic sensors. The sensors are activated by measuring the acceleration and braking forces of the motorcycle and recording deviations. There is no connection required to the engine and they can function standalone (as long as they are charged). Electronic airbags are used to reduce the shocks and consequences of a crash to prevent injuries. This allows the pilots to quickly return to the circuit. It is this technology that has made its way into stores in recent years and is slowly gaining popularity.
Why should I buy a motorcycle airbag?
- Activation within a few milliseconds
- 95% less impact in an accident
- Protection of the neck, spine, and upper body
Quick activation: Motorcycle airbag vests are equipped with advanced sensors and trigger systems capable of detecting an accident quickly and accurately. This allows the airbag to be activated within milliseconds, reducing the time for the body to endure the full impact of the accident. Often, the airbag has already been activated before the first impact occurs.
Reduction of impact forces: When the airbag is activated during an accident, it essentially inflates a shield around your upper body. The impact force of the fall or collision is distributed over a larger area. This can reduce the load and forces acting on the body by up to 95%, which can contribute to a reduction in the risk of injury.
Protection of the neck, spine and upper body: A motorcycle airbag vest provides an additional protective layer over the upper body, including the neck, back, chest and shoulders. This reduces the risk of whiplash, serious injury to vital organs and prevents fractures.
Do you wear a motorcycle airbag above or below the motorcycle jacket?
The type of motor airbag will determine whether you should wear it over or under your motorcycle jacket. Mechanical airbags should be worn over the jacket to not impede the pull cord, all airbag systems from Helite are made to be worn over your motorcycle clothing. With electronic airbags, this depends on the material they are made from. Electronic airbags such as the Tech-Air 3 can be worn both over and under the motorcycle jacket. The Tech-Air 5 and Tech-Air 10 are designed to be worn under your motorcycle jacket or suit.
If you want to purchase an airbag to wear under your motorcycle clothing, you will need to consider that the airbag needs space to expand. Alpinestars has made it easy for the consumer by indicating whether their jackets are “Tech-Air compatible”. This means that there is space provided in the motorcycle clothing for the airbag to expand, without the jacket or suit being loose. This way, the comfort of the motorcycle clothing is not compromised. If you buy or have a motorcycle jacket or suit that is not designed for this, then there is the rule of thumb. If you can fit a clenched fist under your clothing, then there is space to activate the airbag.
Which motorcycle airbag suits me best?
Electronic airbags that are developed for street use can only be used on the street and not on the track, but electronic airbags that are developed for track use can be used on the street. Why doesn’t this work the other way around?
For this, we need to look at the electronic system and which settings can be used for it. An electronic airbag for street use is set more sensitively. On the street, you ride at lower speeds and your actions are less harsh. On the track, you naturally do not want the airbag to go off when you brake hard to dive into a corner, you only want the airbag to go off when things go wrong. Keep this in mind so that you definitely do not go on the track with the wrong airbag or setting.
TIP: There is no need to wear a back protector in your motorcycle jacket if you are using an airbag in which this is already incorporated.
Helite Airbags
Helite has 2 types of mechanical airbag systems to wear over the motorcycle jacket. The Helite Turtle 2 airbag for street use and the Helite GP-air airbag jacket for use on the track. Both jackets are very easy to use thanks to their mechanical operation: connect the pull cord to the motorcycle and go. It is recommended to check your mechanism annually to ensure it is not contaminated and will still function properly.
There is also the Helite E-Turtle V2 Electronic airbag, in which a CDU sensor (Crash Detection Unit) takes over the task of the pull cord. With this airbag, there is the option to link an additional fork sensor to the vest to register frontal crashes even faster. Helite prides itself on their airbags having the most air content, and thus providing the best protection compared to other brands.
Maintenance of a Helite airbag
Helite airbags are easily reusable. For mechanical airbags, you need to replace the ball of the pull cord and replace the CO2 cartridge. You can easily do this yourself, put the airbag back in place and you can hit the road again. For the E-Turtle, you still need to reset the module. If you suspect that the airbag bag is damaged, send the airbag to Helite for inspection.
TIP: Weigh the cartridges annually to check if there has been any pressure loss.
Alpinestars Tech-Air Airbags
An Alpinestars Tech-Air airbag operates with the help of a smart module, accelerometers and gyroscopes. Thanks to all the information and data that Alpinestars have collected over the years, both on and off the circuit, the system is highly advanced. All Alpinestars Tech-Air airbags are activated and deactivated using the magnetic closure. A few LED lights indicate whether the module is active or not. You can adjust the settings of your Tech-Air jacket via the accompanying app and link the airbag to keep track of all your ride data.
TIP: Don’t forget to open the magnetic closure when you step off the bike. This will prevent the airbag from deploying if you were to trip.
Maintenance of an Alpinestars Tech-Air airbag
If the airbag is deployed, it will need to be sent to Alpinestars for inspection and reactivation. Alpinestars downloads the data from the module to add to their database, and they ensure that the airbag returns to us within 10 working days. We recently tested this with Piet’s Tech-Air 5 from RAD Drongen and it was away for just a little longer. Alpinestars promised us that this process will only get faster in the future as more people are trained to do it.
Proven Protection
Since the introduction of mandatory motor airbags in MotoGP, there has been a significant reduction in fractures and injuries. Of course, we don’t ride the same speed on public roads, but knowing that only 7% of motorcyclists use an airbag vest, while most accidents occur on public roads, there is certainly room for improvement. If you think “I’m already protecting myself well with my motorcycle clothing”, you’re absolutely right! The combination of abrasion-resistant materials and lvl 1 or lvl 2 protectors already provides a lot more protection than you would have wearing regular clothing. To match the protection of an airbag vest, you would have to wear 18 lvl 1 protectors or 9 lvl 2 protectors on top of each other.
We do not expect everyone to run to the store to buy a motorcycle airbag after reading this blog article, after all it remains an expensive item. I wrote this article to draw attention to the motorcycle airbag systems. Perhaps some people can convince their partner to buy that coveted motorcycle after all, promising that it will be a lot less dangerous with an airbag. The perfect response to the reaction “You’re not going to buy a motorcycle, that’s far too dangerous!”. We hope it never has to come to that point, but who knows, one day the airbag might save your life.
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Nathan is our webshop employee who is ready with advice and assistance to help customers. When he is not answering customer questions, he writes helpful texts and blogs for the RAD site.
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