Will You Be Properly Protected in a Crash?

There can be no argument that airbag garments are the biggest safety boon to motorcyclists since helmets. Oh, I suppose that there will be a few – like those still contending the earth is flat – will take issue with such a sweeping statement. But the science – the impact softened, the rapidity of reaction and the number of injuries reduced in topflight racing – is inarguable. Having an inflatable supplemental safety device built into your jacket significantly reduces the probability of injury. I’m not going to argue airbags’ relatively safety merits; if you really do think airbags are a waste of time, please don’t read any further.

Indeed, that’s the last I’m going to mention of their efficacy. The rest of this discussion will deal with why they are so effective and, despite their acknowledged propensity to reduced injury, why they are still rare as hen’s teeth. That’s especially true of the most modern – that should be read as “expensive” – Alpinestars and Dainese wireless systems. Sales of non-racing air-bag garments, to put it bluntly, have been far below expectations.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT AIRBAG JACKETS