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Anyone Rocking an Airbag System? Have You Crashed in One?

I'm running an older teathered he-lite turtle. Except for a parking lot tip over which made me look like an idiot with a deployed vest. I fortunately haven't needed it for real.
 
sgrant914 said:
I'm running an older teathered he-lite turtle. Except for a parking lot tip over which made me look like an idiot with a deployed vest. I fortunately haven't needed it for real.
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I got one for my son. Dipshit doesn’t wear it though.

I did a track day at Laguna Seca two or three years ago. Guy was parked next to us. Lost his front, bike slid into the dirt. He was ok and bike wasn’t bad but his electronic airbag vest did NOT deploy.
 
I have a Helite e-Turtle.

The biggest plus? It mates up very well with my Klim Apex jacket and does not block any of the vents, allowing me to run cool on hot days. I have friends who take off their Tech 5s in the 100*F+ heat while my vest stays out of the way.

I have tried on the Tech 5 and others, but not willing replace my jackets in order to wear them. Also, Cycle Gear Sacramento never seemed to have one in stock that would fit while I was looking for them in the early days of electronic triggers.

Other plusses: It has enough battery for two long days. I can repack it with the spare CO cartridge that I carry on it. It has the fork mount sensor for being hit when not moving.

On the negative side, when I first started using it, the top of the vest rubbed on the back of my helmet when on the Tuono. Not an issue on the XR. I played around with some silicone dry lube to reduce the friction and also met with the distributer in Reno to confirm fit. That was two years ago and it is no longer an issue, possibly due to fabric breaking in. Had a battery pack go bad and got a free replacement. The fork sensor is forkin expensive at $150.

No crash experience, but have friends who have positive experiences with the tethered version.

Flip
 
Several years ago, I bought an old Dainese Misano D-Air secondhand at a pretty good price, and 3 days later an idiot staring at his phone plowed into the back of my bike doing at least 30 MPH while I was stopped at a red light (and not in a turning lane).* According to armchair internet experts, this type of airbag vest won’t help you in a stopped rear-end situation because it deactivates at less than 6 MPH, but I can tell you from experience that when a car plows into your bike at 30+ MPH, you’ll be going faster than 6 MPH pretty quickly! The airbag deployed before I went flying off the saddle and the jacket got really puffy and constricting. I landed flat on my back on the pavement, which normally might have caused a serious spinal injury, but it was like landing on a bouncy house castle. I was able to get up without serious injury, and only suffered some muscle stiffness and soreness that went away after a couple of weeks. If not for the airbag jacket, it could have been a whole different story. Now I wear the newer Dainese long sleeve model, which is a lot lighter and less bulky, and I’ll never buy another jacket that doesn’t have an airbag.

*It was a very busy intersection, and the light had been red for at least a full second, with pedestrians and cross-traffic already starting. I’m grateful that my bike and body stopped his car, because I’m pretty sure he would have killed someone if I hadn’t been there to take the impact. The airbag took care of my body and my insurance paid out for the bike, so no lasting harm was done to me.
 
flynnstigator said:
Several years ago, I bought an old Dainese Misano D-Air secondhand at a pretty good price, and 3 days later an idiot staring at his phone plowed into the back of my bike doing at least 30 MPH while I was stopped at a red light (and not in a turning lane).* According to armchair internet experts, this type of airbag vest won’t help you in a stopped rear-end situation because it deactivates at less than 6 MPH, but I can tell you from experience that when a car plows into your bike at 30+ MPH, you’ll be going faster than 6 MPH pretty quickly! The airbag deployed before I went flying off the saddle and the jacket got really puffy and constricting. I landed flat on my back on the pavement, which normally might have caused a serious spinal injury, but it was like landing on a bouncy house castle. I was able to get up without serious injury, and only suffered some muscle stiffness and soreness that went away after a couple of weeks. If not for the airbag jacket, it could have been a whole different story. Now I wear the newer Dainese long sleeve model, which is a lot lighter and less bulky, and I’ll never buy another jacket that doesn’t have an airbag.

*It was a very busy intersection, and the light had been red for at least a full second, with pedestrians and cross-traffic already starting. I’m grateful that my bike and body stopped his car, because I’m pretty sure he would have killed someone if I hadn’t been there to take the impact. The airbag took care of my body and my insurance paid out for the bike, so no lasting harm was done to me.
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Wow. This is really what I was looking to hear. What model Jacket are you wearing now?
 
Mike95060 said:
Wow. This is really what I was looking to hear. What model Jacket are you wearing now?
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I picked up a Dainese D-Air Long Sleeve when it was on sale. Love it! The Misano was great, but it was so bulky that I could hardly get my arms thorugh the sleeves of an XXL rain jacket (I normally wear size L), and getting my backpack on over it was a chore. The current one is only slightly thicker than my old non-airbag jacket, so I can wear my normal size L rain coat and getting the backpack on is no problem. It’s also much easier to fit into the bike’s luggage.
 
greenmonster said:
I suppose the weight issue is greater if you’re off the bike walking around.
I don’t feel the weight of my Tech 5 when I’m on the bike.
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True dat. But when I'm riding, it's like I'm floating on air :)

The heat/airflow thing is definitely an issue in hot weather though...
 
Fun vid showing Plasma deployment.
Note that the Plasma covers the shoulders.
The Dainese does not, but ANY airbag is better than none.

 
flynnstigator said:
According to armchair internet experts, this type of airbag vest won’t help you in a stopped rear-end situation because it deactivates at less than 6 MPH...
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I have a Dainese D-Air vest and it deployed from a stationary motorcycle when I fell over at 0mph...as mentioned above in my previous post. It's important to realize the D-Air senses the vibrations from your motorcycle and arms. Once motorcycle is off, it stays armed for about 10 seconds. This aspect help me when my bike was off and my kickstand folded...and so did I.
 
I deployed a hit air tether vest after being torpedoed at 90+, I separated from the bike for like 100 yards, broke my ankle and 3 toes and couldn't walk for 6 months, hands and fingers were numb for months on end, but upper body was all ok, I'd like to say the vest did its job?
 
I have used the inemotion system that comes with the RST leathers used by racing pros for several years. I then bought the Klim vest that Budman has. It uses the same brain, so one account & brain works on both. They say you can cancel the annual fees and updates and it will still work. There haven’t been many. The annual service covers the HW as well.
The latest Klim vests have good ventilation. They are heavy, but it is a not noticeable when riding.
The back protector in the leathers and the Klim vest are a little short and don’t cover the tailbone like other back protectors.

One issue to consider with all these is what happens after it goes off. I heard with Dianese you have to send the leathers in every time it deploys, and that they were backed up last year for weeks. Not a so good.

Inemotion allows you to repack and use another $90 gas canister one time and then you need to send it in. Better.

These also help stabilize your neck which may be the most importantl value.

Of course, they all come with the positive Karma that if you are prepared, you seem to never need it. At least that makes you feel good until it’s not true!

Reducing the risk of incurring the cost and pain of a collarbone break and getting a plate is worth the investment.The comfort it brings concerned love ones, adds to the value proposition. I think everyone should get one given the low price relative to that fancy motorcycle you are riding.
 
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I started with a Helite Turtle, then Turtle2, and now I'm wearing their mesh jacket. The only negatives for the vests were looks (HiViz and there's a lot of coverage) and I'd occasionally forget to buckle up the vest or the attachment after a stop. The jacket came with a zipper that was small and didn't inspire confidence, and indeed it failed at the bottom a few times, but Helite warrantied it and installed a more robust and right-handed zipper (which made me happy.)

No deployments thankfully, but with the jacket I can layer heated gear, a wind-blocker jacket and a rain shell so I am good from freezing to central valley August with just one coat. The vest is obviously more versatile, but the jacket is better looking and only has one buckle to forget. I'd love to eliminate the tether, but I just don't have e-confidence.
 
I tested my Helite Turtle 2 at like 0-1mph. Dropped the bike but I never even hit the ground. Couldn't feel the thing inflate, I heard it and it was full/snug, it was just instantly full. I got the vest type so it would fit over all my different jackets (4). The loose vest has decent air flow with mesh jackets. I didn't know about the tether when I bought it but it's a total non issue. Kinda just started a habit I don't turn the key off until the vest is unclipped. The only negative of the vest that I can see is there isn't a really good way to wash it like other gear. I have flown with it a few times now, seems to be a non issue with the airlines.

I think the directions said adjust to like 4 inches loose so it wears baggy. When it inflated it felt totally snug (I couldn't unclip all the buckles till it deflated a little).

The Helite is super easy to change a canaster after inflating and only like $39 (Some of the digital ones are like 200 bucks)

PXL_20250624_145939145.MP by Norcalkid, on Flickr

PXL_20250630_194111787 by Norcalkid, on Flickr

PXL_20250630_193838882.MP by Norcalkid, on Flickr
 
Running a Tech Air 7x under a race suit. It has tailbone protection which my old tech air 5 did not. It is also much easier to get a suit over the shoulder section. I have never deployed, but it is good for two inflations and I can replace the canister myself.

I look at the bag as minimizing forces on my bones/soft tissue, but collarbones and ribs may still break. That's what they are there for.
 
Fun fact: man collar bones broken in moto accidents are the result of the helmet's contact with the clavicle in the accident. Air vests/ suits are instrumental in preventing these types of breaks.
 
I work in Quality in the medical device industry M-F and am familiar with voluntary and required testing, including the use of animals and human cadavers. I'd want to see the a description of the tests performed and the results from the manufacturers before picking a specific brand. Are they testing on cadavers? Instrumented dummies? Are they just using crash data from track crashes? It's entirely possible they aren't doing any official testing at all, or they are using 'results' from non-motorcycle specific crashes (equestrian) and rationalizing it.

I was eviscerated by many members when I brought this up in one of the first airbag / vest threads on BARF many many years ago. I'm unable to find the specific thread. I eventually got the testing information and it was laughable. The company used a cadaver TORSO, no head, no arms, no legs, and dropped it on its back onto a flat surface from 4ft and 0mph. Completely useless testing.

Cue the: "Anything is better than nothing." and "I crashed with a airbag and I know I'd be (dead, paralyzed, etc) if I wasn't wearing it" comments. I'm not saying you shouldn't get one. Educate yourself first.
 
^ Sounds like the environment might be ripe for a new testing agency/corporation. Wanna start a biz? :laughing
 
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