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Your experience with airbags?

Your post made me recall another thing I’ve noticed over the years: Some riders seem never to get hurt when they crash. Others break like glass when they hit the ground. Some bodies are more durable than others and some people also react in ways that make injury more likely, like sticking stiff limbs out to try to break their fall.

I’ve crash tested a few sets of leathers over the years. I’ve never been injured on the racetrack in crashes up to 130 mph. In one street crash, I broke a foot. For whatever reason, I seem to be on the more durable end of the spectrum, tend to relax when falling and have been lucky. At the same time, I’m getting older and might not fare so well in a crash today.

An airbag would probably stack the odds more in my favor in a crash, but at some level, my experience makes me feel like the gear I do wear is enough.
 
Yep, I’d say most riders feel that a good helmet, jacket, gloves and boots is sufficient. And it is sufficient to a large extent.

Personally I’d want to be padded up like the Michelin man if something happens.
In a car I have protection from the seat belt, front and side airbags, bumpers, crumple zones, headrests, reinforced doors, and I’m enclosed in a steel cage.
On a moto I got nothing.
 
I had a Helite airbag adventure jacket. Seems like a great idea to have an airbag built into an adventure jacket that had decent armor and was waterproof. Found that I hated the tether, especially when standing on the pegs off road. So I sold it and picked up a Tech Air 5 airbag. Love the untethered design, 2 modes and better technology etc. It is also the only airbag that covers your shoulders, like a "short sleeve t-shirt" and unlike the "tank top" design on the other brands. No subscription fees either. Just used it on my ride to Prudhoe Bay and would never ride without it!

Did the Helite have some kind of pressure gauge so you can tell it didn't all leak out in the closet?
 
I've never had a dud CO2 cartridge, ever, in anything. I pulled an old PFD out of the closet and activated it. It worked great and I bet the cartridge was 20 years old.
 
Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t clavicle fractures occur when you put your hand out to stop a fall and the impact jerks your arm upward breaking the clavicle?
Airbag jackets/vests protect the ribs/chest/ spine areas.
 
Did the Helite have some kind of pressure gauge so you can tell it didn't all leak out in the closet?
no. I just replaced the cartridge around the 5 year mark just to be safe. The tethered design was a huge PITA and that's why I love my Tech Air 5 now.
 
Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t clavicle fractures occur when you put your hand out to stop a fall and the impact jerks your arm upward breaking the clavicle?
Airbag jackets/vests protect the ribs/chest/ spine areas.
The Tech Air 5 has coverage over the shoulders like a short sleeve t shirt so better than nothing like the typical airbag vests that are like tank tops.
 
That's how I broke my left clavicle pre-airbag

I kinda feel like who gives a Sh*t about clavicle. HEAD, NECK, SPINE. I want one that has a neck roll (kinda like the football players)so my head isn't thrown around. The Helite look to have that???

I think it's totally stupid when brands put all this research into abrasion resistance then stick a CE level 1 back protector in. Thinking Klim mesh!
 
They can happen if you land on your shoulder too.
Back in the day, there was a show "Feasting on Asphalt" with Alton Brown. It was a culinary tour across the United States on his RT with this buddies on their GSs. Great show.

However, during one episode, they were riding down a gravel road and Alton lost and had a low speed get off.

And broke his clavicle.

Recently, the YouTuber "Itchy Boots", famous for taking here Honda 250 across and up and down Africa, her trip was cut short when she broke her clavicle on a low speed get off.

I kinda feel like who gives a Sh*t about clavicle.
I do, I don't want to get hurt at all if I can avoid it.

I mention these two anecdotes because they're not perhaps what one thinks of when one considers braking, well, anything in a motorcycle accident. Low speed events where the rider just happened to land hard, and in the wrong place.

Now I can't speak to Altons riding experience or expertise, but Boots was clearly an experienced rider in diverse conditions, and still, she got bit.

So, for me, I think clavicle protection, if its practical for an air-vest, is worth considering.
 
Anecdotally, I got my airbag after breaking my clavicle. I had a worse get off with the airbag and came out unscathed. Well, I was. My bike was a yard sale.
 
Your post made me recall another thing I’ve noticed over the years: Some riders seem never to get hurt when they crash. Others break like glass when they hit the ground. Some bodies are more durable than others and some people also react in ways that make injury more likely, like sticking stiff limbs out to try to break their fall.

I’ve crash tested a few sets of leathers over the years. I’ve never been injured on the racetrack in crashes up to 130 mph. In one street crash, I broke a foot. For whatever reason, I seem to be on the more durable end of the spectrum, tend to relax when falling and have been lucky. At the same time, I’m getting older and might not fare so well in a crash today.

An airbag would probably stack the odds more in my favor in a crash, but at some level, my experience makes me feel like the gear I do wear is enough.
I was a bouncing czech when young and racing MX. Fell a lot. Got up a lot. Did mostly fine roadracing to into my early 30's. Now that I am Old I know I am not bouncing anymore so airbag it is. Seeing the whole airbag MotoGP suits and those guys getting up all the time have me convinced it will help.
 
I broke my clavicle.
I fell off the front of a skateboard and hit my upperback shoulder. Clavicle snapped in half. The asphalt became rough and vibration drifted me off the board. The speed was faster than I could run.
 
Do you guys take these on airplanes "charged" or are you supposed to take the bottle off?
Thanks
 
Never travelled with mine but I’d guess that TSA would not be happy with a CO2 cartridge.
It might make a difference if it’s checked in vs carry on.
 
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