More than 3,000 Traffic motorcyclists will have vests with airbags this year. This is one of the first steps taken by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) in order to make this security system a mandatory element for motorcycles in the not too distant future. The idea is that, just as we can’t imagine a vehicle without a seat belt, we can’t imagine a motorcyclist driving without an airbag either. So, it is worth reviewing what types of motorcycle airbags exist on the market.
Studies carried out in recent times indicate the effectiveness of motorcycle airbags, installed in vests and jackets, since it protects the critical areas of the thorax, a part of the body in which 35% of deceased motorcyclists and more than 25% of hospitalized suffer injuries. According to the DGT National Road Safety Observatory, the percentage of spinal injuries in motorcycle accidents is lower in those who wear jackets with an airbag (14%) compared to those who only wear normal protective clothing (27%), the latter cases in which the chances of suffering serious spinal cord injuries triple.
And it is that, according to the impact tests carried out by RACE together with the German automobile club ADAC, protective clothing with an airbag provides a good level of protection for the thorax: in an impact at 50km/h the airbags are activated in less than one tenth of a second (80 milliseconds) to provide additional protection to the rider’s back and chest. Tests show that the use of the airbag reduces the impact load on the thorax by 25% and on the back by 75%.
Manufacturers such as Yamaha or Piaggio are currently immersed in projects to develop and incorporate their own airbags into their models, a technological race that invites us to be optimistic with a view to seeing new systems on the roads in the medium term. However, it was Honda that stood in pole position years ago by marketing the first motorcycle with an airbag.
It was at the end of 2006 when the Japanese brand put a version of the legendary Gold Wing on the market that included an airbag that deployed above the handlebars in the event of an accident. The innovative element, however, could not be called a success, since in the following years Honda had to make several recalls of the inflators and other components. Since then, the manufacturer has continued to improve the product, to the point that the new GL1800 Gold Wing Tour DCT is also equipped with an airbag integrated into the chassis.
It seems that we will still have to wait a few years for motorcycles with integrated airbags to proliferate on the market.
Another motorcycle airbag system is on the way. Last November, EICMA, the Milan Motorcycle Show, was the scene of the presentation of the first helmet with an integrated airbag. Created by Italian helmet manufacturer Airoh and automotive safety products provider Autoliv, the integrated airbag does not compromise helmet design, weight or comfort. The new product combines the shock absorption of the helmet itself with the absorption provided by the airbag, protecting the neck and part of the back.
It is not the first time that prototypes of helmets with airbags have been presented. One of the first was the APC Systems (2008), a bulkier and heavier design, as seen in the image above, than the most current proposals. In any case, it is not an option in the short term either.
Today, outer garments -jackets and vests- with airbags are the most widespread systems on the market and offer the best guarantees. Not surprisingly, they have been used for years in MotoGP races (mandatory since 2028) and in the Dakar.
These accessories, whether jacket or vest, incorporate an air bag together with compressed air cylinders together with a mechanism that is activated just before suffering a fall. They have a price that oscillates between 500 and 1,200 euros, although a drop in prices is expected as demand grows. The DGT anticipates that these safety garments will end up reaching all types of motorcycle drivers, from those with large displacements to those who ride a scooter.
There are two different types:
Some brands that offer these systems in vests and jackets are Dainese, Alpinestars, Held, Helite, Furygan Vest Fury, among others.
In their report on airbag vests and jackets, RACE and ADAC offer a series of considerations for users to take into account:
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
