You don’t have to buy a set of expensive leathers if you want to enjoy the benefits of an airbag system when you crash. At the CES show in Las Vegas this week, Alpinestars is introducing the Tech-Air 5, which is a “slim, self-contained wearable airbag vest.” The Tech-Air 5 will go on sale in March of this year at a price TBA. Here is the press release from Alpinestars with additional details:
Alpinestars will be showcasing over 55 years of class-leading product innovation in motorcycling and motorsports protection technology, including the all-new completely independent Tech-Air® 5 motorcycling airbag system. The new system is the latest addition to the Alpinestars Tech-Air® family, allowing more users to benefit from an independent, wearable garment featuring all the protection that the Tech-Air® airbag system delivers.
Tech-Air® 5 is a slim, self-contained wearable airbag vest designed to be worn under any textile jacket. The system provides unrivaled upper body protection uniquely covering the rider’s shoulders, critical in motorcycling accidents, in addition to the chest, ribs and full back, and offering the most comprehensive coverage of any motorcycling airbag available today.
The state-of-the-art Tech-Air® 5 airbag system features six integrated sensors which continuously monitor acceleration and the rider’s position. In the event of a crash, the system has a maximum inflation time of up to 40ms and the impact absorption while wearing the airbag results in a decrease of the impact force by up to 93% compared to a passive protector. The airbag has been designed to deploy before the first impact with an obstacle, and in addition, protects riders in the event of a rear-end collision.
The system includes Bluetooth connectivity and comes with the Tech-Air® App, which uses the rider’s phone to display the system’s operational status, battery status and provides detailed analysis of a ride, in addition to over-the-air firmware updates. The airbag has a battery life of 30 hours of riding time on a single charge and an LED display conveniently shows system status directly on the garment. The Tech-Air® 5 airbag system will be available on the market in March 2020.
The Consumer Electronics Show takes place from January 7th to 10th in Las Vegas. Alpinestars will showcase the Tech-Air® 5 airbag system and offer live airbag deployments to CES attendees. Please plan to visit our booth for the unveiling of the airbag on January 7th. Alpinestars exhibit will be in Hall D, Booth 46046, of the Sands Expo Center and our technical staff will be available to showcase the innovation on display, provide live airbag inflations, and meet with journalists and attendees on an individual basis.
See more of MD’s great photography:
Relatively cheap lower tech air vest worn on top of leathers have been common place at track days for some time now.
They use a tether instead of sensors to trigger inflation.
My son and I use the Hit Air brand for track days.
I can personally attest that they make a huge difference in the event of a crash.
And, god forbid, they do deploy you only have to replace a 30$ air cylinder and you are back in business.
Whilst we are seeing to seeing MotoGP riders crash and almost bounce up again several times in a weekend, most of us ‘normies’ have experience of even a minor tumble having repercussions for months and years after the event.
Each to their own, of course, but given how a crash can postpone or even prevent my next trackday, and in the knowledge of how expensive physiotherapy is, I’ll be looking for an airbag suit next time around.
I hope that this technology makes it into the dirt! I have had enough dirt-nap related shoulder, neck and chest/rib injuries to last several lifetimes!
“Beer swilling bar hopping riders will never use one bc it’ll interfere with their devil may care bad boy/bad girl image.”
There’s is a point where too many encumbrances take all the enjoyment out of riding, especially on a hot summer day. It’s not just the leather-clad, beer swilling crowd, but the average rider who will only accept so much discomfort while enjoying the ride. The added expense of safety is only a minor issue, but there comes a point when safety on a bike “tips the scale” and you might as well be in a small convertible sports car with the wind in your hair. I’m not against this new technology and someday it will be surely be mandated, just like helmets. In the end, the best safety equipment has always been between your ears. No airbag is going to save your bacon if you’re an idiot motorcyclist.
Sorry for the double-post. Not sure how that happens…
Arguably, the airbag is more likely to save your bacon if you’re an idiot motorcyclist. The conundrum is that if you’re an idiot, you need one more, but are less likely to buy and wear one. Sort of like helmets and the rest of the ATGATT spectrum.
Would be interesting to know if it will offer any neck protection. If it inflated to stabilize the lower edge of the helmet it could offer similar protection to a leat brace.
If the textile jacket doesn’t expand when the airbag deploys where does the expanding airbag go? Into the wearers torso? Do textile jackets expand?
Between the flexibility of the body and outer garments there’s plenty of “give”. I recall a young GP rider setting his off inadvertently when celebrating a victory. That was in a custom fitted (tight) GP suit. Was funny.
But the GP suite was no doubt designed to work with the airbag. No doubt the air bag has been tested and works I’m just interested in the details.
Here’s everything you need to know. Except the price.
https://www.alpinestars.com/tech-air-5
MSRP is $700. (less a nickle)
There is a lot of interest in the airbagvest int he industry. This rider is interested, especially if, like the Klim vest it can be leased for a reasonable price.
This is a great innovation if it is comfortable when worn. Even if the price is high, it will come down as the technology moves forward. In the end, this will likely remain a niche market item for quite some time. Long distance riders and more aggressive sport riders and racers take note. The manufacturer needs to get it on racers to demonstrate the efficacy and get it before the public’s eyes. Beer swilling bar hopping riders will never use one bc it’ll interfere with their devil may care bad boy/bad girl image.
I agree with everything you said, as well as my statement you quoted.
“The manufacturer needs to get it on racers to demonstrate the efficacy and get it before the public’s eyes.”
Airbag suits have been used in MotoGP since 2007 (13 seasons) and have been mandatory for the last two seasons. For example Marc Marquez’s world record 209.9 mph crash in 2013 was with an airbag suit, and was publicized by Alpinestars:
https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/06/01/alpinestars-releases-marquez-crash-telemetry/161522
that graph is crazy… several times body hit more than 25 g’s of force… those guys have to be crazy fit to survive…
Outstanding post Grover. Sounds like I might wear a bit more gear than you but this is what I have always lived by… “In the end, the best safety equipment has always been between your ears.”