Jackets Would you buy an Airbag Jacket

Saw this link from a recent thread.
I hadn't considered an airbag vest / jacket before watching, and seeing the price points, I won't now.
For the most part, I've quit all my crashing nonsense, anyway. Sure, there's no guarantees, and it doesn't have to be my fault, etc., etc. I get it.
I will wear a decent riding jacket, helmet and gloves, and try to use my superior judgement in order to avoid having to rely on my superior riding skills to keep me out of trouble.
Really, all that I need now is a gadget to repel police who want to talk to me about my riding style or mannerisms.
"Yes sir, I saw the double yellow lines. I also saw the doddering old driver in front of me driving 10 mph below the speed limit, as well as the half-mile of no oncoming traffic ahead, and no upcoming intersections. That's why I passed."
Yeah.
That never works for me.
 
When I was at a motorcycle open house they were having an employee showing how one worked. When that thing went off it scared the heck out of me. No I would not buy one.
 
I’m probably going to before too long. Several people I ride with have already done so.
 
Email sig line from one of the older (like, older than me even) guys on the ldrider list:

" Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools. "
-- Sir Douglas Bader
 
Not a jacket, no. Airbag vest in high-viz, yes.

You can use it with any jacket you ever want to wear, it has a decent amount of real estate for color and reflective strips, and when I finally buy an Aerostich, I can buy the color combo I want rather than the one I should. I've crashed enough times bicycling to want to avoid another - I'm not as spry as I once was.

You need to decide which technology works best for your desired comfort, and be aware that online comments tend toward the best is the one someone spent money on.
 
I love my KLIM Ai-1 airbag vest. It fits under your jacket. It is comfortable and not too hot to wear. I used a tethered Motoair vest before - I kept forgetting to attach the tether when I stopped for gas so I went autonomous which deploys faster than the tethered systems. You can also get in an accident where you will stay with the bike and the tethered system won't deploy.

www.klim.com

Ai-1 Airbag Vest

www.klim.com www.klim.com
 
True @bdalameda. Being a disciple of science, I like the trigger mechanisms which have been designed to detect a crash. Not some by-product of the crash. And it's amazing how well they do that. Watch Marc Marquez crash in FortNine's video at 2:44 in. His airbag inflates milliseconds after he begins to crash, even before he parts company with his bike.

And I'll skewer @Smudgemo 's comment by saying once you finally get your Aerostich you'll join those of us that believe it's the best money you ever spent on motorcycle gear. :)
 
For $90 I'd consider one. For $600 no. Im kind of frugal. I buy and wear decent gear on every ride..helmet, jacket, pants, boots gloves...but I'm not the kind of guy that will spend $600 on a helmet, $ 1200 on a riding suit, $ 150 on gloves, $400 on boots or $600 for an airbag vest? Just not in me. I have it, I'm just not spending it. Saving it for my old age, I'm only 70 lol
 
I'd definitely go for one of these at the right price point. It seems, at the moment, though, a lack of competition and not a lot of sales are keeping the prices a bit too steep for my wallet.
I do see a lot of copies of the Helite vest on eBay at drastically lower prices. Since it is the simplest, and therefore probably the most dependable of the lot, ( logically, it has the least to go wrong), I can see why others would copy it. I can find no reviews of the knock-offs, but I'll continue to research them!

edit:I see some reviews on Amazon.....not so good on most of the Brand X vests. Like everything else, though, I imagine they will improve over time!
 
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I was waiting for Daboo to chime in (a die hard air bag vest champion). So, I've only parted ways with a motorcycle once...when I took my CRF250L cliff/drop off jumping. Had I been wearing an airbag of some sort, well, I'd be dead today. The bulk of the inflation is on the front of your body so if I had an airbag of some sort on, I would have been rolled over onto my back and I would have missed the last piece of brush that saved me from taking the additional 150' drop with the bike. Since I was on my stomach, I was able to save myself. But, since that accident I've given up dirt road/track riding so maybe I should revisit the airbag. Wait, something I learned from my combat tour in Iraq...if the bomb/bullet/hand grenade has your name on it, ain't nothing gonna stop that meeting with St Peter. But, then, I always figured God for the type who says, do your part before expecting me to come bail you out...
 
If I buy one air bag vest I have to buy a second for the wind bag when she rides with me :)

I'd buy a vest vs a jacket so I could use it with lots of different gear. Being frugal I'd likely also go with a tethered vs smart jacket. I do foresee accidental deployments and would like to be able to reset it myself as cheaply as possible. I also foresee that the tethered will not work with side impacts etc until you are exiting the bike's tether range. There are pros and cons for all the different models of both vests and jackets.

That being said in a real crash I know it's basically going to be a disposable item. If it isn't damaged beyond repair in the crash it will be when the EMT's or hospital's ER staff cut it off you with the rest of your gear.

In the end the price tag will determine when (and if) I ultimately do. There's only so many dollars to spread around. Tires, brakes and gas usually get priority. An ounce of prevention is better than an air bag pound of a cure. :)
 
ColinW1981 said:
Had I been wearing an airbag of some sort, well, I'd be dead today.
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The specifics of one crash/get off is not a reason to dun airbag vests. Sure, seatbelts hold you in your seat and some few folks would have been better off without them. Yes, vaccines do not prevent 100% of the illnesses they are designed to eliminate. However, both of these examples protect far more folks than not employing them. If you have the time to analyze the specific outcome of any given action, and choose/not choose protective measures accordingly, then presumably no protective measures at all will be needed because you would modify your behavior. Most of us don't get that option, and protection wins, subject (of course) to financial and other constraints.

Obo said:
If I buy one air bag vest I have to buy a second for the wind bag when she rides with me :)
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Better hope she doesn't read your post, or you WILL need the air bag.
 
SMSW said:
The specifics of one crash/get off is not a reason to dun airbag vests. Sure, seatbelts hold you in your seat and some few folks would have been better off without them. Yes, vaccines do not prevent 100% of the illnesses they are designed to eliminate. However, both of these examples protect far more folks than not employing them. If you have the time to analyze the specific outcome of any given action, and choose/not choose protective measures accordingly, then presumably no protective measures at all will be needed because you would modify your behavior.
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This ^ ^ ^ gives me hope that there are still those in our species who recognize the value and utility of critical thinking.
Could not have said it better.
 
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