Do Motorcycle Airbag Jackets Work?

While riding the motorcycle, you need to pay attention to your safety as well. And for safety, what could be best other than an airbag jacket? Now the question is, do motorcycle airbag jackets work?

Yes, motorcycle airbag jackets work, and they can efficiently protect you from any severe spinal and ribs injuries. 

So how do motorcycle airbag jackets work? And what are some motorcycle airbags available out there, and which is best for you?

How Do Motorcycle Airbag Jackets Work:

Just like car airbags, motorcycle jackets work in the same manner. At the time of impact, these airbags inflate within a few seconds.

And this resulting air cushion protects you from impact by absorbing the energy you would experience without the airbag. The motorcycle airbags are perfect for protecting the upper body.

To detect the impact, the airbag should have a mechanical device or computer that instantly detects the impact. Most importantly, the mechanical device should react immediately; otherwise, the airbag would be useless.

The airbag should also come with a mechanical device that detects the false alarm. After all, some riders experience the violent movements of motorcycles which can feel like accidents. Otherwise, the airbag would open every time the rider experienced slight violent movements. 

The following system, which manufacturers fit in the airbag, is responsible for inflating the airbag. Generally, the airbags in cars inflate through a chemical reaction. But due to the small size of the motorcycle airbag, manufacturers use the canister of compressed gas. 

At the time of impact, the compressed gas in the canister release inflates the motorcycle airbag. After inflation, the motorcycle airbags release air slowly to make room for you to breathe. 

The best thing about motorcycle airbags is that they can be reusable after the impact. 

How Effective the Motorcycle Airbag Jackets are:

The effectiveness of motorcycle airbags depends on the way you wear them and the model you choose.

For instance, some motorcycle airbags fail to protect your neck air from the impact but effectively protect your spine and rib cage area. On average, the motorcycle airbags provide protection is equal to seven back protectors. 

Can Motorcycle Airbag Jackets Goes off Accidentally:

No, the motorcycle airbags don’t go off accidentally unless and until you buy the malfunctioned airbag jackets.

It takes 30 kgs (66 pounds) of force to activate the motorcycle jackets, so if you think the motorcycle jackets could be open anywhere, then you’re mistaken. 

Can You Use the Motorcycle Airbag Jackets Again:

Yes, the motorcycle airbag jackets are reusable, and you can use them again. You can use the motorcycle jacket as long as it’s not damaged.

The motorcycle jackets come with a canister, and after the impact, you need to replace the canister containing compressed gas to use the motorcycle jacket again.

Please make sure you buy the motorcycle jacket which comes with canister protection. Otherwise, the impact would destroy the canister, and you’ve to purchase a new motorcycle airbag. 

You can send your motorcycle jacket for a hot air examination if you’ve doubted that your jacket is destroyed. 

Additionally, the gas canister comes in a different size. So make sure to examine the size of the canister before replacing the destroyed canister. 

The Difference Between Hit-Air and Helite Motorcycle Airbags:

You don’t need to be confused; the hit-air and halite are the two major manufacturers of top-quality safety equipment.

Now the question is which type of airbags would be good for you. The primary difference between the two is the plates. 

You’ll get the plates for the rear, sides, and fronts in the Hit-air as an optional extra. On the other hand, in the Helite motorcycle jacket, you’ll get these plates that fit perfectly in the jacket. Which means you can’t remove these plates. 

The second difference between the two is the cost; the Helite motorcycle jacket airbags are slightly more expensive than the Hit-air. Generally, the Helite motorcycle jacket comes with a feature to remove the backplate. 

But you won’t get this feature in some models, which makes this motorcycle a bit heavy and hotter. 

So if you’re living in the warm climate and don’t want to spend extra bucks, then we’d recommend going with Hit-air jackets. 

But if you’re living in a cold climate and want a warmer jacket, then Helite jackets are perfect for you. 

Is Motorcycle Airbags for You:

Generally, the manufacturers make motorcycle airbags for all riders. But if you’re an everyday street rider who doesn’t ride at high speed and is comfortable with current safety gears. Then it’s totally up to buy the motorcycle airbags.  

However, if you take riding seriously and frequently ride at high speed, airbags are a must. You’ll get motorcycle airbags generally at the $500-$1500, and believe us, this is still cheaper than the severe injuries. 

Try to understand; the motorcycle airbags aren’t for show-off. They can be a lifesaver for you. You can see MotoGP grade, and you’ll realize that everyone there is wearing motorcycle airbags. 

Because as of 2018, wearing a motorcycle airbag jacket is a must for all riders irrespective of any level. 

We’re not all serious riders, but it doesn’t mean anyone can stop you from enjoying the benefits that the motorcycle airbags jacket offers. Don’t allow anyone any conditions to complement your safety gears. 

What Types of Motorcycle Airbags are Good for You:

There are two types of motorcycle airbags available out there. One is tethered types, and the second is algorithm type. 

Each motorcycle airbag comes with its advantages and disadvantages. Both airbags are fully effective and can protect you from any severe injuries. 

Tethered Bags:

Tethered bags are probably the first to appear in the segment of airbags. The working of this type of bag is simple. You have to fix the cord that comes with the airbag on your motorcycle. 

And boom! These airbags will inflate if you ever fall from your motorcycle at the force of 66 pounds. However, nowadays, these airbags come with new and safe engineering.

Many riders choose this type of bag because of its affordability and low price to reuse this bag. Additionally, if you love simple and easy to tethered bags, we recommend going with these bags. 

Sometimes riders don’t fall from your motorcycle at the time of an accident. So tethered bags couldn’t provide you 100% protection in this condition. 

Secondly, tethered airbags aren’t a good option for forgetful people. If they ever forget to detach the tethered, then they could waste the canister. 

If you generally forget many things, then we don’t recommend going with this type of bag.

Algorithm-Based Bags:

The Algorithm based bags are the newest type of bags. These types of bags don’t use any physical connection and tethered. They use you. 

Yes, you read right! Algorithm-based bags come with a modern computer and sensors like accelerometer, GPS and other computers. These min computers detect the impact range and force. 

The best thing about these computers is that they continually update their data and learn, watching and updating your every movement. They evaluate your condition more than 1000 times in a fraction of a second. 

Complexity and innovative ideas bring their disadvantages. The most significant disadvantage of these bags is that they are expensive and not easily affordable by anyone.

Also, many Algorithm based bags don’t come with home rechargeable features. And these bags would be useless if you ever forget to recharge these bags.

Nowadays, the low availability of Algorithm based airbags is also creating problems for many riders. Not all manufacturers aren’t producing jackets for small computers. And this creates problems in the whole supply chain. 

And in the upcoming years, you’ll see the new trend of these jackets for serious riders. 

Do You Need to Buy a New Set of Outfit:

No, you don’t need to buy a new set of outfits for motorcycle airbags. Generally, you can wear any set of riding gear with airbags. 

Also, the airbags come with enough space so that you can wear airbags under or over a motorcycle jacket. And in case if you ever wear airbags beneath the tight motorcycle jacket, then the pressure release valve will prevent the inflated airbags from crushing your ribs area. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Our Verdict:

Do motorcycle airbag jackets work? Yes, motorcycle airbag jackets work, and they can efficiently protect you from any severe spinal and ribs injuries. 

Just like car airbags, motorcycle jackets work in the same manner. At the time of impact, these airbags inflate within a few seconds.

And the best thing about the motorcycle airbag jacket is that you don’t need to buy a new set of outfits for motorcycle airbags. Generally, you can wear any set of riding gear with airbags.

So what are you waiting for? Go and get your motorcycle jacket to make your riding safe and secure.