Airbag jacket. Have you tried one? Have you seen an airbag jacket crash? Got any estimate of injury years saved by an airbag jacket?

[lmckusic]

I am interested to hear about airbag motorcycle jackets from you, and the COG readers. Put time and date information in your comments and observations of airbag motorcycle jackets, and post here. The airbag motorcycle jacket from Helite costs $679 plus $25 for a replacement CO2 canister.

I am looking at estimating the value of an airbag jacket. I estimate I have a 5 year remaining time riding a motorcycle (as I am 73). Over the next 5 years I estimate getting rammed at 1/2, being driven off the road by an oncoming car passing at 1/2 and having a left turn t-bone at 1/2. Well, if you post to this question, what is your accident risk estimate over the next 5 years and have you ever seen an airbag jacket reducing injury during an accident?

 

[Bud]

Do we have any insurance actuary types reading this? All I can tell you is that $700 in the ER will barely get some tylenol and water. Between that and the pain from broken ribs or other bones, $700 is a bargain. If you have the means to own one, I can think of worse things to do with your money.

 

[Daboo]

I would look for an airbag vest, not a jacket. With the vest, you can wear it with any jacket. With the jacket, you're out of luck if it gets to hot to wear, or too cold. Or you simply gain weight or lose too much for it to fit properly.

Ove on the NTOwners forum, one of the more experienced riders was leading a small group ride. The road turned. He didn't. He still doesn't know what happened, and the docs say it was a TIA. But regardless, he went off the road. His helmet and riding gear were great. But he had 17 broken bones in his rib cage, a crushed vertebrae and a fractured vertebrae. He spent months in the hospital and for at least a month, they didn't know if he'd make it or not.

I looked at that report and it nagged at my brain. I'm cheap. Did I want to spend over $500 for an airbag vest? I hadn't had a problem yet...but neither had he. As Bud said, the cost of an airbag vest or jacket is far less than the cost of a couple hours in an Emergency Room. The riding gear protects you from abrasions. The airbag protects you from the impact to your chest, neck, tailbone and spine.

I've deployed mine a couple times when gracefully executing the "stop and drop" maneuver. The first time made a believer out of me. I came up to a large busy intersection at rush hour to make a right turn. I noticed that the people on the right side were just beginning to roll. The people coming from my left had a large intersection to cross before they could reach me. If I hurried, I could get out in front of this mass of traffic. So I gave the bike some gas...and a teenager walked out in front of me. I grabbed the front brake (my right foot was just leaving the ground), and promptly went over before I could process what was happening. As I'm laying there against the curb, I realized what had just happened. Then I realized I felt no pain. None. I should've. The edge of the concrete curb was against my rib cage. Oh...the airbag vest had deployed. The only thing injured was my pride. But it could've been a lot worse.

None of us wakes up in the morning and says to themselves, "I think I'll go get into an accident." As you feel you have five years left of riding...do you think your skills are improving, or getting worse? How's your reaction time? I would guess that these next five years will be more risky than the last five were. And now would be the time to get one of the vests.

FWIW, I have the Hit-Air MLV-P. If something happens to it, I'd buy another.

Chris

 

[dsamudio]

Dido on the Hit-Air

DS

 

[greenie]

The wife ($60K) and I ($20K) in hospital bills for upper body broken bones in a crash last year - our first and only crash in 38 years of riding. I almost always wear gloves and a helmet but even after the crash I can't see myself wearing - let alone buying an air bag jacket.

 

[Mercer]

The wife ($60K) and I ($20K) in hospital bills for upper body broken bones in a crash last year - our first and only crash in 38 years of riding. I almost always wear gloves and a helmet but even after the crash I can't see myself wearing - let alone buying an air bag jacket.

Is there a reason besides personal preference if I may ask? Always curious about this technology.

 

[greenie]

"Is there a reason besides personal preference if I may ask?" For me it's the probability of injury that is a big factor. One accident in 38 years is pretty good odds that another accident is always possible but not very likely. The jacket might save ribs, and collarbones but the neck, legs, arms, and hips are still exposed to injury. Wearing a helmet is a no-brainer - I've seen head injuries and those tend to be permanent.
On warm days I often ride in shirtsleeves. I was wearing jeans and a cotton shirt when we went down and surprisingly we had very little road rash, so even wearing an Aerostich suit is a major inconvenience in comfort plus these additional items takes the spontaneity out of riding a motorcycle (putting the stuff on and taking it off).
Like buying lottery tickets it's mostly about the odds.

 

[ONOBob]

I would look for an airbag vest, not a jacket. With the vest, you can wear it with any jacket. With the jacket, you're out of luck if it gets to hot to wear, or too cold. Or you simply gain weight or lose too much for it to fit properly.

Ove on the NTOwners forum, one of the more experienced riders was leading a small group ride. The road turned. He didn't. He still doesn't know what happened, and the docs say it was a TIA. But regardless, he went off the road. His helmet and riding gear were great. But he had 17 broken bones in his rib cage, a crushed vertebrae and a fractured vertebrae. He spent months in the hospital and for at least a month, they didn't know if he'd make it or not.

I looked at that report and it nagged at my brain. I'm cheap. Did I want to spend over $500 for an airbag vest? I hadn't had a problem yet...but neither had he. As Bud said, the cost of an airbag vest or jacket is far less than the cost of a couple hours in an Emergency Room. The riding gear protects you from abrasions. The airbag protects you from the impact to your chest, neck, tailbone and spine.

I've deployed mine a couple times when gracefully executing the "stop and drop" maneuver. The first time made a believer out of me. I came up to a large busy intersection at rush hour to make a right turn. I noticed that the people on the right side were just beginning to roll. The people coming from my left had a large intersection to cross before they could reach me. If I hurried, I could get out in front of this mass of traffic. So I gave the bike some gas...and a teenager walked out in front of me. I grabbed the front brake (my right foot was just leaving the ground), and promptly went over before I could process what was happening. As I'm laying there against the curb, I realized what had just happened. Then I realized I felt no pain. None. I should've. The edge of the concrete curb was against my rib cage. Oh...the airbag vest had deployed. The only thing injured was my pride. But it could've been a lot worse.

None of us wakes up in the morning and says to themselves, "I think I'll go get into an accident." As you feel you have five years left of riding...do you think your skills are improving, or getting worse? How's your reaction time? I would guess that these next five years will be more risky than the last five were. And now would be the time to get one of the vests.

FWIW, I have the Hit-Air MLV-P. If something happens to it, I'd buy another.

Chris

Good suggestion. I like my jacket / rain suit.

I just bought my 88 year old father an inflatable life vest. $160 plus $35 fir a refill kit
He lives to fish, but has begun to fall a lot.
Im afraid I’m gonna hurt him dragging him back in the boat. His boat doesn’t have a ladder and he hates fishing outta my pontoon. Ahhhhh!!!

Next time he falls out I’m gonna tie a rope to him and pull him to the bank and help him climb back in the boat.
Easier on everyone.

what’s a TIA?
Best Regards
Bob

 

[dsamudio]

what’s a TIA?

I just looked it up.

From the Mayo Clinic:


A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary period of symptoms similar to those of a stroke. A TIA usually lasts only a few minutes and doesn't cause permanent damage.

Often called a ministroke, a transient ischemic attack may be a warning. About 1 in 3 people who has a transient ischemic attack will eventually have a stroke, with about half occurring within a year after the transient ischemic attack.

A transient ischemic attack can serve as both a warning of a future stroke and an opportunity to prevent it.



You can look on YouTube for HitAir and find all kinds of info and real motorcycle air bag crashes.

After seeing true accidents and some stupid people doing stupid stuff on a motorcycle and walking away, I was sold.

I choose HitAir because;

It is re-usable
No fee for it to work
less expensive
Proven to work

I am an all the gear all the time rider and in 100 temps here in Texas I wear a Helmet, jacket, padded pants, boots, gloves and vest.

I also carry $100K of injury insurance for my motorcycle, because the average cost for medical and lost time after a motorcycle accident is $80K.

My 2 pennies worth,
DS

 

[ONOBob]

I just looked it up.

From the Mayo Clinic:


A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary period of symptoms similar to those of a stroke. A TIA usually lasts only a few minutes and doesn't cause permanent damage.

Often called a ministroke, a transient ischemic attack may be a warning. About 1 in 3 people who has a transient ischemic attack will eventually have a stroke, with about half occurring within a year after the transient ischemic attack.

A transient ischemic attack can serve as both a warning of a future stroke and an opportunity to prevent it.



You can look on YouTube for HitAir and find all kinds of info and real motorcycle air bag crashes.

After seeing true accidents and some stupid people doing stupid stuff on a motorcycle and walking away, I was sold.

I choose HitAir because;

It is re-usable
No fee for it to work
less expensive
Proven to work

I am an all the gear all the time rider and in 100 temps here in Texas I wear a Helmet, jacket, padded pants, boots, gloves and vest.

I also carry $100K of injury insurance for my motorcycle, because the average cost for medical and lost time after a motorcycle accident is $80K.

My 2 pennies worth,
DS

Thanks DS.
That all makes sense.
I’ll get on YouTube and check out Hitair
Best Regards
Bob

 

[Daboo]

One of the comments above was that an airbag vest doesn't protect your neck. Actually it does.

I may be wrong, but I think the Hit-Air MLV-YC covers more areas than the Helite Turtle vest does, especially in the neck and tailbone area. But I haven't looked into it again for years. Either is better than nothing at all.





Chris

 

[Mercer]

Good info all!

Self edit this morning......dreamed my insurance company was crunching numbers. Ha!

Still trying to win the lotto. That to is a numbers game as said.

Still might buy a vest. Would like to. Do wear armour now as well!

Honestly though , since I started wearing a hi- viz jacket my near misses have dropped to about near none. Suspect drivers think I am a cop or something. Used to be about a two per day thing while commuting. Mainly cell phones, turning in front, and running stop signs were the big issues there.

Yeah needless to say I am a hi-viz believer!

 

[gbyoung2]

From a 2006 FOJ (Friends of Jason) event at Boyer Ststion, WV. The fella in the red jacket behind the "O" in the sign demonstrating his Hit-Ait jacket. IIRC - he was in an accident several weeks after this event and believe none of his injuries were life-threatening. If Jason checks in here, he can clarify that incident.

 

[Texas Concours 14]

I have used the Helite airbag vest for about 3 years. Fortunately I have not encountered a need to deploy it. It is a bit heavy and blocks airflow to the chest, but I like the peace of mind for the torso and neck protection. I wear it in 100 degree temps and it doesn't overheat me.

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