I didnt go for the vest idea beacuse frankly they look shitw lol so i went with the d-air had it about 2 years now and ppl saying dont fall over in the paddock because it works on gps couldn't be any more wrong it doesn't work under a curtain speed gps also times your laps with lap over lay corner speed ect ect very smart bit of kit yes can be expensive in a crash and have to be sent away to Italy depending on the damage to the suit mates ha e sent there's away and got them back within a week and another took a month other than that you just charge it night before the track day battery last 8 hours turned on also went with the boots as they fit like slippers and really easy to get on unlike my sidi vortice that take 10mins to put on and are horrible on you feet after a full day at the track
I've just started looking at the air jackets for road use only (My track days are over) I prefer the look of the Alpinestars Tech-air5 over the Dianese D-Air as it seems to offer more protection. My Alpinestars textile jacket with the liner & back protector removed seems baggy enough to accommodate it but my Alpinestars leather jacket fits me too tightly. Whichever way I look at it it'll cost about £1,000 for the air vest & new leather jacket. Also found out that a rucksack/backpack can't be used whilst wearing the air vest( just bought a Kriega R25!!). I hope to take my textile jacket to a local stockist to try it with the Tech-air5 next week.
Re the Tech Air 5, check out the annual service cost & cost to refurbish after an inflation. £80 & £260 ish
I did see that. Haven't worked out if thats cheaper than a monthly £12 subscription for the Helite version. I haven't crashed a bike for years (shouldn't have said that!!) but i don't bounce as well as i used to so i'll take all the protection i can get. I think any of the airbag systems are going to remain expensive for a few years yet.
Was told yearly at my local Infinity so will ask again. Interesting to see the Dainese vest doesn’t cover as much torso as the Alpinestar vest (stand alone).
I'd just mention that my Ducati d air (photo a few posts up) feels absolutely beautifully made. It's really top quality leather, and just feels solid and reassuring. I have zero proprietary interest, but between the way it feels to wear, and the genuinely fantastic customer service I experienced, I'm delighted with it. It wears every penny I spent on it.
D-Air leathers look terrific, plus it’s less faff to have one garment rather than another vest to add. Also, leathers with an integrated airbag are designed for the task (i.e. with stretch panels in precisely the right places to enable the airbag to inflate). I think adding a generic airbag vest under “non-airbag” leathers isn’t ideal: there could be insufficient room for the airbag to inflate fully or – if there is room – the jacket could be too baggy to hold body armour in place in a crash. (A vest added over leathers would avoid these problems but might get shredded in an accident.) Airbags, eh? There's a lot to ponder!
Also it seems you shouldn’t wear a rucksack over any jacket or suit with an air bag; either under or over the top. Obviously it will restrict the inflation process.
I stopped wearing my rucksack and use a brooks courier bag instead which works grand once you set the straps right (I had to tie a knot in the ends to stop them flapping. Also turn the bag inward so the flap is against your body to make sure it stays closed.
And you can’t wear an airbag if you have silicone breast implants. However, Dainese says: ”Backpacks or the like can be worn outside the garment”. Astars says similar. But they also say that bulky articles will reduce the amount the airbag can inflate (and avoid carrying sharp objects!). Breast implants aside, In&Motion says you can’t wear a backpack with its airbag. I think the difference could be because the In&Motion airbag has a larger volume, so it requires more room to inflate than the others?
The original D-Air Street might need a service every 2 years, as does the Tech-Air Street. But the new D-Air Road jackets (e.g. the Racing 3 D-Air) only need a service every 3 years.
I went to my local dealers to have a look & try on the Alpinestar Tech-Air Street & Tech-Air5 airbag systems this morning. The staff there were helpful (Moto-Central in Hinkley) I first tried on the Tech-Air street air vest under a Alpinestar Missile Tech-Air compatible leather jacket. I normally wear a UK 40 but tried a UK42. Wearing the Tech-Air Street vest with the jacket was snug and comfy but the back protector dug into my back and was uncomfortable standing up. When I bent forward slightly to replicate a riding position it became even more so. I then tried on the Tech-Air5 air vest again with the Tech-Air compatible Missile jacket and this was much more comfy and I couldn't feel any pressure from the back protector. I ended up buying the Tech-Air5 vest which is £100 cheaper than the Tech-Air Street. Just got to find a suitable Tech-Air jacket now.
I bought my Alpinestar Tech-Air5 air vest this morning. In the user guide which is in the box with the air vest it states "Users should note that the system has been tested to be safe when used in combination with backpacks (worn over the compatible garment/garment) loaded up to a maximum of 6kg (approximately 13 pounds) in weight." So it seems I haven't wasted my money on the Kreiga R25 I've just bought.
Dunno tbh. Dainese never said anything either way to me, it just seemed to make sense. I doubt very much it would stop the jacket inflating. I was more worried about it throttling you after.
I thought the Tech-Air Race (not Street) was designed for the Missile jacket? Didn't Moto Central mention it? Either way, the Tech-Air5 looks excellent, and its shoulder and all-round torso protection look the bees knees
