Just watching the BBC news with the fragrant and delectable Fiona Bruce. Sorry, mind wandered off then. Report and film showing a stunt man testing an air bag jacket. Garment connected to bike by a cord and a plug. Jacket inflates in 1/5 of a second and protects the torso and organs . Seemed to work very well.
Ted
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I saw that piece too, what I don't understand is how the jacket is going to save someone whos bike has just been reduced to its individual component parts like they were suggesting.
The guy with the Ducati, an airbag jacket would not have stopped him cracking his pelvis.
One thing coming off a 125 at 30mph and sliding down the road, quite a different matter hitting something square on at 60 or 70.
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Wasn't there one of the 250gp riders who had one of these last year (or the year before) and it seemed to work reasonable well in a big tumble.
Edited by martint123 on 13/02/2009 at 21:28
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I think a big 'off' in a gp is relatively safe compared to the road. I suppose the airbag would make it even safer. I agree that 125mph into the armco or the front of a truck is not going to be made any better by the air suit. All my fall offs have been at minimum speed...trying to get a fully loaded Beamer of the centre stand in Germany, I popped a wheely and fell off. One or two disc lock adventures and I once fell off a Velocette 'noddy bike' on night shift when I was parked and fell asleep ! If there was an airbag to save embarrassment I'd have one. Might be a good thing for 30mph boys and girls just starting out.
Ted
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"Garment connected to bike by a cord and a plug. Jacket inflates in 1/5 of a second..."
I wonder how many riders are going to dismount to go into a shop, garage, their home etc. and... BANG-Poof!
Onlookers cries of 'There's the Michelin Man!'
Whoops, forgot to disconnect before dismount. :¬o
John R.
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As easy as forgetting a disk lock. Hey presto, one ruined jacket. Perhaps not so much of a problem if you're only down the road but how about the other side of Europe?
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They also claimed that 'several' were available on the market.
Well I've never seen one for sale anywhere.
Edited by Berisford on 18/02/2009 at 22:42
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I remember seeing a Company trying to sell them at the NEC show back in 2008. It was powered by a compressed air canister and the jacket was attached to the bike with a cord. I spoke to the guy on the stand who was very helpful. This cord could be uncliped by the rider if when getting off the bike normally, but had something like a 35Kg break strain before the airbag activated. He said that under normal situations and you forgot to unclip it then you would not activate the protection. Just get tugged back towards the bike, but in the event of you falling off then it would activate the air bag. He actually had one on display and it did inflate in 0.2 seconds and did offer protection to the lower neck as well. I think he said the cost of the jacket was about £600
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Can't help thinking that anyone foolish enough to wear one in a real bikers cafe or other haunt would be running a real risk of being "let off" at some point during the proceedings........
"See that bloke at the bar ? Tenner says you wouldn't pull that cord ! "
"Tenner you say ?" .......
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