I have been riding motorcycles for decades and for the last 4 years I have ridden in an air vest which is a wearable airbag system for motorcyclists that inflates in case of an accident to protect important body areas. For years motorcycle gear has come with hard protection on the elbows, shoulders and the back however the evolution of airbag technology for motorcyclists is very exciting and offers so much more.

Wearing one of these vests does take time to get used to as you have to attach a lanyard to the bike and more importantly disconnect it when you get off.  Don’t worry though, they don’t employ hair triggers that inflate the vest if you don’t remember to unlatch yourself when you get off the bike. It will take a good hard sharp motion to inflate these, such as falling off or being hit.  When you have used them, you will feel naked if you’re not wearing one. For me, it’s now akin to driving without a seatbelt or riding without a helmet and is an invaluable part of my riding attire.

I am pleased to say that I have never had my vest inflated due to an accident, however a couple of years ago I was following a friend in the wet, he was on brand new tyres and his bike slid out from under him and threw him off.  Even at a relatively slow 30 mph, the bike was a complete write-off and he lay in the road thinking he was paralysed until the vest slowly deflated and then he realised that he had been held in place by the inflated vest. We were amazed he only had a few bruises and I am certain this wouldn’t have been the case without it. He then simply checked it, repacked it, inserted a new air canister and the vest was ready for the next time, which is important as air vests are not cheap, but they can be reusable. 

My previous air vest I have been wearing for 4 years is made from a flappy nylon material which I am sure would do the job however the new Motoairbag Vest is made in a robust Cordura 500 material in black with some reflective elements and looks and feels much more professional and fit for purpose.  It has independent airbags front and rear, encasing your torso. The quality and workmanship of the Motoairbag vest is apparent and where your money goes.

I would have preferred a more hi-vis version, especially in the misty murky weather of the UK. I spoke to Motoair about this and you can state to have extra high vis panels to be sewn onto your vest however this needs to be at the beginning of production. I am delighted to announce that in the Milan motorbike show (EICMA 2019) which is coming up in November they will be a launching their newest model which will have reflective and fluorescent panels already fitted.

Ultimately the success of an air vest will come down to how they look and feel to wear.  This Motoairbag vest feels quality, it has loads of adjustment around the midriff so it can be adjusted over your thicker winter gear or lighter summer gear.  It has a reassuring harness which you clip up underneath the main zip.  This vest is belt and braces.

The more I ride in an air vests the more I think that they should be made a legal requirement in the same way helmets have.  RRP €699

Current Cheapest Price

3.5 out of 5

Pros

Well Made

Life Saving

Looks Great

Cons

Not Fully Reflective