Airbag vests have moved from the racetrack to the road. They protect the areas that suffer most in a motorcycle crash: neck, chest, back and abdomen. Here is how they work and whether one is worth it for you.
Two types of activation
- Tethered (mechanical): the vest is attached to the bike by a lanyard. If you are thrown off, the lanyard pulls and the vest inflates in a fraction of a second. Cheaper and battery-free, but if you fall without leaving the bike, it does not fire.
- Electronic: sensors detect the crash and inflate it with no tether. They also work in crashes where you stay on the bike, but cost more, need a battery and sometimes a subscription.
What standard to look for
Inflatable protectors for motorcyclists are certified to EN 1621-4. Look for it on the label or the maker’s spec sheet.
Is it worth it?
- Yes, if you do big miles, tour or ride track days: it protects vital organs that a normal jacket does not.
- An airbag does not replace a jacket with armour, a helmet or gloves: it adds to them.
- After a deployment, tethered vests usually need a new canister; electronic ones, a check-up as the maker specifies.
UK law does not require one. The only legal requirement for kit is an approved helmet: see is my motorcycle helmet legal in the UK?
