Airbags; an ideal addition to your motorcycling gear!

You must be thrilled to be able to hit the road again! At ChromeBurner of course we hope your motorcycle gear is up to date. Therefore we take a deep dive into the benefits an airbag system has to offer.

What's an airbag for motorcyclists?

An airbag isn’t new, and actually everybody is most likely already familiar with it by using a car. But because we motorcyclists have the tendency to fall next to the bike instead of directly into the dashboard, the airbag can’t be placed on the motorcycle itself but it’s entirely up to you to choose to add an airbag to your protective outfit.

A motorcycle airbag ensures maximum protection and is developed to protect the entire upper body during an accident. In milliseconds the system fills with air, which causes the impact on the shoulders, back and chest to reduce and possibly prevent bone fractures. In addition the airbag blows air around your neck which reduces the chances of getting neck injuries. Airbag vests are becoming more popular, mainly because they are becoming cheaper. They aren’t only for the boys of MotoGP anymore. Did you know that at MotoGP and Dakar it is actually mandatory to drive a motorcycle with an airbag?

Which type of airbags are there?

Airbags can be divided into 2 subjects: the mechanism and the compatibility with other parts of your outfit.

Mechanic vs Electronic airbags
In terms of deployment, the moment of ‘inflation’ you can distinguish two groups: mechanical and electrical airbags. The mechanic activation is done by connection of a drawstring to your motorcycle. If you fly off your motorcycle at a high speed, then the drawstring activates your airbag. The main advantage of mechanical airbags is that it is not necessary to charge them and therefore you are always able to hit the road protected.

Electronic airbags basically use a brain to understand what's happening, the vest is full of sensors which constantly keep track of your speed, acceleration and angle of inclination. A sudden disruption in any of these metrics will be detected and understood as a crash, this triggers your vest and it automatically inflates. The biggest advantage of an electronic vest is that the airbag can detect the difference between a real crash and an unfortunate tumble in a parking lot.
Integrated vs Universal airbags
In terms of compatibility, you can distinguish two groups, as to how an airbag integrates into you motorcycle gear. Some airbags can seamlessly integrate into jackets and one-piece motorcycle suits, often this is brand related. The biggest benefit being comfort, because you don’t have to add another layer to your gear. There are also vests that you can wear underneath or above your current motorcycle jacket. Making it possible to wear the airbag over several outfits. Make sure that if you wear your universal vest underneath your motorcycle jacket that your jacket is not too tight, so that the vest will be able to inflate when needed.

Everything there is to know about the Furygan airbag system!

By now almost all main brands have introduced an airbag in some way or form onto the market. Today we take a deep dive into the Furygan airbag system. This is an electrical vest which you can wear universally underneath any motorcycle jacket, basically the ideal airbag for anyone who ever rides a motorcycle.

Furygan managed to cram quite a bit of specs into this stealthy looking and surprisingly comfortable vest. The vest derives its comfort from its main materials; 3D Mesh technology and elastic fabrics provide plenty of ventilation and in fact create a thermoregulating and isolating airlayer. But even more importantly, the airbag inflates in a blink of an eye and offers protection to all vital areas such as the neck, back, chest and stomach.

What makes the vest of Furygan so special is that a D3O back protector is integrated, a feature you will definitely not always come across. This back protector offers CE-level 2 protection, sufficient ventilation and has a special cut out to safely store the air canister. On top of the D3O back protector the airbag is prepared for D3O chest protectors.

But arguably the most important aspect of any electrical airbag is its ‘brain’. Furygan does this with the technology of In&Motion. The airbag has a street, track and adventure option which lets you select the corresponding levels of sensitivity. A MotoGP-rider will test their knee sliders every corner whereas the average commuter most likely won't even own one. With the different options, the Furygan airbag is able to take these differences in riding styles into account. The battery boosts a lifespan of 20 hours, which is really long enough to go on any trip. If it lasts long enough for the stages in the Dakar, it probably is good enough for us. In the case you do get in a crash which triggers the airbag, you can (as long as the airbag itself isn’t damaged) easily change the Air canister by yourself. Without having to send back the whole airbag back to Furygan.

To be able to use ‘the brain’ of In&Motion, you need to activate the airbag by getting a subscription. Prices are €12,- a month or €120,- a year. Instead of leasing the software, you can also buy the software for €399,-.

Mirjam Pol replaced her MX protection vest and neck brace with the Furygan Airbag during the Dakar 2022. It made her entire outfit a lot lighter and more comfortable. For us mere mortals, the airbag offers an unprecedented step forward in safety and at ChromeBurner we believe that this is the feature of personal protection!