Air bags for motorcyclists have been with us for a while now – some are triggered by wireless commands from the motorcycle and some, perhaps less reliably, by a rip-cord type arrangement that inflates the air bag as the rider parts company with the bike. Ideally, the smarts for the airbag should reside in the jacket itself, be independent of any external control system, and activate specifically in response to the forces the body of the rider is subject to. All of these elements are present in the soon-to-be released Misano 1000 D-air leather jacket from Dainese.
While the BMW-Alpinestars Tech-Air system has taken its design and configuration cues from world champions Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa and their experience on the race track, the Misano 1000 has taken advantage of real world, day-to-day incident data.
The name Misano 1000 is actually a reference to the fact that D-air units have deployed more than 1000 times on racing circuits and highways around the world, with data collected from each of these incidents used to hone the effectiveness of the triggering algorithms intrinsic to the brains of the system.
Completely independently operated, without the need of any sensor kit to be fitted to the motorcycle, the Misano 1000 contains the sensors, control electronics and a GPS unit in the back protector. Coupled to a patented 3D airbag with an inner micro-filament composition that helps to dispense an even inflation of 50 mm (2 in) over the entire surface of the unit, the six sensors contained in the back-protector monitor the vectors affecting the body of therider 800 times a second. In this way, the unit precisely ascertains when to launch the air-bag system as a result of frontal impacts, high-sides, and low, tumbling slides.
Working in concert with back and chest-protectors, the Misano 1000 helps to protect the rider's collar bone, chest, and back in addition to reducing strain on the neck. An integrated ON/OFF switch is located in the closing flap of the jacket and an LED on the right sleeve indicates the status of the unit for added safety.
The Misano 1000 D-air jacket will be available in two color schemes from November this year, slated to sell at €1499 (US$1699).
Source: Dainese