Best motorcycle airbag 2024

Did you know that there are TWO DIFFERENT SAFETY STANDARDS used by airbag manufacturers like Alpinestars, Bering, Dainese, Helite, Hit-Air, In&Motion, MotoAirBag and Spidi? That makes it a lot harder to choose the best motorcycle airbag because not only do they have different trigger methods, different ways of wearing them and even different payment methods, they also offer protection against different types of crashes. And I don’t just mean the coverage they provide…

Why you NEED to read this article

Safety standards matter. Those focussing just on clicks and views or sales and profit – rather than the idea of developing safer riding kit – might try to claim that standards are all about regulatory capture or virtue signalling, but standards force manufacturers to prove the relative protection offered by the kit you buy.

If you’re serious about buying an airbag, this article – which I’ll keep constantly updated –covers the different trigger methods and technologies, explains the various levels of protection offered, and makes recommendations of what could be the best motorbike airbags for you…

IMPORTANT: This article is not sponsored or affiliated in any way, and no brand has had any influence on its content.

TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW ARE MADE, YOU NEED TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE.

Best motorcycle airbag: My recommendations

When I started this article, I fully expected to be recommending all the airbags available and explaining the differences in their coverage. However, the testing and research below has shown significant variance in the systems available, which makes it a lot harder to choose.

It’s important for YOU to understand what the standards mean and how they relate to the protection offered, so YOU can make your own, informed choice.

Personally, at the time of writing I prefer to choose from systems that are certified to EN1621-4, but there will almost always be a balance that you need to strike based on the protection offered, comfort, convenience and price. Plus head/neck support also varies between brands.

Costs shown are over 5 years of ownership so include any servicing etc, but to see a full breakdown, and for more information, click on the links to the reviews…

• MotoAirBag M1 | The MotoAirBag M1 offers exactly the same excellent full chest and back Airbag Level 2 protection as the V4 with the same trigger mechanism, but it’s a stretch construction without the option of mesh sleeves. And it's cheaper Any component of the MotoAirBag can be repaired if necessary after a crash.
  Certification: EN1621-4 Level 2 chest and back
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP: £438 | Cost over 5 years: £540
  MotoAirBag M1 review

• MotoAirBag V4 | This is a mechanically-fired device, but its unique tether system (an ‘analogue accelerometer’) is able to react to a crash very quickly. Under the EN1621-4 impact requirements, it's also the most protective I've seen. MotoAirBag is worn over the top of your existing jacket (it has a tough, abrasion-resistant shell), or on its own with the removable mesh sleeves that carry Level 2 passive armour. Any component of the MotoAirBag can be repaired if necessary after a crash.
  Certification: EN1621-4 Level 2 chest and back
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP: £639 | Cost over 5 years: £741
  MotoAirbag review

• Alpinestars Tech-Air 3 | Meeting the impact requirements of EN1621-4's Airbag Level 2 at the chest and back, the Tech-Air 3 is easy to store and comfortable to wear over or under your existing kit. There's also space to add a passive back protector if you want. Replacing the inflator can't be done by the user, but it's carried-out in the UK in a matter of days. The Tech-Air 3 is waterproof for use outside your existing kit in the rain.
  Certification: EN1621-4 Level 2 chest and back
  Head/neck support: c
  RRP: £519.99 | Cost over 5 years: £639.97
  Alpinestars Tech-air 3 review

• Dainese Smart Air | The successor to the Smart Jacket, this offers the same coverage in a more compact shell, and now with level 2 protection at the chest and the back. Updates are wireless and the inflator is user-replaceable up to three times. The battery life isn't as good as the previous model, and it still shouldn't be worn outside your existing kit in heavy rain.
  Certification: EN1621-4 Level 2 chest and back
  Head/neck support: Some at rear
  RRP: £599 | Cost over 5 years: £599
  Dainese Smart Air review

• Dainese D-Air Smart Jacket | Also designed to be worn over or under your other kit, the Dainese has a slightly thicker 3D mesh liner, but offers a little less protection than the Tech-Air 3, meeting EN1621-4’s requirements for Airbag Level 2 on the chest, but the lower (but still better than a passive protector) Airbag Level 1 on the back. Though it missed Level 2 by only a tiny amount. Replacing the inflator can't be done by the user, but it's carried-out in the UK in a matter of days. The Smart Jacket should not be worn outside your existing kit in heavy rain.
  Certification: EN1621-4 Level 2 chest, Level 1 back
  Head/neck support: Some at rear
  RRP: £599 | Cost over 5 years: £599
  Dainese Smart Jacket review

• MotoAirBag City Airbag | The MotoAirBag City Airbag offers full Airbag Level 2 back protection – with rear head support – in a rucksack that’s big enough for your everyday kit and a 17” laptop. Any component of the MotoAirBag can be repaired if necessary after a crash.
  Certification: EN1621-4 Level 2 back
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP: £359 | Cost over 5 years: £461
  MotoAirBag City Airbag review coming soon

Other motorcycle airbags you might consider

These are the other motorcycle airbags that we’ve tested and reviewed. As explained above, the lack of certification to the impact requirements of EN1621-4 mean they didn’t make the recommendations, but that doesn’t mean they won’t offer some degree of protection, and different crashes will give different results. It should also be noted that many DO offer head/neck support.

• Alpinestars Tech-air 5 | The Tech-Air 5 provides great coverage and head and neck support, but only the back protection is certified, so we’re unable to judge what kind of performance it might offer at the chest.
  Certification: EN1621-4 (back only)
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP: £669.99 | Cost over 5 years: £849.98
  Alpinestars Tech-air 5 review

• In&Motion Essential Module | This airbag system – which covers the chest, abdomen and back – is found in a variety of standalone vests as well as jackets and leathers from brands like Ixon, RST, Furygan, Klim, Held and Tucano Urbano. It has a passive Level 1 back protector at the rear (D3O Level 2 in Furygan kit), but only the Furygan Gilet currently has the option of passive chest inserts. Without those, the bladders don’t perform as well under narrow object impacts. In&Motion-equipped airbag systems require an additional one-off payment OR a subscription for the control box on top of the price of the garment.
  Certification: CRITT / SRA Ranking 5/5
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP & cost over 5 years: £779 (Furygan Gilet with one-off In&Motion payment)
  Furygan Gilet review

• In&Motion Performance Module | We’ve only reviewed the Ixon IX-U05 with this In&Motion airbag bladder installed, but it is likely to be included in other more track-focussed kit soon too. It offers coverage of the chest, shoulders, sides and neck, but doesn’t cover the abdomen. Indicative, comparative testing showed it to offer limited relative impact protection, and ours popped open at the zip during deployment testing, though it wasn’t being worn underneath other clothing at the time. In&Motion-equipped airbag systems require an additional one-off payment OR a subscription for the control box on top of the price of the garment.
  Certification: CRITT / SRA Ranking 5/5
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP & cost over 5 years: £899 (Ixon IX-U05 with one-off In&Motion payment)
  Ixon IX-U05 review

• Helite Turtle 2 / E-Turtle 2 | The Helite Turtle2 and E-Turtle 2 give good support at the neck, and while indicative testing appears to show that the combination of a passive Level 2 back protector and airbag bladder make it capable of achieving EN1621-4 Level 2 with a transmitted force of 2.5 kN, the chest is lacking based on the same impact criteria. The E-Turtle 2 is only capable of detecting being struck while stationary if the optional fork sensor is fitted to your bike. Note that at the time of writing, Helite won’t service airbags over 10 years old.
  Certification: CRITT / SRA Ranking 3/5
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP £550 | Cost over 5 years: £680 (Turtle 2) / RRP £775 | Cost over 5 years: £1,030 (E-Turtle 2 with fork sensor)
  Helite Turtle 2 / E-Turtle 2 review

• Helite GP Air | The Helite GP Air has a leather carcass that provides abrasion protection for the internal airbag bladder. Dense foam at the front and back provides a harder shell, though this is not tested and certified as passive protection. The GP Air has a cutout for the hump on race leathers, and the hyperextension support is a welcome addition.
  Certification: CRITT / SRA Ranking not listed
  Head/neck support: Yes
  RRP: £675 | Cost over 5 years: £805
  Helite GP Air review

• Mo’cycle airbag trousers | Using a Helite bladder and mechanical trigger, the Mo’cylcle airbag trousers inflate at the sides of the legs to potentially reduce pelvis injuries, as well as spinal damage caused by twisting (this is the main benefit of hip armour). They can’t protect against pelvic injuries caused by frontal impact, for instance with the bike’s tank. The Mo’cycle airbag trousers do not require servicing.
  Certification: CRITT
  RRP & cost over 5 years: £831
  We’ve not reviewed the Mo’cycle jeans

• DO NOT be tempted by cheap airbags sold on the likes of Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Temu and Facebook marketplace. These are often rebranded cheap flotation devices that do not inflate quickly enough to offer protection. Read our report of dangerous and illegally-sold airbags on Amazon here.

The BEST motorcycle airbag

Your guide to the safety standards, coverage and advice from medical experts

Are motorcycle airbags worth it?

Put simply: An airbag could significantly reduce the chances of serious injury, but it can’t guarantee to prevent it. Based on the EN1621-4 standard’s methodology, a quality airbag can reduce the force transmitted during an impact to less than 2.5% of what it would have been (even 0.7% in some cases).

In more detail: Any activity carries risk, but with some simple steps you can at least reduce it. Probably the best protection you can give yourself when riding a motorcycle is some training, and BikeSafe is a brilliantly fun way to make a huge difference to your skills.

Nothing will protect the human body from severe or high-speed impacts, and the chest / thorax is particularly vulnerable, meaning that it doesn’t take a huge amount of energy for potentially catastrophic injury due to excessive compression of the ribs; beyond a certain point, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. But it could help.

Think of it this way – would you rather be hit in the chest with a baseball bat while wearing an airbag or not?

Standardised lab testing simply allows you to compare the potential protective performance of an item, so the numbers quoted below shouldn’t be treated as a guide to what would be the result of a crash, not least because the energy involved will vary from crash to crash, and because the angle a force is applied to a bone can make a massive difference, with research in 2005 showing that it can take 25 times more energy to crack a bone when the force is applied at right angles to the collagen fibres, rather than parallel to them.

This is the striker and anvil used to test the protective performance of back and chest armour – and airbags – under EN1621

So how best to interpret lab test results? The most universally recognised standard for motorcycle armour and airbags is currently EN1621, with chest and back protection incorporating a test methodology that sees 50 Joules of energy delivered through a kerbstone-shaped striker that’s designed to simulate hitting handlebars, the edge of a car roof, the top of a fence or, well, a kerb. The test sample sits on a hemispherical anvil that represents the shape of the back or chest.

Here are the requirements to pass Level 1 and Level 2 under two of the EN1621 standards. For context, 50 Joules of energy is generated when a 5 kg mass impacts at a velocity of 10 mph (4.47m/s). If the test rig was allowed to drop with no protector between the striker and anvil, it’s calculated that 100 kN would be transmitted. But we’ll come back to why you shouldn’t get too hung up on what these numbers compare too…

As you can see, Airbag Level 2 offers much higher performance than Level 2 for passive protectors. Passive chest protector testing (EN1621-3) is a little more complicated because a Level 1 and Level 2 passive chest protector both need to transmit 18 kN or less in a kerb-type striker test, but Level 2 has an additional force distribution test using a much smaller striker and a recessed hemispherical anvil that concentrates energy in a similar way to if the rider was struck by the end of a handlebar or footpeg.

For some more perspective, an amateur boxer is said to be capable of delivering a punch of 2.5 kN (1kn = 1,000 Newtons).

So does that mean a crash when wearing a Level 2 Airbag (which under EN1621-4 reduces the impact forces to 2.5kN or less) would result in the same force as being punched?

No, of course it doesn’t because the amount of energy applied will be totally different. Kinetic energy (measured in Joules) is calculated using (½mass) x velocity squared; as the average human in the UK weighs 85.4 kg, if they hit something at 30 mph (13.4 m/s), that’s 42.7 x 13.4² = 7,667.2 Joules. A lot of energy.

So are armour and airbags useless in the real world? No, because these raw calculations don’t take into account the way you hit something or glance off it. And don’t try to compare bone breaking forces with the requirements of the standards either, because we’re not made of steel. You and your bones will move in and impact (and potentially what you hit to some extent), plus your bones are covered in flesh, muscle and fat.

I’ll say it again… standardised testing gives comparative figures, not outright performance in the real world.

Granted though, if you hit a truck head-on with a closing speed of 100mph (50mph each) it might not matter what you’re wearing (106,750 Joules before you ask)… best not to think about it.

The point is that armour and airbags have the ability to REDUCE the forces involved in a crash that are transmitted to your body, and that could make the difference between walking away or not. Between fractures and breaks. Between life and death.

What we can see is that, based on testing, an airbag that meets EN1621-4 Level 2 could reduce impact forces to just 2.5% of what they would have been without it. With some airbags, based on testing, to as little as 0.7%.

I hope you and I never suffer a serious accident, but personally I’d rather not be in a situation where I’m wondering if I’d have been better off had I taken some steps to mitigate my injuries.

Passive armour is effective at distributing impact with narrow objects, and for one of the famous use-scenarios of passive protection, Freddie Spencer’s crash at Kyalami in 1984 saw him walk away after he crashed, striking his back into a concrete curb.

He was wearing a back-protector.

Would he have been okay in the same crash without it? We’ll never know, but why take the chance?

Passive protection doesn’t distribute transmitted forces as well though when struck with a flat surface. Your body isn’t flat, but the road or the side of a truck is, and this is where airbags can have an advantage. Not only can they massively reduce and spread the forces reaching your body, they can also cushion the blow when you hit something.

The point is that we cannot know what a crash could result in, but taking steps to protect yourself might help.

Airbags certified to EN1621-4 tend to be clearly marked, or have details of the performance achieved in the user-guide, but those I’ve seen using CRITT aren’t as clear

How do I know my airbag is protective?

Put simply: What you wear on a bike is entirely your choice, but understanding the safety standards can help you compare the protection offered by various products when you look for the label. Unfortunately, not all airbags are provided with a clear indication of the relative protection they offer, and some use a certification standard that’s been kept secretive.

In more detail: This is where we’re going to have to get complicated, but stick with me and I’ll try to condense hundreds of pages of studies and proposals into this section.

We’ve established that armour is tested and certified to EN1621’s requirements, and that  in the case of the chest and back a bar-type (or kerbstone) striker that represents things like the edges on your bike, parts of a car and road furniture is dropped onto a hemispherical anvil that’s intended to mimic the shape of your back or chest.

Is it perfect? No. The 50 Joules delivered in testing is a fraction of what could occur in a real crash, and the test focusses on impacts with narrow objects, though while designing to the requirements of airbags under EN1621-4 could lead to impacts with flat objects resulting in higher forces transmitted, this hasn’t been the case to a significant degree in the testing I’ve done and data I’ve seen.

The airbag standard of EN1621-4 is also designed around mechanically-triggered systems, but that’s not a blocker as some brands that make electronic systems can (and do) still use the impact requirements for certification. EN1621-5, which will cover electronic systems, is due to be released in 2025 and will likely use the same impact requirements.

Remember: standards are about repeatable testing that helps you compare what you’re buying.

The problem is that in 2013, the European Commission received a formal objection to EN1621-4:2013 from the French authorities, understood to have been submitted at the request of an established domestic air vest brand. Despite the European Commission deciding against the objection, the French introduced their own standard through CRITT, which also forms the SRA airbag ranking system that aims to compare products tested in this way.

This is the striker and anvil used in the CRITT standard

CRITT uses a flat striker and a flat anvil, and rather than measuring force transferred in kN, the current version of this protocol looks at acceleration, making it hard to compare the protective performance of an airbag certified this way with the likes of not just MotoAirBag, Alpinestars and Dainese (which certify using the impact requirements of EN1621-4), but also with traditional passive protectors because the test methodology is so different.

Comparison was easier in Version 1.0 of the CRITT / SRA requirements from 2013, with force transmitted being measured in kN, the same as EN1621-4. Here’s a comparison of EN1621-4, and V1.0 of the French standard:

Perhaps interestingly, the minimum French requirement of 18 kN is the same as the Level 1 chest requirement of EN1621-3, the existing passive chest protection standard.

Some changes have come into the French standard for V2.0 (January 2023), including expanding the anvil’s surface area from 177 square centimetres to 900, altering the coverage requirements and switching from recording peak force transmitted in kN to acceleration in g-force. This could still be relatable because F=ma, F being force transmitted in Newtons, m (mass) being 5kg in this test and the g-force recorded multiplied by 9.81 to get a (acceleration) measured in m/s/s.

Unfortunately the acceleration results aren’t shared by manufacturers certifying to the French standard, so I took several airbags to an independent lab to carry out indicative, comparative testing using the EN1621-4 airbag requirements of a kerbstone striker delivering 50 Joules to a hemispherical anvil. I expected this testing would show that all airbags perform pretty much the same, but that wasn’t the case…

Lower numbers are best. EN1621-4 airbag requirements: Level 1 ≤4.5 kN, Level 2 ≤2.5 kN
(Brackets indicate what standard the manufacturer has used for certification of its product)
Airbag bladders were not removed for testing – all remained in their garments.

In these tests, passive protectors performed better at the chest than the French CRITT-certified airbags I had. None of the EN1621-4 airbags had additional passive protectors fitted, but they still performed very well under this impact testing.

During testing, the kerbstone striker was able to displace the gas inside the bladders of the CRITT-certified airbags, giving relatively poor results – in the real world this could indicate that if the rider’s chest were to hit something narrow like the handlebars, edge of the bike’s screen, the top of a fence, a car’s roof rack or of course a kerb, the airbags that are certified using EN1621-4 might offer the most protection.

The figures achieved at the chest of the Helite and Ixon were also lower than the 13 kN achieved by a passive Level 1 chest protector alone but the Furygan – which has a passive Level 1 protector over the airbag bladder at the chest – brought it down to 7.3 kN.

To get an idea how much difference impact with a flat surface can make, I also ran tests using the same hemispherical anvil that represents the shape of the body, but with a flat, 130mm diameter striker to create a comparison that was closer to, but not matching the CRITT standard:

As you can see, the CRITT-certified airbags performed better in this test, but the MotoAirBag – which is certified to EN1621-4 – performed similarly to the previous test, and was still significantly better than the others in this comparison.

The Dainese D-Air wasn’t tested again as I was unable to recharge it.

The passive protectors transmitted MORE force with the flat striker, which is because they’re designed to spread the energy of hitting an object, and this is where the CRITT requirements come in, because it’s optimised for wider, flatter loads, which could be experienced if striking a flat surface rather than the edge of a car or road furniture.

I was unable to run a test with a flat anvil, but have seen data that suggests the EN1621-4 MotoAirBag achieved 1.8kN with a flat striker and flat anvil. A passive Level 2 back protector in this same test delivered 35.5kN.

I’ve not been able to get any test results from brands certifying with CRITT, but the MotoAirBag data suggests that, while the highest impact requirement of CRITT is a maximum of 80g for no more than 1ms, MotoAirBag peaked at just 27g.

This final figure must of course be treated with caution as it was supplied by the manufacturer, but the force transmitted in this test seems to be in line with the results of my indicative testing.

While I’d like to do more testing, it would appear that at least some airbags certified to EN1621-4 could also achieve the requirements of CRITT. But of the CRITT-certified systems I’ve tested, they can sometimes also achieve the requirements of EN1621-4, but only when they have a Level 2 passive protector fitted over the top of the bladder. EN1621 favours testing against impact with narrow objects, CRITT favours testing against impact with flat objects.

This leaves the question of which crash you think you might have…

What is a realistic crash scenario?

Put simply: Research shows that a motorcycle crash involving a car is most likely to be with an off-centre impact between the front wheel of the bike and the car. Statistics suggest it’ll be the other driver’s fault, but it’s not clear what the rider is most likely to hit that will cause injury.

In more detail: According to a paper from researchers at Autoliv (the world’s biggest supplier of airbags) a 2015 analysis of the German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS) database concluded that head injuries caused the most fatalities, followed by thorax. The most common injury sources were said to be passenger cars (particularly the lower parts of the car), followed by surrounding objects, particularly guard-rails and trees.

Looking for more research, I found that the 2009 MAIDS report (the most recent of its in-depth investigations into motorcycle accidents) looked at powered two-wheeler (PTW) accidents in France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Italy, concluding that approximately 72.3% of all accidents occurred in an urban area, with 24.9% in rural areas (2.8% in other).

54.3% of all accidents occurred at intersections, and the contributing factors were very interesting:

The most frequently reported primary accident contributing factor (36.6%) was found to be the driver of the other vehicle failing to see the powered two-wheeler or its rider, but blame is irrelevant when you’re a vulnerable road user, so doing what you can to mitigate injury could be valuable, even if research has shown that at higher impact speeds, thorax protection can achieve very little due to the dangers of rib cage compression.

Where a PTW hit another vehicle, 28.9% saw the centre front of the bike hit it, while 33.4% were to the left or right of the front, meaning impacts are potentially more likely to be at an angle than completely head-on. 25.7% occurred where the other vehicle struck the side of the bike.

The MAIDS study showed that the legs were the most commonly injured, but these were less likely to result in the most severe, critical or fatal injuries. These occur at the spine, thorax, head and abdomen, with the thorax presenting the second highest serious risk:

Importantly to airbags, the study goes on to show that minor thoracic injuries were mostly due to roadside contact, while more serious, critical and maximum injuries could be due to contact with the road/roadside, the other vehicle, or the powered two wheeler itself.

The study doesn’t provide more detail on the types of objects hit, but remember they could be the edge of your bike’s screen, the handlebars, a roof-rack, the side of a truck, a car bonnet, a fence, road-sign… anything.

Andreas Thalhammer’s 2022 dissertation shows that the radius of surfaces on a car can vary massively: from 10mm to 1,010mm (fortunately, narrow impact points are more limited in modern cars). Of course, the edge of a motorcycle’s screen can have a tiny radius, as can some road furniture, which perhaps explains the choice of EN1621-4’s striker having a 25mm radius. And you could hit a kerb; I did in my first crash and as I hit it with my back, I’m writing this glad that I was wearing a protector.

Good motorcycle kit manufacturers are constantly striving to improve the protection offered, and I’ll be the first to agree that higher levels of performance are important to establish (it’s why we launched the Bennetts High Performance Awards), so standards should undoubtedly be regularly assessed.

Research will continue to improve the kit we wear, and a study linked here using a 32kg cylindrical impactor striking a test dummy’s centre chest at 13mph showed that larger coverage of the chest can provide better protection – by reducing deflection of the ribcage – than smaller areas with higher pressure. That makes sense.

Equally, this study indicated that an airbag in the test that would NOT meet the requirements of EN1621-4 could reduce deflection to a similar degree as one that DID meet EN 1621-4 Level 1 when struck with a 100mm radius cylinder at 19mph. We don’t know which airbags they were.

But as this study suggests, the results only show what might be considered some limitations to EN1621-4, and that further examination of the optimal pressures would be beneficial. It doesn’t suggest that the existing test methodology is irrelevant, stating: “values of transmitted force might not be considered as the only indicator of the potential thorax protection, and the introduction of a complementary test based on biomechanical measurements like chest deflection should be considered.”

A test carried out by Motorrad magazine using a tubular impactor against a dummy showed that a passive Level 2 protector did effectively nothing to reduce the deflection of the chest using a tubular impact at Autoliv’s lab.

In this test, a Held eVest (which uses the same In&Motion bladder as that in the Ixon IX-U04) reduced deflection by 4% more than an Alpinestars Tech-Air 5, while a Helite E-Turtle 2 reduced it by a further 20%. Impressive, but there are two important points to note here… This was a limited test that didn’t include any airbags that are certified to EN1621-4 at the chest (the Tech-air 5 is only certified at the back), so we can’t gather any useful comparison data from it.

Plus, and most importantly, the technicians carrying out this test pointed out that the gas cartridge and inflator mechanism of the Helite – a hard component – is located on the chest and hence contributed to the result. They say this is not a bad thing in principle, but the obvious question remains of what would happen if the rider didn’t strike the surface at the test’s perfectly 90° angle? The MAIDS report shows that more impacts occur off-centre of the front of the bike than perfectly head-on.

The hard component of inflator and gas cartridge is only on the right side of the Helite's chest

I agree that measuring chest deflection is potentially a valuable test that should be included in certification, as long as it’s carried out at head-on AND 45° impact angles.

Some proponents of CRITT appear to discredit EN1621-4 due to an assertion that – correctly – more testing methodology would benefit rider safety. However, the most compelling ideas (like chest deflection testing) aren’t what the current French CRITT / SRA standard offers.

How important is it to stabilise the head and neck?

Some airbags inflate around the neck to reduce the risk of damage to the spine, so I asked Consultant Spinal Surgeon Ivan Vidakovic how important this is: “In an accident a rider will naturally tense their neck muscles,” he told me, “which can give some protection to the spine, but severe movement could result in spinal injury.

“Research shows that hyperflexion [over-extension of the head forwards] is the most dangerous movement, with hyperextension [over-extension of the head backwards] following it.”

Due to the way the human body is made, excessive force can cause spinal injury, but Mr Vidakovic went on to tell me that… “One thing to consider is the age of a biker. People may already have preexisting degeneration of their spine and even a spinal stenosis [a narrowing of the spinal canal], especially in their cervical spine [the first seven vertebra], or often even a spinal cord compression that they are not aware of. If an impact happens, they could [be more likely to] end up paralysed.

“Disc degeneration is something which is natural due to aging and an impact could cause a disc to protrude more and damage the cord, without even damaging the vertebrae.”

I also talked to Dan Read, a critical care paramedic with Magpas air ambulance: “I’m not an expert in the biomechanics of spinal injury, but from my experience I’ve seen lots of life-changing injuries from what appear to be direct injury to the back. Over-extension of the neck can damage the spinal column and the spinal cord, causing a potentially catastrophic injury, and of the incidents I’ve seen, this is probably the most likely to cause death from damage to the spinal column. But blunt trauma to the back has seemed to be a significant contributor to permanent paralysis.”

EN1621-4 vs CRITT: which is best?

Good question, and one that’ll be easier to answer when some airbags already certified to EN1621-4 also certify to the CRITT / SRA requirements. From what I’ve seen, at least some EN1621-4 airbags will readily surpass the requirements of CRITT, but the opposite hasn’t appeared to be true – the CRITT-certified airbags I’ve tested can’t meet the impact requirements of EN1621-4. And as the data from CRITT certification doesn’t get shared (and even the requirements appear something of a secret), consumer choice is limited.

It could be concluded that the best protection is likely to be a hard, deformable shell that has a very large, soft cushion inside.

Like a car.

The hard shell can be achieved on an airbag worn by a motorcyclist, but getting the volume that could be required is a lot more difficult.

Based on the evidence I’ve seen and the medical experts I’ve spoken to, it doesn’t appear that anything can do much against the extremes of impact, but armour can mitigate some injuries, and airbags can be even more effective in the reduction of peak forces transmitted.

Supporting the head and neck can be important, and it’s my opinion that yes, the standard for motorcycle airbags could be improved. A study by EU group Pioneers (Protective Innovations of New Equipment for Enhanced Rider Safety) in 2020 suggests that measuring the deflection of a dummy torso through impact with a rigid cylinder of radius 5cm to 10cm – as well as impact with a flat surface – could provide a distinction between airbag systems and make for a real-world comparable test, though I’d hope the cylinder impact would be carried out not just at 90° to the torso, but at an angle too, in order to simulate the majority of crashes, which are off-centre front, and to avoid artificially favouring products that have solid structures on one side.

Ultimately, of the existing standards we have, the requirements of CRITT don’t seem to offer a compelling alternative to EN1621-4, but I do think that additional work on a single, universal standard would be valuable. As long as the requirements and results are transparent and readily accessible.

MotoAirbag’s tether is an excellent design, and arguably the best mechanical system. Electronic triggers – like this Dainese system – use algorithms that detect when a crash is happening

Is a tethered or electronic airbag best?

Tethered airbags work based on your movement relative to the bike. MotoAirBag’s system is arguably the best design as it allows a great range of movement while also locking off and pulling the firing pin at any point of extension as soon as a violent movement if detected; others will only fire when the tether reaches its full, elasticated extension. Called ‘Fast Lock’

MotoAirBag’s unique ‘analogue accelerometer’ design is a lot like the seat-belt in your car, locking solid when pulled quickly.

Tethered systems are less likely to fire the airbag if you’re hit while stationary, though the MotoAirBag’s tether can react to sharp movement from any direction.

Electronic airbags analyse the movement of the rider, usually regardless of what the bike’s doing. Trigger speeds vary, but typically the systems are constantly analysing data, firing if the circumstance appear to be a crash.

Of course, electronic airbags need to be kept charged, and some make remembering that easier than others. Also consider where the LEDs that warn you of an error are located – if they’re on the back of the jacket, or under other kit, you’ll only be able to check all is well when putting it on or taking it off. Some systems also use haptic feedback that vibrates to warn you of any issues.

Arguably the best systems include multi-axis accelerometers and don’t just rely on GPS, which can be blocked when riding through tunnels or in underground carparks.

If buying an electronic airbag, ensure that firmware updates are user-deployable to get the most up-to-date protection. Algorithms have progressed significantly over the past few years, making for far more reliable devices.

Most modern systems are designed to detect an impact while stationary, though note that Helite’s E-Turtle requires an additional fork sensor on the bike for this feature.

Some electronic airbags arm automatically as you put them on, which saves the frustration of realising you forgot to activate them when you were getting kitted up.

Finally, be aware that In&Motion charges more if you want to switch between road and track settings, whereas others offer the different algorithms within the price. However, there are also Motocross and Adventure Sport settings available from In&Motion, which aren’t always on option on road- or track-focussed systems from other brands without buying a specific airbag.

The upcoming EN1621-5 standard for electronic airbags will take into account trigger times.

How fast can airbags deploy?

It’s important to understand the realities of a crash here… if you hit a stationary object head-on at 30mph, there’s little that can protect you. But in reality, you’ll often be travelling a fair bit slower at the point of impact, and even at higher speeds, you may well be thrown up, rather than directly forwards.

The point is that, if we look at the maximum inflation time of 200ms required by EN1621-4 and CRITT, at 30mph a rider would cover 2.68 metres. The highest scoring maximum deployment time of 80ms in CRITT would see them cover 1.1 metres, and Alpinestar’s claim of an average of 65ms for detection and inflation would mean 0.9 metres.

With tethered systems, the mechanical trigger mechanism needs to be as quick as possible, and this is where MotoAirBag's 'Fast Lock' has a significant advantage over elasticated tethers as it doesn't need to reach its full stretch before firing.

Faster detection and inflation times of course mean the rider will be protected more quickly, but we need to be realistic about what any airbag can achieve. 

An In&Motion airbag deployed under the Spada Trucker jacket

Should I wear an airbag under or over other kit?

The best airbag is the one you wear, and any airbag worn under your existing riding kit must have enough room for expansion. Our reviews explain how to measure this for each device, but keep in mind that unless one-piece or zip-together leathers have been designed specifically for an airbag, they must not be worn with one.

If worn over the top of your riding kit, consider that in a crash the road surface could abrade through the outer shell and cause the airbag to fail. This comes down to convenience, comfort and an assessment of risk. Impact is likely to be at the start of a crash, rather than after sliding, but it is of course possible that a rider could go down the road then hit a signpost, fence or tree.

Airbags are not allowed to be worn over the top of other gear at the TT, though here of course the risk of high-speed slides into road furniture is very high.

RST has the In&Motion airbag built into its kit, which means it could be scrapped in a crash that results in the garment being damaged, even though the bladder survived. However, RST’s prices tend to be very competitive compared to buying a separate jacket and vest. This is also a very convenient way to always have the airbag with you, though accessing the control box to arm/disarm and charge it can be frustrating.

Helite’s Turtle-2 and E-Turtle 2 can only be worn outside other kit, and have a fairly tough shell but the bladder is a lighter construction compared to the two fitted within the MotoAirBag V4, which is also carried in a very tough mesh vest.

If you’re wearing any airbag over the top of your other gear, check it has its own pockets for added convenience.

Should I wear a back protector with an airbag?

That depends on the airbag you’re wearing. This study into the benefit of using a passive protector with an airbag underneath (written by In&Motion’s lead researcher and its CTO, along with members of the Laboratory of Biomechanics and Applications at University Gustave Eiffel) details tests run with the kerbstone striker that EN1621-4 requires and a flat anvil – as well as a flat striker – indicating that a standard passive back protector alone reduced peak forces and intervertebral rotations when hit with the kerbstone striker, but that it was with the flat striker that the airbag best decreased the energy transmitted to the human body. Coupling the airbag with the back protector was shown to provide the best protection by distributing the shock over a wider area of the bladder, and increasing its absorption capacity.

That makes sense, but if it was In&Motion’s current own CRITT-certified airbag, testing indicates that it’s less effective at reducing kerbstone impact forces than airbags certified to EN1621-4, which do not appear to need a passive protector.

Remember though that any protection is only there when the airbag fires. Passive protection is always available.

I wore the MotoAirBag through Spain in a heatwave with a rucksack on, but left the chest clip open

Do motorcycle airbags make you hot?

Obviously a motorcycle airbag bladder isn’t breathable, so it will restrict airflow. However, most have a chassis made of breathable or even mesh material, so air is able to pass around and, in some cases, behind them very easily. I wore the MotoAirBag through a heatwave in Spain over 3,387km with no problems at all, and have used others in varying conditions without issue.

What’s the best motorcycle airbag for women?

Some brands make airbags designed specifically to fit women, like the Dainese D-Air Ladies Smart Jacket. It comes down to how well it fits you, but I would say that my wife found that the Ladies Dainese wasn’t comfortable underneath her jacket as it bunched up around the chest, but it worked great over the top.

As with any clothing, try it on to find what suits you best as the stretch built into them can mean they suit a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Can airbags be worn with breast implants?

Motorcycle airbags should not be worn by people with breast implants as the risk of rupturing if the airbag fires has not been evaluated.

Can you wear a rucksack with a motorcycle airbag?

Most motorcycle airbags can be worn with a rucksack, but do check our reviews for more details as some have a weight limit of 8kg.

It’s always important that there’s space under the straps for if the airbags inflate, so you can’t have them too tight. This also means that chest harness bags (like Kriega packs and the new Oxford Atlas) shouldn’t be fastened at the front.

Should I worry about the cost to replace the inflator?

Inflators for mechanical airbags tend to be cheaper than those for electronic devices, but an advantage that In&Motion’s systems had over its competitors was that the inflator could be changed easily by the user for £95. The Dainese Smart Jacket, on the other hand, cost £250 to recharge, but that was because the whole bag needed to be replaced and the microfilament design is understandably expensive in itself.

However, Dainese has just released the new Smart Air, which allows the user to change the inflator up to three times, and Alpinestars’ latest products suggest its whole range will soon have user-replaceable inflators.

Some airbags use CO2 cannisters and others use argon, but they’re all proprietary, so don’t try cheaping out and buying a replacement from un unknown source.

Ultimately, as algorithms have been so refined over the past few years, accidental deployments are now extremely unlikely. Also, if an electronic airbag does fire through no fault of your own, the data can usually be analysed and might result in it being replaced under warranty.

If you’re racing and the airbag is being fired regularly, check the bladder carefully before reinflating. Also, don’t exceed the maximum inflations stated by the manufacturer as I had an In&Motion airbag burst on its eighth inflation (more than that model was meant to).

One other thing to consider is the cost to repair the entire garment if it’s damaged. Some will need replacing entirely, while others – like MotoAirBag – are entirely modular and repairable.

False deployments are now very rare, and should the airbag fire in a real crash, if you’re in a position to complain about paying to recharge it, then maybe it did its job.

Should I pay a subscription for my airbag?

Only In&Motion charges a subscription for its airbag system, but you don’t have to pay it that way – you can pay £400 up front instead, so check our reviews for a full explanation of the costs over five years.

If you buy an In&Motion control box outright, you’ll still get all the same updates as if you subscribe; the only reason you’d stop getting them is if a new control box is launched that has different tech in (like a new accelerometer) that isn’t compatible with the newer firmware updates. Your airbag would continue to work and it would maintain the company’s most advanced algorithm for that technology.

The advantage of paying the subscription is that if anything goes wrong with your existing box out of warranty, or if a new model with significantly different tech is released, yours will be replaced free of charge.

The only update to the hardware since launch has been the switch from a microUSB charging port to USB-C, but this didn’t result in existing subscribers getting a new box.

Note that if you cancel the subscription, you will have to send the box back, though if you sell the airbag on, the new owner can simply lease or buy a new box of their own.

Whether you pay outright or lease the control box, In&Motion’s system means you only need one controller for anything that has this technology fitted, be it from Ixon, RST, Klim, Furygan, Held or Tucano Urbano.

If you need to ask more about airbags and anything else to do with motorcycling – or want to share your own experiences – join us at bikeclub.bennetts.co.uk.