Dainese D-Air: Airbag For Bikers
DAINESE D-AIR: AIRBAG FOR BIKERS
ROUNDUP
DURING THE FIVE YEARS IN which Dainese has been developing its D-Air airbag system, the racing-specific design has evolved from the bulky, pillow-atop-shoulders original concept to a sleek, all-internal design that is entirely hidden from view, even after it has been activated. Furthermore, weight is down from more than 3 pounds to just 21 ounces, on par with a Dainese race boot. Part of the explanation for the weight loss is that the protective focus is now concentrated solely on the collarbones, neck and shoulders.
Spanish MotoGP star Jorge Lorenzo began wearing D-Air equipped racing leathers last sea son after his massive practice crash at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Later, he famously activated the device in a near spill on the fourth lap of the season-ending event in Valencia, Spain. Fiat Yamaha team mate Valentino Rossi had a front row seat for the incident and con firmed that Lorenzo was indeed crashing, further justifying the system's activation. Rossi has also worn a D-Air suit in competition.
The current system comprises three accelerometers, a GPS, three gyros and the "bladder" itself; all but the bladder is contained within the hump on the back of the suit. A snap-down closure located near the top of the central zipper completes the wiring circuit; the system is armed once the rider's speed tops 31 mph. If the system senses that a crash is imminent, the compressedhelium-activated bladder inflates in just 20 milliseconds-"as quickly as you can blink"-and remains fttlly inflated for 5 seconds before deflating completely in 20 seconds. According to Dainese, the Valencia incident cost Lorenzo just 0.7 sec onds. The activation parameter for the system can be fine-tuned for each circuit.
Moving forward, 80 track-day riders in Europe have purchased "beta" versions of the D-Air suit, which is slated for worldwide sale later this year. "The consumer price, for sure, is not so cheap," admitted a Dainese representative, "but you are not just buying a suit; you are also buying a service." -
Matthew Miles
