Airbag options for riders growing – March 13, 2006

A number of vendors displayed airbag-equipped apparel at the Dealer Expo.
Following in the footsteps of IXS Motorcycle Fashion, which showed its product at the 2005 event, Airprotek International, Inc., Impact Jackets (IPJ) and AireTronics all featured CO2-equipped gear.
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., AireTronics, Inc. says it is the sole provider of patented inflatable torso protection devices in the United States and the sole distributor to the Americas and Europe. The company says its branded and private labeled vests are protected under U.S. Patent No. 6,766,535.
Operating like a personal airbag, the innovative AireTronics vest provides protection to a rider’s chest, back, collarbones and internal organs. In the event a rider unexpectedly leaves the bike, lanyards attached to the motorcycle trigger two CO2 cartridges that immediately inflate a polyurethane bladder system contained within the garment.
“Ask people to describe half a second and most will equate it with the blink of an eye,” said J. Todd Brumley, president of AireTronics. “It’s the time your heart takes to complete half a beat. If you’re a motorcycle rider traveling along the interstate at 60 mph, half a second is the time it takes your bike to travel 44 feet. It’s also the time it takes for an AireTronics-patented inflatable torso protection vest to deploy, surrounding a rider’s torso with a protective cushion of air.”
AireTronics’ jackets and vests are available in multiple styles. Vests have been designed to be worn alone or under a rider’s traditional jacket or leathers.
All jackets and vests come with two CO2 cartridges and additional replacement cartridges are readily available. psb