BMW Motorrad launched a BMW Motorrad Street Air jacket by Alpinestars, an advanced airbag system offering comprehensive protection for the upper body and the freedom to ride a motorbike in both on and off road conditions. The technology adopted from the current Alpinestars Tech-Air street airbag system – a system requiring no motorbike-mounted sensors. The airbag system of Alpinestars utilizes a sophisticated algorithm that detects imminent danger with the greatest precision and inflates the full upper body airbag to provide a highly effective crash protection system, ahead of the first impact.
The BMW Motorrad Street Air Dry by Alpinestars textile riding jacket is designed to interconnect with the Alpinestars airbag system vest and is an essential component for the system to be fully operational.
It offers instantaneous inflatable upper body protection to the back, kidneys, chest and shoulders – the most exposed areas in a crash. It is also fully independent, incorporating its sensors close to the rider’s or passenger’s body means the airbag activates without the need for a triggering wireless signal to be sent from the bike.
This jacket is the first safety product to be launched under an exclusive agreement, between BMW Motorrad and Alpinestars and is available for both female and male customers in different colors.
The jacket offers full airbag inflation in 25 milliseconds for protection during crash impacts and loss-of-control situations when riding but also in stand-still situation – for example a rear impact while waiting at traffic lights. The function is independently of the need for sensors to be installed on the bike and the subsequent need to link a specific motorcycle to the airbag system.
The jacket is ready to use immediately and no time is wasted in setting up electronic pairing between rider and/or passenger and motorcycle. Rider can easily switch between motorbikes without reconfiguring or reinitializing. Placing sensors near the body means the airbag system can be used on road or for off-road adventure-touring.
There is no need to deactivate the system if leaving the road for off-road trails or to stop in between to change settings. Changing surfaces while adventure-touring therefore presents no problem. The system is protected by a durable and water-resistant casing which, when worn under a compatible outer jacket, means the airbag system is fully weatherproof.
BMW Motorrad and Alpinestars offer the freedom to ride any bike on any surface at any time and can be used for on-road riding and off-road riding with any type of BMW motorcycle and also with all BMW scooters. BMW Motorrad is the only motorcycle manufacturer to have developed the complete range of rider equipment ever since the 1970s – from motorcycle helmets to rider suits, boots and gloves. In doing so, high priority is attached to maximum comfort for the rider and passenger as well as minimizing the potential consequences of accidents.
