Air Vests By FortNine

Thought those considering a vest would find this useful.

Annie and I bought vests at the SLC rally in 2017 and wear them just about all the time. We have ditched them. a few times when riding the Urals on Forest Service roads and when putzing around a rally. We do not find them uncomfortable to wear but they do add to the misery when in high temperatures. I wore one for a demo deployment at a rally and had one deploy during a parking lot tip over. It is startling when it goes off.

A buddy has had a HeLite for a few years, but it's a pain in the butt if you have multiple bikes and need multiple tethers.

I'm probably going to wind up with a Dainese system that doesn't require a tether, but does require charging.

I have the Helite vest, excellent protection, a bit heavy.

Buying a second tether for bike 2 isn't all that much cost or effort to throw on the second bike.

Down to one, but I've got the second tether as I'm also looking at RT as a second motor for the long hauls.

I have a HiTAir vest and it was pretty darn simple to install a tether on each of my bikes.

My vest scored a save 2 days ago.

I was 3 blocks from my house after a spirited 150 mi romp on my Vstrom. My buddy peeled off to take a side street without telling me. I was looking for him in my mirror when I looked up and there was a car stopped in traffic in front of me. I grabbed a handful of brake and dived to the right. My left engine guard caught the right rear quarter panel. I was doing 25-30 mph. I was pitched off the bike and landed on my right side. The vest inflated. I had some significant pain in my back and because it was a motorcycle, they brought me to a Lvl 2 trauma center. Xrays, CT scan. Nothing broken. Soft tissue damage under/near my scapula, tweaked my knee and received a significant hematoma on my hip. They were more concerned with the hematoma than anything else.

The trauma team were impressed with the small number of injuries due to my vest. There were quite a few discussions about this, and I had to describe the vest and how it operated to many of the trauma team care givers. Unless you're a rider, most people have never heard of an air vest for riders.

kbasa said:

A buddy has had a HeLite for a few years, but it's a pain in the butt if you have multiple bikes and need multiple tethers.

I'm probably going to wind up with a Dainese system that doesn't require a tether, but does require charging.

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The Dainese’s level of protection is much less than the Helite, but better than nothing. I’ve got tethers on six bikes; not overly expensive or difficult to do.

Been using a TechAir for a few years. Started using one after a hit n' run cager got me. By viewing the traffic cam, a tethered system would not have worked.
Wouldn't ride without one now.

What makes the tethered system not work? Inquiring minds want to know.

Been using helite for 5+ years. Zero issues. They don't go off in parking lots by themselves...

If it does deploy. It only takes a few minutes to repack and put a new co2 cartridge in.

Adding tethers to other bikes is simple, I have them on all my bikes... And I even put a tether on a friend's bike for when we swap.

No issues with heat either. I wear a mesh jacket under it in the summer.

I will not ride without the helite.

WrongWayRound said:

What makes the tethered system not work? Inquiring minds want to know.

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If it goes anything like my electric vest experience, I'll forget to connect them or I'll forget to disconnect them. I'm fine with a airbag brain that can discern between getting high sided and falling over when I lose my footing like the D-Air.

My experience may not be anyone else's, so don't think I'm attempting to convince anyone. I've been wearing Dainese for a decade now and really like their stuff.

Fair enough. I get human error and factors that make more automatic options a better choice for some.

Thanks

WrongWayRound said:

Fair enough. I get human error and factors that make more automatic options a better choice for some.

Thanks

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It took me a while to get the tether into my routine. Like remembering to put my earplugs in before my helmet, the tether has now become automatic.

dravnx said:

It took me a while to get the tether into my routine. Like remembering to put my earplugs in before my helmet, the tether has now become automatic.

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My simple answer to attaching the tether each ride is something I learned from "Riding in the Zone's" Ken Condon: a simple label right above the speedo which says: "Buckle Up!" My Hit-Air gets connected every ride.

ExGMan said:

A simple label right above the speedo which says: "Buckle Up!" My Hit-Air gets connected every ride.

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Same here.

ExGMan said:

My simple answer to attaching the tether each ride is something I learned from "Riding in the Zone's" Ken Condon: a simple label right above the speedo which says: "Buckle Up!" My Hit-Air gets connected every ride.

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The label on my bikes says, “VEST?”

Just purchased the Dainese Smart Jacket: https://www.dainese.com/us/en/motor...K89gIV8gl9Ch075wp7EAAYASABEgKlwvD_BwE&start=1 .
Sorry, don't know how to do the "link" thing. Anyway, the vest is still in the box; have yet to try it out. By "try it out" I don't mean a test crash.

craydds said:

Just purchased the Dainese Smart Jacket: https://www.dainese.com/us/en/motor...K89gIV8gl9Ch075wp7EAAYASABEgKlwvD_BwE&start=1 .
Sorry, don't know how to do the "link" thing. Anyway, the vest is still in the box; have yet to try it out. By "try it out" I don't mean a test crash.

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Looks like a great jacket ! Here is to you never having to use it..

The down side to the Dainese Smart Jacket - it is THICK. I was wearing a size medium Kilimanjaro jacket, way too tight over the new vest. I had to buy a new LARGE size Kilimanjaro, which fits loosely over the vest.

A very very serious question. I am gonna have to have my left shoulder replaced due to falling pretty much directly upon the outside of my shoulder itself. My left clavicle is jammed into the rotator cuff itself tearing 2 ligaments entirely and messing up another one so it is also torn. Replacement of the whole thing is gonna happen in a few weeks. The doc says in the future to be totally careful with activities cause we are dealing with plastic and metal.

This whole thing is due to several falls over time. I take it back to military "muscle training" that has "taught" me to roll to the left side down when falling so that my rifle side is up and mobile. In the last couple of years I for some reason have used this when landing 3 or 4 times. Once on the motorcyle when high siding on a downhill very loose gravel road where I hit a pothole while braking hard to avoid a deer. The next 2 times were from the back of one of my mules. Imagine on top of something 6 feet tall, being thrown a couple more feet in height and landing on hard ground directly on your shoulder.

The last time resulted in a huge lump developing on top of my shoulder joint which I assumed was just bruising.....WRONG...I must've begun the tearing of tissues. No, like an idiot didnt go to the doc!!......This past November was in a bicycle parade in Key West celebrating Christmas. Must've been a thousand bike. One cut directly in front of me and I fell....Again HARD ON THE SHOULDER. This time on concrete. Since then have been in 5 through 9 level pain constantly and yes, have gone to the Doc for necessary repairs.

Ok, finally the end of the story. Gonna have plastic and metal to tear up. Or according to the doc, maybe use lots of usage of the joint itself..........SO..... Instead of giving up my fat tire bike, my motorcycles, and my mules, will one of these vests protect my shoulder from damage while using my equipment and animals when I ride them for the physical activity and the sport................Yes, this 76 YO fella is gonna go through some therapy to teach me different muscle memory to use when falling. I do hope it and what advice you guys give will work..............GOD BLESS..........Dennis

DennisDarrow said:

A very very serious question... will one of these vests protect my shoulder from damage while using my equipment and animals when I ride them for the physical activity and the sport...

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It seems there are vests for equestrians, skiers, bicyclists, motorcyclists, etc. But the algorithms for each activity are different, so there is not a vest that is made for every scenario. The tethered vests are mechanical, therefore the differing algorithms may not be applicable. Even for motorcycle vests, there are street algorithms and track/race algorithms; very different vests (or race suits if you prefer). I believe there is now a vest that you can switch modes between "street" and "track" modes.
The Alpinestars vest appears to have good shoulder coverage: https://www.sportbiketrackgear.com/...MIxOOG-YOe9wIVE3xvBB0hOgQgEAAYBCAAEgIqgPD_BwE .

I’m seriously considering adding a Helite to my gear. I’d like something with no tether but the thought of having to send it in after it deploys (and being without protection for however long that takes) has me thinking tethered is the way to go.