Best Motorcycle Airbag Vests Reviewed: More Safe than Helmet?
Evan Rally
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I’ve heard it time and time again.
“They look ridiculous.”
“They cost more than my first bike.”
“Won’t it inflate accidentally?”
“I’d rather invest in riding courses than some expensive vest.”
“My friends will totally pull the cord to deploy it on me as a prank.”
Okay so that last one actually sounds pretty funny, and I want to see a video if this happens to you (or you do it to your buddy).
But you know what isn’t funny?
The bill to fly a helicopter to the track to medivac your bag-of-broken-bones body back to the hospital.
And avoiding THAT is what a motorcycle airbag is good for. So if you know what’s good for you, here are the best motorcycle airbags on the market today:
Safest 
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Best for Offroad 
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Budget Buy 
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What sets this airbag apart is its coverage of the shoulder and ribs - critical areas often missed by motorcycle airbags. Must be worn under an abrasion-resistant motorcycle jacket, ideally a Tech Air -compatible jacket from Alpinestars. | All of Alpinestars latest airbag technology layered with hard protectors and packing 2 canisters for double deployments without refilling the suit. | The entry-level airbag from Alpinestars in textile, leather, and canvas as well as a women's cut ("Stella"). |
4.7 |
4.3 |
4.1 |
What sets this airbag apart is its coverage of the shoulder and ribs - critical areas often missed by motorcycle airbags. Must be worn under an abrasion-resistant motorcycle jacket, ideally a Tech Air -compatible jacket from Alpinestars.
All of Alpinestars latest airbag technology layered with hard protectors and packing 2 canisters for double deployments without refilling the suit.
The entry-level airbag from Alpinestars in textile, leather, and canvas as well as a women's cut ("Stella").
My coworker endo’d his Ducati V4 after Turn 1 at Laguna Seca at ~130mph and walked away with just a broken wrist. He has his expensive airbag suit to thank for protecting the rest of his body and didn’t miss a single day of work.
– Wonderful Redditor here
Now I’m sure many of us would actually like to miss a day of work. That said, disagree all you want in the comment section below if you’re cool with going to work as long as it means you avoid a chest full of broken ribs. That’s what I thought…
Despite being around for over thirty years now, motorcycle airbags are not yet commonplace in the motorcycling community. And that’s a shame, because they could save a LOT of lives and agony. Not to mention MONEY!
The biggest objection I hear to airbags is COST. Motorcycle airbags are not cheap!
But consider this: do you know how much it costs to airlift someone to a hospital?
According to air hospital service Flying Angels, the average emergency helicopter ride costs about $40,000. An ambulance ride, after insurance, will cost between $500 and $1,000 according to CBS News research. And that’s before any hospital stays, medical operations, or loss of income.
Now does $700 for a motorcycle airbag sound like a lot? To me it sounds like the deal of the century.
The second objection I hear to airbags is the nerdy look.
Up until 2023 the only airbag options made you look like a crossing guard, so I get it. But now, there are several options for airbag vests and jackets that look like badass motorcycle jackets for all kinds of riders. You can even get a leather vest from Helite that will allow you to put your own patches on.
You deserve to wear a motorcycle airbag. Your mom and dad, your kids, your husband or wife, your dog deserve to see you next Thanksgiving. So I went out and did the research, chatted with my friends, wasted a couple days on Reddit, and put together this guide to the best motorcycle airbags.
Let’s put all your questions and worries to rest.
Motorcycle Airbags: What do I need to know?
No other riding gear on the market can give you nearly the same neck, spine, chest and back protection as a motorcycle airbag, short of not riding at all (and where’s the fun in that?). MotoGP started requiring racers to wear airbags in 2018 because they are so effective at reducing injury and death.
But there are a few things you should know before you buy the first one you see.
Different Types of Motorcycle Airbags
Motorcycle airbags come as either vests you wear under/over a jacket or pre-integrated in to a jacket or racing suit.
Each airbag will trigger in one of two ways:
- Tethered Airbags: The old school tether uses a cord connected to your bike to trigger. Pull hard enough (like a highside) and they’ll inflate like Michelin Man. No batteries, electronics or other technobabble.
- Electronic Airbags: The new kids on the block use GPS, accelerometers and gyrometers to sense if the airbag needs to deploy because you’re in a crash. A tiny computer basically runs the numbers and answers the question “Are we in a crash” a thousand times a second. Pretty cool. You have to charge these, but they’re probably slightly better in many different crash scenarios than a tether.
How Do Motorcycle Airbags Work?
Whether the tether reaches the end or the computer says “YES, WE ARE CRASHING!!” the action is the same. Some mechanism slams into the top of a compressed gas cartridge, filling up the jacket in something like 50 milliseconds. That means an airbag could inflate about six times over before you even finish blinking.
That gas creates a cushion all around your body, which absorbs impact. Normal motorcycle armor is built to disperse impact, but you see absorption is 50x more effective than dispersion at mitigating the force of an impact. So one light and thin motorcycle airbag could be worth FIFTY back protectors!
Not looking so expensive now is it?
Common Objections to Motorcycle Airbags
Airbags are new, the technology is misunderstood, and trolls on the internet never sleep. So here’s my response to a couple common objections I hear often about motorcycle airbags.
Aren’t motorcycle airbags hot to ride in?
Motorcycle airbags aren’t exactly breathable (kinda defeats the purpose), so this is a valid concern. That said, they aren’t like other riding gear – you can size up a bit to let more air flow around without much impact on protection. The airbag will have to seat properly once inflated anyway.
Pop a mesh jacket over an airbag vest and you’ll still have plenty of airflow through your armpits, which will wick away a lot of heat. And again, is a little extra sweat worth it for avoiding those hospital bills?
In the spring and fall, your airbag doubles as a liner as well. Not bad.
Motorcycle airbags are ugly!
Yes they usually come in hi-viz or black. Hi-viz might be a benefit for you. But if you don’t want to look like a crossing guard on your 131ci Street Glide, you have options. Wear the airbag under a not-too-tight jacket, and you get the benefit without anyone seeing it.
Won’t my motorcycle airbag accidentally inflate?
The short answer is… no. If you’re dumb like me, you might dismount without untethering and pull hard enough to pop the vest. But most of you won’t get to that point. If you’re worried about that, pick up an electronically-triggered vest. The algorithms in those learn from every deployment from every rider, so they’re very well tuned.
Don’t I have to toss the airbag after it goes off?
Thankfully you don’t have to toss the airbag if it goes off, accidentally or for real. Many airbags use replaceable 30g to 45g CO2 cartridges that cost about $25 on Amazon or at a cycling or outdoors shop (i.e. Bass Pro Shops). It’s so easy to swap the cartridges a monkey could do it.
Some jackets use secret gas blends, and you’ll have to send those in to the manufacturer for a refill. But most of these are the electronic variety; they will only go off if you truly need them to save your skin. Still worth it!
With those out of the way, here’s the It’s Better On The Road recommendation for the best motorcycle airbag.
The Best Motorcycle Airbag for Most Riders: Tech Air 5
Whether you’re commuting everyday on a cafe racer, hitting trails on your BMW GS, or riding backroads on the weekend, the best airbag for you is hands down the Alpinestars Tech Air 5.
This lightweight, slim airbag is barely noticeable under your jacket. No need to worry about accidentally setting it off when dismounting your bike – it’s computer inflated. And this airbag covers more than most, inflating around your shoulders, back and chest to protect from impact and stabilize your helmet in a crash. That means less chance of rib, shoulder, neck and spinal injuries.
Your back gets some extra protection with an integrated CE Level 1 back protector. And it’s idiot-proof: it turns on when you put it on and connect the Velcro tab, and it vibrates to let you know its status (like when it needs a charge). With just a 1-hour charge, you’ll get 10 hours of ride time, and the battery holds up to 30 hours of charge.
Size up one size for a little more airflow, or to fit over a jacket.
What sets this airbag apart is its coverage of the shoulder and ribs - critical areas often missed by motorcycle airbags. Must be worn under an abrasion-resistant motorcycle jacket, ideally a Tech Air -compatible jacket from Alpinestars.
Tip: Put a note to charge your airbag on the hook where you hang up your riding jacket.
Hitting the track? The next one might be a wiser choice.
The Premium Motorcycle Airbag: Tech Air 10
The Alpinestars Tech Air 10 is almost twice the protection of the Tech Air 5, but why?
Hip and thigh protection. This vest goes all the way down past your tailbone and around your hips and thighs, which are a common impact point in both street and track crashes.
The Tech Air 10 is slim enough to fit under the full-body racing suit I hope you already have, if you’re hitting the track!
Similar to the Tech Air 5, you just connect the velcro waist belt to turn it on and disconnect it to turn it off. Dead simple. You get a nice integrated back protector in this suit as well.
However, this airbag seems to have many issues, from charging to activating the airbag – so if you’re looking for reliable full-body protection now, especially for track use, go for the full suit with the Dainese Misano 3 D-Air Leather Suit (women’s version here).
Premium protection for upper and lower body (hips and thighs).
- Prone to malfunctions - better off with the full airbag suit from Dainese.
Tip: Put a note to charge your airbag on the hook where you hang up your riding jacket.
The Budget Motorcycle Airbag: Tech Air 3
Am I going the wrong direction with price? Keep in mind what you’re buying with an airbag… essentially a jacket with 50+ CE Level 1 back protectors in it. Look at it that way, and even the Tech Air 10 is an absolute steal.
However, I get it – sometimes the budget just doesn’t stretch.
Thankfully Alpinestars is building out their lineup with a budget option too: the Tech Air 3. This is the cheapest overall option for an airbag (though the Klim reviewed below starts at a lower price). This airbag is a simple vest, but comes with the same airbag deployment control algorithm and sensor setup as the Tech Air 5.
It’s easy to operate and comes in a textile, leather, and canvas look to suit any rider. Wear it under or over a motorcycle jacket. Activate it simply by zipping it up, which brings together a magnet over the chest area – you’ll see a light on the front breast flash to show the airbag is armed. You get 40 hours of battery life with 4 hours of charging. As with the other Tech-Air products, you’ll need to send it back to Alpinestars to refill – if that’s a dealbreaker for you, check out Helite’s similarly-priced tethered airbag.
The entry-level airbag from Alpinestars in textile, leather, and canvas as well as a women's cut ("Stella").
The Off-Road Airbag: Tech-Air Off-Road
Alpinestars is dominating the airbag market so far. Aside from their quality control issues with the Tech-Air 10, they have everyone from spendy track riders to thrifty street riders covered with the Tech-Air lineup.
Just the off-road riders left out in the dust. Klim, when will you step in for the adventurous?
Early in 2024 Alpinestars released their off-road specific airbag, solving two specific problems for offroad riding airbags:
- Problem 1: Tuning the algorithm for the rigors of off-road riding (prevent false deployments)
- Problem 2: Easy cartridge replacement (given off-road riders tend to crash more often than road riders)
This system puts the airbag in a classic mesh off-road armor suit. It’s not clear to me whether this is okay to wear without any jacket for abrasion protection over it – Alpinestars doesn’t spell that out. However, I’d have to assume they meant for it to be worn under a simple off-road jersey. That said, the airbag may not withstand contact with asphalt on the road. You’ve been warned!
What you get seems to be something like a Tech-Air 5, with airbag around the chest, back, and shoulders. However, a big miss was rib protection – many owners are complaining that the airbag does not wrap around to the ribs, which are a common area taking damage in off-road wipeouts.
This system does come with passive protectors at the shoulders, elbows, and back (all CE Level 1) with a CE Level 2 chest protector, and of course the airbag integrated throughout.
The algorithm has three modes: Enduro, Rally, and Street, which change its responsiveness. Enduro is meant for low/medium speed trails, Rally for high speed open off-road, and Street for getting to and from the trails.
To me, the major innovation on this system is user replaceable gas cartridges! A huge gripe many airbag wearers have is that a deployment means sending your equipment back to the manufacturer so they can take their sweet time recharging it, and maybe billing you for the pleasure.
The Tech-Air Off-Road comes with TWO integrated gas inflators, so even after one crash you can stand up, dust yourself off, and finish your ride with another charge ready to go. Not even Helite offers that. You can then pop out the gas inflator and recharge it – apparently – though Alpinestars gives no guidance online about the type of gas or where a canister can be refilled.
All of Alpinestars latest airbag technology layered with hard protectors and packing 2 canisters for double deployments without refilling the suit.
Other Motorcycle Airbags: Why Not Helite?
So there are several other options on the market for motorcycle airbags, and I’m not a hater of any of them. However, they’re all around the same price points as my top two picks: $700 to $1,000 – though Klim’s option gives you a cheaper entry point.
Helite Turtle 2 Motorcycle Airbag and Custom (Leather)
One popular option is the Helite Turtle 2, and the newer Custom Airbag Vest design. Below is the Custom version, which is full leather vs the textile material of the Turtle 2.
People seem to love this vest for two reasons:
- You can replace the CO2 canister after it goes off in 2 minutes
- They perceive the tether as more reliable than electronics for triggering inflation (if this isn’t a concern for you but #1 is, check out the Helite E-Turtle 2, with electronic inflation)
If you’re riding off-road and coming off a lot, the easy replacement of CO2 canisters makes a lot of sense. You save yourself at least a month without your airbag, and you can replenish your airbag during your ride. Otherwise, I don’t see much benefit. Hopefully your airbag NEVER goes off!
As for tethers vs electronics, that point might have made sense 10 years ago. But now, these airbags have been in the market for five, sometimes ten years already. That means they have a MOUNTAIN of crash data informing the electronic algorithms, so I have no doubt electronic airbags perform faster and more precisely in all crash scenarios vs a tethered setup.
That said, you do have to remember to plug an electronic vest in to charge every so often. Make this part of your post-ride routine and you’re set.
If you still prefer the old school tether style, you can pick up the Helite Turtle 2 and Custom at the links below. The Turtle 2 has a more “lifejacket” look whereas the Custom is essentially a leather motorcycle vest with an integrated airbag.
Helite got smart about the Custom: including a traditional zipper, inside and outside pockets, and access to the left chest panel and the back of the jacket for stitching on your own patches (right chest panel hosts the airbag cartridge). Cool way to make a traditional motorcycle vest a serious piece of protective equipment.
Leather Helite Custom
Premium leather airbag vest with access pockets for sewing on patches as well as interior and exterior pockets just like a traditional motorcycle vest.
Textile Helite Turtle 2
Lightweight, comfortable vest with full body protection, quick and easy CO2 cartridge replacement.
Dainese Smart Airbag Jacket
Dainese also develops many vest, jacket, and racing suit airbags – all electronically triggered. One of them is the Smart Airbag Jacket (vest? Bit of a misnomer there…).
Now I don’t have much against this jacket – it’s just fine – but it’s about the same price as the Alpinestars Tech Air 5 while offering way less protection. The actual airbag inside this vest only protects the chest and back. The Tech Air 5 also protects the shoulders, upper arms, and your sides – wrapping all the way around to the back.
If you like Dainese or you have some discount hooked up (hey, shoot me an email with that code!) then you can pick up the Dainese below.
A solid electronically-controlled smart airbag jacket - but offering less protection than the Tech Air 5 at a steeper price than the similar Tech Air 3.
Tip: Put a note to charge your airbag on the hook where you hang up your riding jacket.
Klim Ai-1 Airbag Vest: A Trick?
So I want you to know I’m open to feedback from you, the rider. If you’ll notice in the comments, someone came in here and delivered cold hard facts – and their experience – about the Klim airbag that changed my mind.
I used to slap this one down; but now I respect it.
You see, Klim caught a lot of flak for releasing an airbag with a monthly subscription. Don’t pay, don’t inflate. Sounds like a mob tactic, no?
But this commenter took the time to write it all out.
First of all, Klim didn’t start from scratch with this jacket. They partnered with a company called In&Motion, which has been developing motorcycle airbag systems and collecting crash data for years already. When you pay the subscription, you’re essentially paying for that mountain of data which allows the airbag to learn from every single crash anyone has with an In&Motion powered airbag. That’s pretty sweet.
What Klim is offering here is a choice, one which Alpinestars and Dainese don’t give you. That choice is to pay $400 up front plus $12/month or $120/year subscription cost for a wicked smart airbag jacket, or $700 up front for the works.
So at the end of the day, Klim is selling a similar product as Alpinestars and Dainese at around the same price, but offering riders a choice to defer that hefty up front cost over time.
However, Klim saves you money when it comes to reloading their jacket. As Geert politely pointed out in the comments, you can refill the Klim jacket yourself for about 90€. Alpinestars and Dainese, however, require you to send in your jacket to be refilled with their special process, which costs 169€ and 250€ respectively. That’s a whole lot of dough (and time) you’re wasting to get your gear ready to go again.
That all makes the Klim Ai-1 most definitely not a trick; it’s the best smart airbag on the market. I’d like to see a little more coverage around the shoulders like the Alpinestars Tech Air 5, but it beats not wearing the Tech Air 5 for a month while it’s away being refilled. The Klim can be reloaded on the side of the road!
Pick up the Klim Ai-1 at the link below, either for the base price plus subscription or fully bought out.
50x more protective than a jacket, this airbag delivers a unique pricing model that defers the up-front cost. Also cheaper to reload than other similar models.
Other Options for Motorcycle Airbag Vests, Jackets, and Suits
There are plenty more offerings from Alpinestars, Helite, and Dainese for all types of riders on Revzilla – even an airbag backpack! Check them all out here.
If you’re regularly hitting the track, do your friends and family a favor and pick up a full race suit with an integrated airbag: the Dainese Misano 3 D-Air Leather Suit (women’s version here).
Add a good helmet, gloves, and riding shoes and you’re good to go.
Cheap Motorcycle Airbags: Avoid Them!
I know cost is important. When I first started riding, I think I spent $100 on a decent lid and $30 on some bright blue gloves with plastic sliders (I thought I was a badass, touching knees and sliding out). That’s all I could afford, and my buddies rode with less.
Airbags do not come cheap, but in a crash they can save you many thousands of times there cost in medical bills, not to mention pain and agony.
So when someone sends me something like this $130 airbag on Amazon, I sigh and go get another cup of coffee – because I know I have a lot of writing to do.
The time honored slogan applies here: You get what you pay for.
When your choice is between $100,000 on medical bills and possible permanent loss of mobility for the rest of your life, or $750 on a good motorcycle airbag system, does that 0.000062% difference matter?
Helite, Alpinestars, and Dainese systems are all heavily tested and used by pros. You can watch the crash videos in MotoGP and see how amazing those race suit systems are in real-world crashes.
A $130 kit from Amazon that was tugged on by a bearded YouTuber once? I wouldn’t take my chances. Even if the tethered firing mechanism is equal to the Helite Turtle, you don’t know how strong or quality-assured the seams and materials are. It takes a few bad stitches to create a leak that renders the entire airbag useless in a crash.
I wouldn’t take my changes with that hospital bill if I were you. Just pick up the Alpinestars Tech Air 5 and hopefully you’ll walk away from your next crash.
Time for FAQs.
NEW: Airbag Jeans!
The gear company Mo’cycle in partnership with Helite released a pair of reinforced motorcycle airbag jeans that feature a simple airbag mechanism with a tether that attaches to your bike and inflates the jeans in the event of a crash.
This is the ultimate in motorcycle gear: looks casual and comfortable yet protects better than the most serious leathers worn by racers. And available for sales to the public at around $600.
Yes they’re expensive. Have you checked the bill for a skin graft on your leg or a broken tibia?
That’s what I thought. These are BY FAR the cheapest insurance policy and
FAQs
Are motorcycle airbags worn under or over a jacket?
Good question! Most airbags are worn over a jacket. But you might wonder, is the material strong enough? Take the Helite Turtle, for example – it uses Cordura, so it’s tough as nails and can withstand a nice hot meeting with the pavement. Sometimes, a mesh jacket will disintegrate while the Helite remains intact!
Is a motorcycle airbag jacket worth it?
Motorcycle airbag jackets are worth it, because they cost a tiny fraction of the injury they provide an amazing amount of protection against rib/chest, back, neck and spinal injuries. A motorcycle crash can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention pain and grief. There is a ton of data and anecdotal evidence that airbags reduce those costs to next to zero, even in very bad high speed crashes. Investing in a motorcycle airbag jacket might be the best decision you make for your safety on the road.
Can a motorcycle airbag go off while I’m riding?
Most likely, no. Tethered style airbags need about 60 pounds of force to activate. Computerized ones are even smarter, thanks to all the crash data collected and compiled in their algorithms. There are tons of Reddit threads where beginners worry about this, but actual airbag users say it doesn’t happen.
What size motorcycle airbag should I get?
When in doubt, size up a bit! Airbags inflate plenty, and you’ll want that extra size to fit over your jacket and layers while still giving you breathing room. Don’t forget to make sure it’s long enough as well.
Where should I tether a motorcycle airbag?
Attach it to the front of your bike frame, close to you. Whether it’s a rear-end or front-end collision, fast deployment usually covers all scenarios – even lowsides.
What motorcycle airbags are good for off-roading?
Off-roading increases the chances of triggering your airbag, but if it goes off, you’ll only need a new cartridge. Airbags are unmatched when it comes to absorbing high-force impacts and stabilizing your neck. The purpose built Alpinestars Tech-Air Off-Road is your best option, given it provides the full protection of an off-road armor kit and has 2 gas canisters ready at once.
All of Alpinestars latest airbag technology layered with hard protectors and packing 2 canisters for double deployments without refilling the suit.
What motorcycles have airbags?
Believe it or not, the Honda Gold Wing is the only motorcycle with built-in airbags, and they’re just in the front. But guess what? Honda recently filed a patent for an airbag that travels with the rider – how cool is that?
P.S. – Airbags are not as important as a good helmet. However, they might be second.
Geert Vijncke
10 months ago
Hi Evan, Thanks for the nice overview.
May I kindly ask to change your point of view regarding the KLIM airbag jacket.
Infact, regarding the In&Motion system behind that KLIM jacket. This identical system is integrated in IXON , Furygan,HELD,RST and it is brilliant.
PRICE : You are correct. There is the price of the jacket (KLIM or IXON or…) + the price of the subscription (In&Motion tech)
BUT. In&Motion gives you a choice for a lease formula to spread the costs( monthly or yearly) or a buy formula ( 1 payment for life with lifelong updates for free) and something in between ( 3 years lease to spread costs and one last restamount to buy it the 4th year). All the other brands do not give you these 3 choises.
When you buy the KLIM + buy (not lease) the IN&Motion tech,( so no subscription system) you will pay about the same price as an HELITE E-Turtle and a bit more then The Alpinestars Tech air 5 or the dainese smart jacket D-air.
BUT to reload the KLIM (In&motion) , you can do that yourself at a cost of 90€ (new inflator). Alpinestars will set you back 169€ because you have to send the vest to Alpinestars and Dainese will set you back 250€ to reload.
So after 1 reload you are cheaper with the In&Motion system ( KLIM,IXON,Furygan,RST,HELD)
Why is the In&Motion system brilliant ? It is the only system that harvests all riderdata automatically (over your WIFI when you load the battery, it syncs) and with all this data ,it updates,finetunes its algorythmes several times a year in all the boxes in use ( be it lease or buy) FOR FREE. They currently have 180.5 millions of km ridden data of all there users with data of 1000ts of crashes to learn from. No other brand has that much data (on circuit,and especially road conditions) and keeps on updating all their clients. I am a early user since 2019 of this system in an IXON airbagvest . I don’t pay monthly or yearly. I bought it and it gets al its updates for free with the newest algorythmes for 2024 already installed. After 5 years I am stil a fan. BTW, I do not get payed nor do I have any interest otherwise. I am just a bit annoyed, there is a lot of misinformation about the subscription system on the internet .
Evan Rally
8 months ago
Thank you for these thoughts! I am working on putting together a big in-person test of all the devices by one rider. He’s a friend of mine who rides mostly off-road and is a big fan of KLIM gear. I will work some of your numbers in to the article as well – that’s very useful to know.
josh
8 months ago
the airbag jeans look like they’ll protect your femurs but not so much your tibias or fibulas. (fibulae?)