Lets Talk Airbag Experiences...

I have a Tech-Air. Had two low sides this year, one very slow in T2 at Indy, and a fast T1 crash at Barber. I never felt the airbag go off either time. I'm updating the firmware, and it says one fired at 58 hours. The bag has 73 hours on it now... the timing makes no sense for either crash, as they happened ~hour 67 and 72. Weird.

My teammate has had his supposedly deploy twice, and he's never felt it either. Does it just deflate fast?

Now that they've been our for a while - wondering if this is common, or if you've had yours blow up like Crutchlow's does.

 

I know the instructions say we’re supposed to send them back every 2 years for an inspection and refresh. How old is yours? I’m guessing you would send it back to Astar with the description that you never felt an inflation event. Maybe they can tell by how the bags are folded or not as the case may be.

I watched some YouTube videos of them being set off to test them and they definitely inflate, not to Crutchlow levels, but I’m guessing the engineers might give him a little extra inflation knowing his history.

 

I have two seasons on it now - going to send it back to have it 'recharged' and have it inspected. Just trying to collect some data on others experiences.

 

I definitely felt it, it crushes your whole upper body and takes a while to deflate (30 seconds?) so you walk around like the Michelin man for a while. Maybe you or your friend's suit or vest is too big?

I've had two lowsides with the bag on, one low speed (30 mph), and one higher (80 mph), the software decided not the deploy on the slower one, and did on the second. I agree w/ the software that it wasn't necessary on the low speed one and definitely saved me some rib/shoulder injury on the second.

 

I high-sided wearing mine, it says it went off. I have no recollection of it going off.
I got up and ran over to my bike to pick it up, it wasn't inflated so much that I remember my movement being hindered at that point, however much later that was.
Notably I didn't bang up my shoulder at all, despite landing on it.

 

Recent lowside about ~65mph(need to look at the data) tumbled, no inflation. The vest is 1.5 yrs old. I'll look at the firmware, not updated since purchase.

 

This reminds me to update the firmware on my A* as well - thanks!

 

These should be going off and you should definitely know it is deployed.. you will feel it!
If they are not working there is no sense having it. Update it or send it back. It may be out of charges..
1-safety my brothers and sisters...

 

My D-Air has gone off once in 2 crashes. The first crash was a 30 MPH lowside and the suit did NOT inflate. I don't believe it's supposed to at that speed, it's outside the parameters. The second was also a lowside but probably on the order of 60-ish MPH. Turn 5 Road America. You definitely know when it inflates. I could not put my arms down, kind of like the kid in A Christmas Story. It was inflated for several minutes, I remember walking around like that for several minutes after. There is video of it from the MA crew. At some point between then and when I got back to the pits, it deflated.

One of my good friends crashed entering the chicane at Daytona. The bag did not inflate immediately, but as soon as he began to tumble it inflated instantly. Also D-air.

Not sure how the Tech Air works, but you have to be careful to disarm them when not on the bike. This is done on the D-air by not buttoning the top button and putting the little plastic protector on the buttons.

Sounds like maybe yours was armed and went off in the trailer on the way home.

 

With the Tech Air you can look at the different LED lights and see if one or both of the charges have been deployed.

 

Get a hit air. I know it aint fancy schmancy but it deployed and saved my life. Forget all that electronic nonsense.

The hit air is tethered to the bike and it went off as designed. I felt it go off and it takes a while to deflate.

Keep it stupid simple.

 

I had two crashes on my tech air unit. One on flat track and another at the Pittsburgh MA event this year. Both times the data says it deployed but it did not inflate.

I remember immediately thinking “wow I wish that airbag inflated because that hurt.” watching video of the crash I can see it did not inflate.

When I asked A* about why it didn’t they said the ‘computer says it did. That’ll be $300.’

 

Another Hit-Air plug here.

high side with cracked helmet and bruise with swelling the size of a football on my right hip/butt. That little vest (version one, upper body only) saved my head and neck. Tether did it’s job, replaced the cartridge and it was ready to go again.

 

Crashed 3x in Hit Air...only once as high side. Like landing on pillows!

Interestingly, I contacted A-Stars directly about 2 yr refresh of my Tech Air right before I sold it to make sure it was 100% and they said don't bother it's fine.

 

That Pitt crash should have been a clear inflation event. And experience shows that time slows down and you become hyper aware during these crashes so if you say it didn’t inflate, I wouldn’t question it not inflating for a moment. Maybe the airbag couldn’t overcome those linebacker muscles that Floyd talks about so much....

 

You guys remind me to charge my Astars Vest-
Here are some guidelines to follow when starting
Remember to Keep it ON with the master switch- unless storing or shipping.

 

Here is a pic of master switch

 

Did I crash in one of those? What happened again? Lol

 

Thats was a day....

Ever get the fish out of your belly pan?

 

My experience with Dainese has been exactly the opposite. Had two deployments, both were super obvious - not sure I felt it “deploy” per se because I was a bit distracted with the crashing, but it was super obvious as soon as I got up that I couldn’t put my arms down, and took minutes to deflate. I say my experience was the opposite because in both cased I was annoyed at the inflation. I bought dainese specifically because unlike A* they claim not to inflate on low-side slides. Both my crashes were low-sides and I’m confident I would have been 100% fine without the airbag, but had to pay hundreds of dollars for each anyway. I’m sticking with the system because if I ever have a truly bad crash, the extra money I’ve spent on the airbag will be worth it to protect me.