[BrianGorrell]

Hope this is of interest to some of you:

I recently met and visited with a fellow Goldwinger - Rick Mays - who has been great helping me out with my new bike... Anyway when I visited him at his house I showed him my Motorcycle Jacket, a fantastic product made by a company called "Impact Jacket, LLC"... The jacket is very high quality, has the standard compliment of CE armor, fully adjustable fitting, very durable and snug... What really makes this jacket different though is the fact it has a CO2 cartridge system installed low on the right side which connects via a simple tether to the motorcycle. Integrated into the jacket is a full torso and neck supported airbag system! I can already hear the jeers even as I type, but I must say I spent over six months researching all of these type products and the Impact Jacket is first rate. The greatest testiment to this fact is that the Impact Jacket is now being used by the Georgia State Highway Patrol Motorcycle Division - there are also four other state agencies around the country currently in testing and evaluation...

In Japan, Europe, and other locations this technology is already being frequently used... Basically when between 30-50 foot pounds of force is applied to the tether cord (as in an accidental get-off) the tether cord will release from the motorcycle and at the same moment inflate the jacket. It takes between 250-400 milliseconds to completely inflate - yes I realize that is too slow to be very effective in a direct head-on collision, but in many typical wrecks the biker would see significant protection from this product as you would bounce off the pavement or another object many times during a crash. Rick, being a retired fireman, commented he felt the jacket would be an important piece of safety equipment in his opinion as well - having seen more than his share of motorcycle wrecks...

Sorry, I am not trying to be an advertisement for this product, but I firmly believe in the safety advantages of the jacket... It also looks very cool, and in no way can you tell it has this oddball airbag system - just looks like a sporty riding jacket...

Here is the link to the company's website below. I have communicated several times with the president of the company, Charles Paige, and he is an honest man putting out a product worthy of our attention. Here is a link:

http://www.impactjackets.com/


Here is a link to a Google Video showing the jacket being deployed:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... act+jacket

I am perhaps one of the few motorcylists in the country now riding a motorcycle with an integrated airbag and also wearing an airbag jacket - sounds unique eh? :shock:

Thanks and ride safe,
Brian G

 

[ddking]

I live in Georgia. Anything the state agencies of Georgia implement should be suspect. :lol: If I were to get one of those jackets, I'd have to carry a large supply of CO2 cartridges. I'd forget to unhook it fer sure when getting off. :lol:

Sounds like a great idea, Brian. How's the new seat?

 

[BACKDRAFT]

Perhaps as the sales increase this item may become more affordable. Pants may be forthcoming as well. We can only hope.

You can never have enough protection.

Ride safe!

 

[Ky. Slim]

What happens if you forget you're connected to the bike and accidentally inflat the jacket?...is that it?...purchase a new one?

 

[kikker]

Take a look at the video. It's pretty impressive and it gives instruction on how it works and how to service it after the airbag has been deployed.
http://www.impactjackets.com/videos.html

 

[Rinkopr]

HERE IS ANOTHER BRAND http://www.hit-air.com/english/main.html

I saw it at Biketoberfest. Mot cheap at $640, but than again neither are Arai helmets. If you forget to unhook, you simply replace the CO2 cartridge and rpack the inflate sections

 

[BrianGorrell]

If you forget to unhook the tether when you get off - it is very unlikely it will go off because it requires a significant tug (30-45 foot pounds of force) to set the mechanism off. So you will just feel a tug on the jacket reminding you to unhook.

If it does go off accidentally, you just unscrew the CO2 cartridge, roll the air out of the jacket carefully, and then install a new cartridge which costs less than $10 each - that's it!

I actually also own the Hit-Air Jacket as well. I honestly must say the Impact Jacket is in my opinion a significantly better product. The fit is better, the adjustability of the jacket is better. Most important to me though is the fact on the Hit-Air Jacket the CO2 cartridge is placed on the right side of the chest in the front, about breast level. In the Impact Jacket, the CO2 cartridge is low on the right side and is positioned in a safer location to not cause an additional injury...

I will be making a blog complete with a video of the jacket soon - I will post a link for those interested. I truly believe this product can save lives - and it is easy to use, wear, and looks totally like any other jacket...

Also - I forgot to mention I have my WingSoft Large Complete Seat modification back on my Goldwing now. I must say it is a really great seat. I now have no concerns about my knees hitting the fairing, the heated seat still works fine, and the Utopia backrest is killer! At first, my co-rider(s) were complaining about being cramped - I then realized I could adjust the Utopia backrest higher (came in lowest position) and then the co-rider's legs would fit under the backrest - so now all is good!

Thanks!
Brian

 

[The Rackerberian]

Brian - which version of the jacket do you have? Is it something you can see yourself using in 100 degree summer heat? I see they have a mesh version, which may be usable in the summer if it allows enough airflow.

I like the concept.

 

[mattcaswell]

I also like the idea and since I'm in Phoenix, I'd be interested in the Mesh Version as well. Anything I can do, aside from wearing a chain mail suit, to improve my chances.. I'm in favor of!

matt

 

[BrianGorrell]

Brian - which version of the jacket do you have? Is it something you can see yourself using in 100 degree summer heat? I see they have a mesh version, which may be usable in the summer if it allows enough airflow.

I like the concept.

The Jacket I have is the Red "Pharaoh Model". Here are the specs:

Shell fabric: 100% Mesh
Waterproof Rain/Wind liner
Scotchlite 3M Reflective Material
S.A.T. Shock Absorbing Technology
MP3 Player access hole
CE Armor in Shoulders and Elbows
Adjustable Sleeves, Waist and Cuffs
Two front pockets
Lower Back AVA padding and Shoulder AVA padding
Airbag Type B
Rear Zipper Pants Attacher

It is a Mesh type jacket. The liner is removable and it breaths very well without the liner. I went for one ride with the liner out so far on about a 60-65 degree day. I was quite cold because the air comes right through - so I would think it would be cool enough for summer riding. I also have the Hit-Air Jacket which is also mesh - I rode it all through this past summer - like the Impact Jacket better though...

The 3M Reflective Material is substantial as well - my wife rode behind me in the car recently and commented about how reflective it is - really shines in the dark...

Before I acquired the Impact Jacket, I was sold on the Hit-Air Jacket. The Hit-Air is also a quality product, I just like the Impact product better. My point? I created a review type page of the Hit-Air Jacket complete with several videos - one video even shows the jacket being deployed. I tethered myself to my basketball goal and threw myself backwards to set it off... I plan to make a similar review page for the Impact Jacket soon. If you are interested, here is the link to my Hit-Air review page:

http://www.briangorrell.com/hitair.htm

Thanks,
Brian

 

[BrianGorrell]

Also, an FYI - here is a link to where I acquired the Hit-Air Jacket - the exact model I have - the cost is $499:

http://www.bikebone.com/page/BBSC/PROD/AT/MS

Here is a link to the Impact Jacket I have - the cost is $395:

http://www.impactjackets.com/cgi-bin/ez ... t_0100.xsl

- Brian