The Airbag Vest Alpinestars Tech-Air® Off-Road System is a FIM homologated airbag system designed specifically to handle the rigors of rally riding and provide unrivalled upper body protection. Developed and tested since 2017, in the most grueling conditions of the Dakar Rally, the world’s toughest off-road race, the Tech-Air® Off-Road System offers the most advanced active airbag technology for off-road riding.
The Tech-Air® Off-Road System, with the active airbag inflated, delivers CE Level 1 full chest and full back protection, plus coverage to the shoulders, neck, and collarbones in the event of a crash. The System is integrated with an Alpinestars Off-Road Protection Jacket that is equipped with a Level 1 passive full back and limb protection, integrated protection on the arms and a CE Level 2 passive full chest protector to offering riders enhanced roost protection against rocks, debris, and other obstacles they may come into contact with on the trail.
The robust internal housing located in the built-in CE-certified Nucleon CELL back protector accommodates the system ECU and gas inflators, allowing the Tech-Air® Off-Road System to be worn with any Alpinestars’ Tech-Air® ready jacket, or any properly fitting motorcycling jacket.
Built tough enough to tackle any terrain, the system comes pre-loaded with three riding modes; ENDURO, RALLY, and STREET, making it the perfect choice for every type of off-road and street riding.
Protection:
- The world’s first dedicated off-road airbag system that delivers coverage on the chest, back, shoulders, and neck and provides comprehensive upper body protection
- Neck protection is provided by the airbag inflating around the neck in compliance with the FIM regulations
- A fully self-contained, standalone system; 3 accelerometers (1 triaxial accelerometer) and 3 gyroscopes (1 triaxial gyroscope) are integrated in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to provide the best crash monitoring performance and active airbag protection in a variety of dynamic off-road riding scenarios
- No external sensors are required for the system to operate
- Proven to be more than twice as protective as passive impact protectors
- FIM Cross Country Rally Regulations Homologated for race use
- Dual gas inflators deliver two airbag deployments for guaranteed protection
- Average inflation time of 52 milliseconds (depending on the size of the airbag – 40 milliseconds for smaller sizes and not longer than 60 milliseconds for the XXL size)
- Important: Neck protectors are NOT compatible with Airbag Systems, accordingly the Tech-Air® OFF-ROAD System is NOT compatible with the use of Alpinestars’ Bionic Neck Support (BNS) nor any other neck protections
Protection jacket tech specs:
- Premium materials combined with an innovative design and honeycomb Nucleon Cell technology create a passive protector that is highly ventilated, lightweight, ergonomic, and robust
- Constructed from a breathable stretch mesh for superior ventilation while keeping the protection close to the rider’s body, the protective garment is CE certified Class C under garment
- Slim fit stretchable fabric construction features a floating, highly ventilated, and flexible thermoformed chest protector for an optimal riding experience
- Both the chest and back protectors incorporate new Nucleon CELL Technology which is light, flexible and highly ventilated for enhanced performance
- The protection jacket’s passive chest protector is certified to CE Level 2, while the back, elbow and shoulder protectors are certified to CE Level 1, providing additional protection against impacts in key areas; elbows and shoulders protectors are replaceable
- Lateral zipper for a better fit and ease of use, and which allows the jacket to provide complete front chest protection
- Ergonomic design delivers exceptional rider comfort and freedom of movement
- Additional front padding on the arms and chest for enhanced roost protection
- Riding modes are easy to navigate while on the move via the LED display located on the front of the system, or via the Tech-Air® App
- The button enables on-the-fly ride mode switching, provides Tech-Air® system status and a battery level indicator
- The LED display features an integrated charging port for convenient and easy charging of the system; simply plug in the USB-C cable into the recharge port on the System’s LED Display and connect it to a power source
- The airbag has been fully certified for up to 4 airbag deployments before having to replace it, providing the airbag hasn’t been damaged in one of the first 3 deployments
- The Tech-Air® OFF-ROAD System features dual charge capability which means that with two full gas inflators, the System provides two separate airbag deployments, since only one gas inflator will deploy to inflate the entire Airbag System during a crash scenario
- Quick release cover opening allows for rapid gas inflator replacement by user, only available in countries where gas inflator replacement by individuals is permitted by local regulations
- The Tech-Air® Off-Road System’s ECU is seal-protected within the vest to ensure all-weather performance and the vest and componentry are certified to function between -10°C and 50°C
- The ECU has been homologated to ECE R10 04, which ensures the unit’s electromagnetic integrity and stability
- In order to maintain the warranty conditions, the ECU replacement and professional maintenance checks must be carried out by an authorized service center
- The recommended maintenance check interval is 2 years or 500 hours of active use (as recorded by the system)
Key features:
- The Tech-Air® OFF-ROAD System uses an integrated, certified lithium-ion battery, with a fully charged battery life of 30 hours and a recharge time of approximately 4 hours; charging the battery for approximately 1 hour will provide approximately 8 hours of riding time use
- The data collected during hours and hours of testing by professional riders have been carefully evaluated and used to enhance the system’s algorithm of accident evaluation; data collected through the use of the system in traffic will be used to further enhance the algorithm
- Ease of use; to turn on the Tech-Air® Off-Road System, simply zip up the system and it will automatically turn on and activate the airbag system. To deactivate the airbag, unzip the system and it will automatically turn off
- The Tech-Air® Off-Road System provides protection in ENDURO, RALLY, and STREET Modes including crashes against obstacles and loss of control falls (commonly referred to as ‘low-side’ and ‘high-side’ type falls)
- ENDURO Mode is optimized for low and medium speed trails where the User rides on unpaved surfaces like gravel, riverbeds, mud, and other natural terrain. Typically, these riding scenarios include several changes in riding directions, tackling obstacles and hills at lower speeds
- RALLY Mode is optimized for fast off-road action on any type of terrain and recommended for riding characterized by longer straight sections with multiple bumps and different types of terrain crossed at higher speeds, unlikely encountered in typical Enduro competitions. Typical environments where these riding scenarios occur are mainly characterized by desert terrain (with dunes and sandy ground), gravel and open countryside settings
- STREET Mode is optimized for asphalt roads including situations in which the rider’s motorcycle is hit by another vehicle while stopped
- Water bladder compatible: back holder for a hydration pack with 1.5-3-liter capacity already included – the chassis features a hydration pocket and hose routing for long rides
- Bluetooth connectivity to a Tech-Air® App (Android / iOS) means the System’s operational status, battery status and My Ride Trip recording can also be easily accessed on a mobile device, subject to network coverage
- Users can easily update the system’s firmware when improved crash-detection algorithms are released via the Tech-Air® App
- The Tech-Air® Off-Road System comes with a USB charger for quick and easy charging of the battery
- The Tech-Air® Off-Road System’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and airbag are completely removable so that the Protection Jacket can be washed separately