Hitting the old bag

**parsley** · 5th October 2005, 06:20

Motorcyclists could be saved by airbags
17 September 2005

AFTER 15 years of research, Honda has announced it will introduce the first airbag system for motorbikes next year.

Four crash sensors mounted on the front fork of the bike detect the deceleration caused by a collision. This alerts an electronic control unit, which triggers an airbag in front of the rider to inflate. The bag inflates just 60 milliseconds after the moment of impact.

The airbag absorbs some of the forward energy of the rider and reduces the speed at which they are thrown from the bike. Honda says the system can significantly reduce fatalities and the severity of injuries in head-on collisions. It does not protect against collisions from the side or rear.

The airbag system will make its first appearance on Honda's Gold Wing touring bikes in the US in early 2006, and in Europe later in the year.

From issue 2517 of New Scientist magazine, 17 September 2005, page 19

**placidfemme** · 5th October 2005, 06:33

I'm not fully convinced that airbags are that safe... but good on Honda for making the effort...

**Sniper** · 5th October 2005, 06:35

When I first saw this thread I thought you were a wife beater

Personally Im none too keen on airbags on bikes. Im not too keen on airbags fullstop. The idea of me flying forward at 100kph and something rushing towards me at 300kph just doesn't sound apealling. I know Im proberbly wrong, but employing the typical male brain to the physics involved means instead of me still flying forward I will end up flying backwards onto the road in preperation for the next vehicle to run over me.

Or what happens if you are knee down and half off the bike when it goes off. You will end up like a spinning top making bling noises everytime you connect with something.

Airbags........ nah, not for me.

**Lou Girardin** · 5th October 2005, 07:10

Honda seems to be getting their divisions confused. Bikes aren't cars, the only way to be safe is to avoid hitting things.

**Smorg** · 5th October 2005, 07:38

I feel as though ive posted this before but wouldn't they just act like ejector seats?
Send you flying in the opposite direction

i can't really see how they would be effective i mean it's not like if we crash we hit our head on the steering wheel or dashboard (except for goldwings) maybe if they started installing them on the outside of cages

**steved** · 5th October 2005, 08:00

Originally Posted by Smorgen

I feel as though ive posted this before but wouldn't they just act like ejector seats?
Send you flying in the opposite direction

i can't really see how they would be effective i mean it's not like if we crash we hit our head on the steering wheel or dashboard (except for goldwings) maybe if they started installing them on the outside of cages

If you have a seat-belt (Gold-Wing?) then they would work fine

I think external airbags have already been looked at for pedestrian safety. But who wants to pay for someone elses safety when buying a car?

**Smorg** · 5th October 2005, 08:05

Originally Posted by steved

But who wants to pay for someone elses safety when buying a car?

Who wants to buy a car

**dawnrazor** · 5th October 2005, 09:30

I thought BMW or dianese made helmets and jackets that effectively had airbags around the neck that would go off in event of a crash (not sure how) and protect the neck and cushion the impact. I think the firing mechcanism was the achilles heel though.

**Toast** · 5th October 2005, 09:38

Originally Posted by Sniper

When I first saw this thread I thought you were a wife beater

Personally Im none too keen on airbags on bikes. Im not too keen on airbags fullstop. The idea of me flying forward at 100kph and something rushing towards me at 300kph just doesn't sound apealling. I know Im proberbly wrong, but employing the typical male brain to the physics involved means instead of me still flying forward I will end up flying backwards onto the road in preperation for the next vehicle to run over me.

But then you weight a lot more than the airbag which is coming at you at high speed...so if you look at the momentum of each body (you, airbag) you're probably not gonna be thrown back, but rather be swallowed up by it like on those crash test dummy videos you see about the place.

**InDeSkyz** · 5th October 2005, 09:45

I want to see lots of demostration videos on this invention.

**Pixie** · 5th October 2005, 09:49

Originally Posted by Smorgen

I feel as though ive posted this before but wouldn't they just act like ejector seats?
Send you flying in the opposite direction

i can't really see how they would be effective i mean it's not like if we crash we hit our head on the steering wheel or dashboard (except for goldwings) maybe if they started installing them on the outside of cages

any airbag won't accelerate a body in any direction,it wil just act as a cushion

**Pixie** · 5th October 2005, 09:52

Originally Posted by dawnrazor

I thought BMW or dianese made helmets and jackets that effectively had airbags around the neck that would go off in event of a crash (not sure how) and protect the neck and cushion the impact. I think the firing mechcanism was the achilles heel though.

So it had a wire to the boot?

Spidi make an airbag jacket

**FROSTY:Me** · 5th October 2005, 10:02

the spidi jacket looks like a good idea. -it attaches to the bike with a teather -like a racers kill switch. if ya come off and unplug the teather a gas cylinder instantly inflates the jacket so you're like the michellen man.
I have mental images of skinny ol white trash blowing up mid corner and bouncing down the road like a rubber ball