BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Does anyone use an air vest when riding or have any views on them? As a Blood Biking group we have been offered a discount on them. Apparently quite a few Police Forces are now using them as well as Paramedics.

Casbar wrote: Does anyone use an air vest when riding or have any views on them? As a Blood Biking group we have been offered a discount on them. Apparently quite a few Police Forces are now using them as well as Paramedics.

Casbar had the opportunity to see these jackets and try one out when activated. But it comes down to choice as with any piece of safety equipment, its useful when needed.


Would I wear one if provided "yes" but would I go out a buy one "no" so i can understand that police forces and paramedics are being supplied them as part of there day to day protective equipment.

I have an 'Hit Air' vest which I've been using for a couple of months.


It looks pretty much like a regular Hi-viz with just a little extra bulk. I don't really notice the difference now though when I'm riding. I found it difficult to remember to hook it up to the bike when I first had it (and unhook when I got off) but I blame that on my age.


I had a slow speed off a few weeks ago which left me lying on the grass verge doing an impression of 'Michelin Man' and wondering why I couldn't move. I was impressed with the support it gave to my lower spine and neck though. It was a bit of a faff to fold it all back up and I had to buy a new CO2 cylinder at £20 or so but it affirmed my faith in the system.


I bought the new cylinder from an equestrian centre as Donkey Wallopers apparently use them a lot. All in all well impressed but I hope I never have to use it again.
8)

I use a Hit Air VHR vest that fits great. Black with retroreflective trim.
Been using it for the last year...about 12,000 miles.



You need to find a good place to anchor the lanyard on the bike and trim it to fit...but once adjusted and you use the vest a few times it becomes second nature.

Both my wife and I have Hit Air vests; we wouldn't ride without them now.

BTW, it's not uncommon to see the VHR vests go for $500-550 each (the Helite brand vests run around $650) ; I ordered mine from a shop in Japan and got TWO vests for about $550 total with shipping to the USA, minus the CO2 cartridges (apparently they couldn't ship the cartridges).

I bought the cartridges from a Hit Air dealer in the States for about $20/each.

Ride safe!

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If you get off the bike, and forget to detach yourself, will it set the air vest off?


If so, I can well imagine I would do that!

Sullivj wrote: If you get off the bike, and forget to detach yourself, will it set the air vest off?


If so, I can well imagine I would do that!

it takes a really hard tug to fire the cartridge - such as you and the bike departing in opposite directions.


As you try to step away from the bike you will soon realise that you are still attached!

Thought they were now available with no tethering to the bike.  The BM/Alpinstar one is.

Problem we will have for blood biking is - We ride different bikes, so guess will need mounting lanyards on all bikes, plus we have to wear the blood bike jackets, so the vest will have to go underneath. Spoke to Helite who say you can wear it underneath a jacket but you should up size the jacket. Guess the Police must wear under their jackets as the hi viz vests don't come with any markings.

RTman10 wrote: Thought they were now available with no tethering to the bike.  The BM/Alpinstar one is.

The Alpinestar works independent of the bike but only works with suitable Alpinestar jackets and costs considerably more than the tethered types.

Casbar wrote: Problem we will have for blood biking is - We ride different bikes, so guess will need mounting lanyards on all bikes, plus we have to wear the blood bike jackets, so the vest will have to go underneath. Spoke to Helite who say you can wear it underneath a jacket but you should up size the jacket. Guess the Police must wear under their jackets as the hi viz vests don't come with any markings.

Casbar, you may find that it now manufactured into the jacket as one piece.


Cuts down having another layer to put on. Jackets are around £600 but maybe slightly cheaper. So they come in around the same price leave as Rukka jackets. Could also be designed to meet emergency service specification.

Helite supply the Police, but wasn't clear if they had special jackets or wore the vest under their outer jackets. In the Blood bike world, we wouldn't have special jackets, and would have to wear under our outer jacket, which is really just a full tabard i.e. no pockets.

Ive had a Point 2 vest for about three years.  Like Helite they inflate in 0.08 seconds, approximately 3 to 5 times quicker than the others in the market.


A couple of years ago I spoke with a sidecar racer at a bike show, she told that she had crashed wearing hers many times and always walked away,


https://pointtwoairvests.com/pages/motorcycle-products

It takes approximately 66 pounds of force to trigger the Hit Air...never had a problem with inadvertent deployment.
Yes, you need a lanyard to attach to each bike...but they are inexpensive. I also bought the small 'holder' lanyards for the back seat position to keep the passenger cord from whipping about while riding 1-up...they clip into the lanyard and keep it tidy.
As far as deployment time, the cervical collar section of the Hit Air inflates in 90mS...the rest fully inflates in 250mS from triggering; plenty fast.


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I have had one for a couple of years (Helite2), I anchor it under the seat at the front, its no problem and when I get off the bike and forget to unplug it does not go off.
When I tried it on at the MCN show a couple of years ago it seemed silly not to have it, I spent £ 500 on my helmet why would I not want to protect the rest of me? Well that's how I justified the £400 cost.
Fortunately I have not had to find out how good it is but I was chatting to a guy who had to use his and he said that if he had not been wearing it on his crash then we would not of been having the conversation.

Sounds worth doing, thanks for the feedback