Dainese has revised some of its information regarding the D-Air airbag system installed in some of its racing suits. Dainese is no longer claiming a 15-millisecond triggering time for the D-Air airbag, revising the claimed inflation time to 30 milliseconds. Also, while the D-Air airbag directly protects the shoulders and collarbone, it only prevents the neck from hyperextension. Therefore, Dainese is no longer claiming that the system “protects” the neck—only the shoulders and collarbones.
The revised news release is below:
COSTA MESA, Calif. – During a launch event held last month at D-Store Orange County, Dainese USA announced that the company’s state-of-the-art D|air Racing technology will be made available to North American customers in September of this year.
Dainese has a long history of establishing innovation breakthroughs in protective gear for motorcyclists, having invented the back protector, knee slider and more. That tradition continued in the field of wireless airbag technology, with the Italy-based company demonstrating a D|air prototype in 2000 at the Munich motorcycle show. The track-focused D|air Racing system went on to become the first motorcycle airbag (suit) to be deployed in a MotoGP event, at the 2007 Valencia Grand Prix, by which time Dainese had also begun developing a road-going version of the system, called D|air Street.
Following an exhaustive R&D period that included vital input from MotoGP riders like Valentino Rossi, Dainese launched version 1.0 of D|air Racing in 2011 and D|air Street in 2012, both for European customers. Last year saw the introduction of D|air Ski, as well as Ducati’s launch of the Multistrada D|air, a production motorcycle with a factory-fitted wireless system that communicates with D|air jackets. Now, the latest iteration of D|air Racing will also be available in the U.S. market, by September with the off-the-rack Misano race suit, and afterward with the made-to-measure Mugello version. D|air is the first wireless airbag system available to motorcyclists in North America.
The Misano suit’s aerodynamic back-hump houses seven sensors, three accelerometers, three gyroscopes and a GPS. The rider’s movements are monitored constantly, and when an eminent crash is detected, a sophisticated algorithm is used to trigger a Cool Gas Generator. The 4 liter airbag has a deployment time of just 30 milliseconds and protects the shoulders and collarbones; a blink of an eye typically takes 300 to 400 ms. D|air Racing also includes a data-acquisition feature that monitors riding performance. Information on lap times, speed, acceleration, braking distances and cornering lines can be downloaded to a computer.
The Misano suit will be available for $2,499 through Dainese D-Stores, D-Corner dealerships, top Dainese resellers and www.dainese.com. An optional Extended Service Package is offered for $299, providing unlimited re-arming for two years, plus a 15% discount for crash-damage repairs.
“We’re very excited to bring D|air Racing to North America,” said Roberto Sadowsky, Dainese USA VP of Operations. “As usual, Dainese has broken new trail with this technology, but we’ve also followed a deliberate, responsible, transparent process that involved obtaining certification from internationally recognized and respected organizations, and establishing the appropriate aftersales support structure. With D|air Racing, track riders in North America will know they’re protected by the most technologically advanced safety-apparel system available.”
Dainese D|air is designed strictly for use on road racing tracks and is not intended for use on the road.
About Dainese
Founded in 1972 by company president Lino Dainese, Dainese produces protective wear for motorcycling, mountain
biking, winter sports and equestrian use. In 2007, the company acquired premium race and sport helmet manufacturer AGV. Dainese and AGV protective products showcase some of the most innovative technologies in action sports and are used by the world’s top riders. Headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, Dainese is distributed in North America exclusively by Dainese USA, which, along with Parts Unlimited, also distributes AGV helmets.