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Helite's Airbag for Cyclists Is Revolutionizing Motorcycle Safety

Can a single company cut down motorcycle deaths for years to come? Helite claims they have the answer to the motorcycle safety we've always hoped for.

By Skunk UzekiPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
Top Story - December 2018
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"You really shouldn't ride those things; they aren't safe."

It's a phrase that every single biker has heard at least once, and sadly, there is some truth to the warnings. Riding a motorcycle is far more dangerous than driving a car.

Simple physics explains why. When you're riding a motorcycle, you have less mass between you and the source of the impact. Because there's less material potentially cushioning the blow, your body will take most of the damage.

Motorcycles are also far easier to crash. Four wheels are more stable than two, and that also comes into account. Considering all this, one would hope that bikes became somewhat safer, right?

Up until fairly recently, motorcycles remained risky rides to own. Helite is one of the first companies to create an invention that may save riders' lives.

The biggest issue with adding motorcycle safety features is the motorcycle design itself.

Motorcycles are built to let people ride free. They aren't about going from place to place in a functional, family-friendly way. If people wanted family-friendly machines, they would get an SUV or a sedan.

The reason people ride bikes is because they want to feel the wind in their hair. They want the thrill of the open road—and that means that motorcycles themselves will have to be much more open, light, and bare, at least compared to a car.

The lack of built-in walls makes it hard to keep cycles safe on their own, which is why most bikers gear up.

With cars, any point of impact will be absorbed primarily by the walls of the car. The bumper gets bumps, the doors get knocked in, and the trunk gets truncated.

Since motorcycles don't have that bulk, the traditional way people would fix things up would be to wear items that could provide some cushion against the blow—such as leather, steel plates, and helmets, which all tend to protect against rough falls.

The Adventure Airbag Jacket looks like a regular jacket, but it's really one of the most advanced motorcycle safety devices out there. This jacket has built-in airbags that deploy on impact, guarding the wearer against serious internal organ damage.

Each jacket is made of high durability Cordura, and packed with thermal goods to keep you warm while your ride. Hidden armor in your back and shoulder areas help deflect the most at-risk areas of impact.

Motorcyclists are, if nothing else, extremely individualistic. This means that seeing a bunch of bikers wearing the same coat probably won't happen. Helite realized this, and created a line of jackets and vests tailored to suit each motorcyclist's style.

Gorgeous leather jackets, reflective vests, and sporty-chic windbreakers are all there. You get to choose the style you want, as well as the amount of coverage that you need.

The jackets can be worn in the rain, under backpacks, and even comes with a four-year warranty.

Versatility is what makes Helite's airbag jackets so uniquely viable. They work with the biker lifestyle and are designed to keep you safe without problems related to weather, bulk, or similar rugged issues.

Nothing could be more terrifying than driving down a road and having your vest's airbag deploy without warning. Helite made sure that the mechanical trigger that deploys your airbag will not interfere with your driving sessions.

The trigger itself can be manually deployed, or can deploy on its own under extreme shock. It will not be deployed during regular riding or increased pressure from your riding position.

When the jacket's trigger is deployed, it will expand in under a tenth of a second. The foam will keep your body cushioned as the airbag inflates, yet won't have you feeling smothered.

When the airbag is deployed, you will still be able to get up, walk around, and breathe. It's designed to help cushion the shock at impact, not harm your ability to get away from a crash.

Use it again and again.

Many motorcyclists will not experience just one crash; they will experience several in their lifetimes. Helite is aware of this, and has actually come up with a solution that will make environmentalists smile.

Unlike other airbags, such as the ones found in cars and trucks, Helite wearable airbags are reusable in most circumstances. As long as you maintain them and test them, you will be able to reuse them for every adventure you want to take.

Soon, Helite won't just be making airbags for bikers.

Bikers will definitely find use in their wearable air bags, but that's not all that Helite intends on making safer. Recently, Helite has unveiled their specialized wearable vests for cyclists, which use the very same smart technology to detect when a crash has occurred.

Thanks to Helite, we're entering an era where traveling on two wheels has become a safer prospect—and that makes the world a better place for everyone on the road.

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About the Creator

Skunk Uzeki

Skunk Uzeki is an androgynous pothead and a hard partier. When they aren't drinking and causing trouble, they're writing articles about the fun times they have.

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