Three New Tech Innovations That Have Made Riding a Motorbike Safer

Any innovation that can make riding on two wheels safer – in a cost-effective way – is always gratefully welcomed by the biking community.

04:12 25 May 2023

Any innovation that can make riding on two wheels safer – in a cost-effective way – is always gratefully welcomed by the biking community.

When it comes to riding a motorbike specifically, some of the latest tech innovations are making life so much safer for those that ride at high speeds or in areas of considerable traffic.

If you’re looking for ways to make your commute or leisure riding safer, these new tech developments are almost certain to help.

Multi-Directional Helmets

When you watch a professional motorcycle rider gliding around the track, it’s easy to forget that they are reaching speeds of up to 200mph.

In British Superbikes, where the likes of Kyle Ryde, Tommy Bridewell and Josh Brookes lead the way in the BSB betting odds after three rounds of action, the competitors can complete a lap of famous circuits such as Brand’s Hatch in as little as 86 seconds.

The awkward truth is that crashes and falls at that speed can be fatal, but then so can collisions on everyday roads when a rider has not invested in appropriate safety equipment.

The new range of MIPS helmets – Multi-Directional Impact Protection System – are designed to minimise head trauma during a crash using tech that hasn’t been utilised before.

The idea is that, upon impact, your helmet can take the full force of a blow while ensuring your head remains stationary – crucial for minimising the risk of ‘rotational motion trauma’, which is often the root cause of some of the most devastating injuries during a crash.

A MIPS helmet does not guarantee a 100% success rate of protection against head and brain injuries, but the research that led to their creation is eye-opening – reducing rotational motion trauma is vital in combating the threat of life-changing injury during a crash.

Motorcycle Airbags

Okay, so the motorcycle itself doesn’t have an airbag built into it, but an innovation that can reduce injury during a crash is an airbag jacket or vest.

These automatically inflate when the sensors built into them detect you’re in the midst of a crash, creating an extra layer of protection that can minimise the impact of hitting the ground or another vehicle.

The tech built into the airbag is essentially an algorithm that can pinpoint significant changes in riding activity – the sort that typically accompanies a crash when a rider attempts to quickly steer away from a situation.

Many superbike and MotoGP riders have adopted an airbag jacket for one simple reason: they can reduce crash velocity by up to 60%.

Airbag Jeans

The airbag jacket helps to minimise the damage of crashes to the abdomen and torso, but what about the lower half of the body?

Fashion tech companies have come up with airbag trousers – in the style of a pair of jeans – that inflate once a crash has been detected. These can help to protect against cuts, grazes and even broken bones; the sort of injuries that are very common in motorcycle accidents and which can have long-lasting implications for the rider.

Great strides are being made to help motorcycle riding become safer, with new technological innovations at the heart of the drive.