The Spidi Air DPS Airbag Vest provides peace-of-mind for riders and is easy to use. (Photos by the author)

Airbag vests have come a long way since I started wearing them eight years ago. The primary evolution has been the introduction of electronic/battery powered airbag vests and the steady improvement of mechanical ones like this Spidi Air DPS. 

In general, I prefer the simplicity of mechanical vests ? there?s less to go wrong, so long as the rider simply remembers to buckle up before each ride. There are no batteries to degrade or to forget to recharge and no additional electronics to fail. However, other riders (especially those who get on and off the bike often, like delivery service providers) prefer the convenience of electronic vests.  
Either way, the safety benefits of wearable airbags have now been confirmed by hundreds (if not thousands) of online testimonials by riders who have walked away from what should have been far more serious injuries after crashing. I?m a believer, as is the Rider staff, who now wear airbag vests on every test bike and press launch! 

Spidi?s Air DPS vest is a mechanically actuated airbag that the rider wears over their usual jacket. Once aboard, a coiled wire leash attached to the motorcycle is snapped to a matching tether on the vest. If the rider is ejected from the motorcycle, the tether on the vest is violently pulled, activating a piston, which then punctures an integrated 60cc CO2 cartridge. The ...