Dainese D-air Racing coming to USA
The D-air Racing system is expected to be available for the North American market by September. The wireless airbag system will come in the off-the-rack Misano race suit, with the custom made-to-measure Mugello version expected to follow. The suits outfitted with the D-air Racing system are for track use only, as Dainese explains that its research shows that falls on the track are very different than ones on the road. The road version, called D-air Street, is still in the homologation process for United States.
Here is the press release from Dainese, along with videos of the D-air evolution.
Costa Mesa, CA (June 1, 2015) – During a launch event held June 1, 2015 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.
Presentation of the Dainese D-air airbag’s prototype
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 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.
First inflation of D-air Racing at Valencia MotoGP in 2007
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.
First D-air Street crash test
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 opens in just 45 milliseconds (15ms triggering time plus 30 ms deployment time), protecting the shoulders, neck 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.
Dainese D-air Racing airbag stunt test in Adria
The Misano suit will be available for $2499 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-percent 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 after-sales 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.”
www.dainese.com
