Guess everything's relative; just checked the high for Halifax, NS, the entire month of July... 86 F but mostly in the 70's.
Tom
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Information On Motorcycle Air Vests
- Thread starter Uncle Phil
- Start date
Tom
Bug Dr.
Extroverted Loner
I'd sure take that kind of hot. Tom would have his electric jacket nearby at 78.Guess everything's relative; just checked the high for Halifax, NS, the entire month of July... 78 F.
Tom
Mike
I corrected July's high to 86, I was looking at August's forecast high... but yeah, I'd have electrics mostly on in either month.
Tom
OP
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Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
Well then the air vest ought help you with that ...
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Only if I moved to Canada - which isn't likely.Weel
Well then the air vest ought help you with that ...
Tom
JohnConner
Site Supporter
I don't know about everyone else but I turn my Helite eTurtle vest on in the garage before I mount the bike and leave it on all day. I turn it off at night and plug in then. Anyone have a good reason to turn off during stops?
JohnConner
JohnConner
I've left mine on for days at a time with no issues so you're likely good not worrying about it at stops.
OP
OP
Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
I just 'plug' my Hit-Air into the bike ...
Same here. Mine never needs charging.I just 'plug' my Hit-Air into the bike ...
Chris
OP
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Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
And your's seem to work pretty well ...
OP
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Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
A note - If you carry an 'extra' CO2 cartridge for the Hit Air tethered models, you will need a socket head bolt and a hex wrench to do an 'infield' replacement of the CO2 cartridge. I bought the 'kits' but from what I can find the bolt is a metric M6 1.0 pitch, 36mm total overall length, threaded part is 30 mm. You need that to raise the 'trigger' up so you can reinsert the tether ball. It is probably the same for the tethered Helite but I don't know for sure.
The Helite E-turtle just requires you to screw out the old one and screw the new one in. However, if you don't screw it in completely, it doesn't work.....according to a "friend".....
Smudgemo
Intermodal Man of Mystery
The vest comes with an allen key to back off spring pressure. Probably metric.
Back it out, insert the ball, tighten it back up. New cartridge and Robert's your mother's brother.
I’m curious how cumbersome they might be.Having suffering two lower speed crashes recently resulting in broken ribs, I am very interested in air vests (burnt child fears the fire as we say).
My questions are (and add to them as hopefully this thread will be a good resource on the topic).
1. What brand do you use?
2. What was the cost (with all the extra stuff you need)?
3. How does your model run as far as sizing goes compared to MC jacket sizing?
4. How long have you had it and have you encountered any issues?
5. What body parts does it protect well (especially concerned about my ribs)?
6. Do you have a E version or a tethered version (and why)?
7. If tethered, where do you attach the tether on your motorcycle?
8. If you have had problems, how was the support?
9. Can you 'recharge' the vest if fired yourself or is it a 'send in'?
10. Is it an 'over the jacket', 'under the jacket' or 'built in' (and why did you chose that model)?
11. How well does it ventilate in very warm weather and humidity?
12. Have you had the unfortunate occasion for it to work and how well did it work?
13. Would you buy it again?
Please do not turn this thread into a debate about whether I should get one or not - start your own thread on that topic!
I am looking for real world experiences not theoretical postulations on this subject.
Thanks for your input in advance!
I haven’t found it cumbersome, a bit heavy at first but got used to it pretty quickly. Don’t even notice it now and doesn’t interfere with riding at all.
Smudgemo
Intermodal Man of Mystery
My latest iteration with airbags is heated shirt > windblock under-jacket > Helite mesh jacket > rain jacket (or any combination for given weather.) I found it good to mid-30s, but that's as cold as I've tried. I think the key is getting lots of heat from the shirt and the air layers under the rain jacket. I haven't tried the desert in summer with the jacket yet, but I'd guess adding a cooling vest would do the trick.
The only questionable thing about the jacket is that the zipper seems a bit light for the job. I emailed Helite about it but never got a response. I have to believe they tested it thoroughly, but I just wanted them to say so.
The only questionable thing about the jacket is that the zipper seems a bit light for the job. I emailed Helite about it but never got a response. I have to believe they tested it thoroughly, but I just wanted them to say so.
OP
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Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
Not found them to be that cumbersome at all.
For me, you get used to it just like wearing a helmet.
Weight is not noticeable, air flow is slightly reduced and that relates to your own 'temperature sensitivities'.
After two sets of busted ribs within six months of each other, I'll deal with it if it prevents even one busted rib!
OP
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Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
I was talking about the tethered models where the 'trigger' pulls out of the vest if engaged.
I thought the E-Turtle might require you to send it back to them before re-use - but I don't know.
Did Helite ever get the fork sensors 'registered(?)' for the USA (or am I remembering that issue wrong)?
You'll get so used to the airbag vest, that you'll feel naked without it.
Ventilation is a mixed bag. I don't find it to be a problem at all. In mild temps, it just becomes part of the equation of how many layers do I use. In hot temps, like 80's and 90's, it doesn't seem to be a factor as long as I'm moving. And if I'm not moving...I'm hot. But I would be hot anytime, simply because we dress for moving air on us. Not sitting in traffic jams with motorcycle engine heat wafting up on us.
David Hough wrote an article on dealing with heat. He said that our thyroid has a problem dealing with temps above 93F. Above 93F, and our thyroid will tell the skin to sweat, but it dries before it can provide any cooling. The effect is like standing in the bathroom and blowing a hair dryer on your skin. The outside air is the same way, and you're actually heating yourself up with the air moving freely over you. He says that although it seems counterintuitive, in those conditions you want to start closing your jacket vents to keep the hot air out and control what gets in.
The airbag vest will help in that situation. I met a couple riding through Wyoming one year at at rest stop. Temp was 105F. She said their cooling vests dried out in 30 minutes. Mine was still damp at 3 hours. I was getting air through...just not at full blast.
Somewhere I have a couple pictures from my accident last June. One is me landing out in front of the bike and landing on the lower portion of my back. The other is about a 4 inch jagged tear in the bladder for my airbag vest. I was doing about 70 mph when I went off the road. I can't imagine the force that airbag vest absorbed when I hit the ground. It happened so fast, the only reason I know it happened was the picture from my dash cam. The ER doc told me he was amazed, because he normally has to sew people's liver back together after an impact like that. I walked away from the hospital. I like to think my guardian angel was working overtime, but I also know that airbag vest did a lot too.
FWIW, I did not wake up that morning thinking to myself, "I think it is a good day to have an accident and total my motorcycle. I should probably put on my airbag vest." I never ride anywhere without it.
You can buy all kinds from low-tech like mine (Hit-Air) with a tether, to ones with sensors. If mine worked with a tether, I suspect it'll work for any of us. I like the idea of having it on the outside of my jacket. My weight varies each year with my jacket getting tight for some reason around the holidays, and losing weight as the summer goes on. I couldn't wear an airbag vest under my jacket in December. But I can wear mine over my jacket in December.
Chris
Chris, Does Hit-Air offer a discount for a new vest after an accident? I know Schuberth helmets does.