Manufacturers define it as a “prêt à porter” airbag: it is the “MAB v3” vest produced by the Milanese Motoairbag, which has been studying safety devices for motorcyclists since 1997. Compared to other brands that use “wireless” systems that work via accelerometers (such as Dainese), the Lombard company has chosen to maintain activation via a cable connected to the motorcycle, but with a smarter solution than the previous model (MAB v2.0): the airbag is attached to a sort of spool which in turn manages the run of the cable fixed to the motorcycle. It works a bit with the seat belt mechanism, with even wide extensibility as long as there is no hard acceleration. At that point, the wire winder unlocks and the tear-off activates the airbag. The device’s name is “Fast Lock” and it is an innovation that is anything but trivial. The main criticism of mechanically operated airbags has always been the involuntary activation, even if only because the motorcyclist forgot to have connected the mechanism and got out of the saddle before having unhooked the cable. It can also happen with “Fast Lock”, but it is much more difficult. The cable rewinds around the spool and extends for a few tens of centimeters, allowing you to get off the bike without problems.
But this Motoairbag solution meets another need: that of the “adventure” world, where journeys on asphalt alternate with those on dirt roads, more or less demanding. As enthusiasts know well, in the off-road sections it is a good idea to travel standing, to have greater control of the motorcycle. With a traditional cable, it is difficult (if not impossible) to drive in that position, because the cable cannot be that long, otherwise it would risk activating the airbag too late in the event of a fall while driving while seated.
As for the fit, the vest has a front zip closure, internal straps with bayonet closure at the waist and double adjustment on the backs to adapt to various types of physique.
The vest is approved as a level 2 safety device. Activation occurs in 5 milliseconds and protection is rated 12 times higher than a traditional ‘back protector’. The air “cushions” protect the torso, coccyx and back, from the lumbar to the cervical part, also preventing the “whiplash” caused by inertia on the helmet. As well as in the event of a fall, activation also occurs in the event of a 360-degree impact with respect to the driver. The price is 599 euros.
The company has also provided for the possibility of applying the “Fast Lock” on previous models (the cost is about 100 euros), but also of modifying old models of “MAB” to transform them into “v3” at a cost of about 300 EUR.
