Stormsteed said:
OK, is it just me? I can't really see how an airbag on a 2-wheeled open-air vehicle without seatbelts would provide any safety improvement at all... :?:
It's been shown that front airbags on cars and trucks don't really provide any advantage over seatbelts and shoulder harnesses (assumming the latter are worn), and can actually be dangerous in some circumstances. That is why the law was changed in the US and you can now have airbags removed legally. (Side-curtain airbags, on the otherhand, can greatly reduce head injuries from stiking the windows in side-on collissions.)
On a motorcycle, where there are no seatbelts, a front airbag of proper design could hold you in place in a forward collision. Somersaulting over the handlebars and flying into a fixed object at 60+ MPH can be hazardous to your health. Head and neck injuries, even when wearing a helmet, are the leading causes of death and disability in motorcycle crashes. Far better to stay with the bike, and let its mass protect you.
If you look at the picture of the Silverwing, you'll see that its airbag has sort of an upside-down wedge shape. This would press down on your thighs and hold your chest and head from hitting the handlebars/windshield.
Seems like a good idea if they can make it work.