Alpinestars Tech-Air MX Airbag System

Alpinestars’ Tech-Air MX is an advanced Airbag System engineered specifically for motocross and supercross riders. Since pioneering airbag technology for MotoGP in 2003 with the Tech-Air Race System, Alpinestars has expanded airbag protection across motorsports disciplines, with testing of the Tech-Air Off-Road System by Dakar Rally riders beginning in 2014. Building on expertise from MotoGP and Dakar Rally, Alpinestars began MX-specific data logging in 2016 with top athletes in AMA Supercross, Motocross, and FIM MXGP. This extensive research led to the creation of Tech-Air MX System, featuring a sophisticated activation algorithm that provides precise and rapid airbag deployment in the challenging, dynamic environments MX and Supercross riders encounter—such as ruts, berms, jumps and whoops—ensuring riders are fully protected in the sport’s toughest conditions.

Tech-Air MX provides extensive and effective upper body protection, revolutionizing MX protection with an autonomous Airbag System embedded inside a compact chest protector. The Tech-Air MX is an innovative, convenient Airbag protection solution that MX riders can easily wear as part of their kit, delivering unrivaled upper body protection at the track. The Tech-Air MX System offers riders the flexibility to choose from 4 Riding Modes, each with an optimized algorithm that enables the System to detect imminent impacts and deploy the Airbag in crash situations. Riders can easily switch between three Riding Modes at any given time to match their discipline—motocross or off-road riding.

The Tech-Air MX System provides CE LEVEL 1 passive protection on both the chest and back. When inflated, the Airbag delivers CE LEVEL 1 active protection on the back, delivering four times more protection than the passive protector alone. When deployed, the Tech-Air System’s Airbag provides protection to the rider's shoulders, chest, and back for unprecedented motocross upper body coverage.

KEY FEATURES

• Multiple Riding Modes: The Tech-Air MX System comes pre-loaded with the default MX Mode that permits the use of the System on off-road tracks, specifically designed for Motocross riding. The System also features two additional Riding Modes ("MY RIDE 1" and "MY RIDE 2"), which can be customized by the user via the Tech-Air App selecting from the currently available Riding Modes: MX RACE, ENDURO, and RALLY. Once the MY RID 1 and MY RIDE 2 Riding Modes are set-up, users can easily switch between Riding Modes by pressing the button on the LED Display or by using the Tech-Air App*, they can also change the MY RIDE 1 and MY RIDE 2 Riding Modes if desired, by resetting them using the Tech-Air App.
• MX/MX RACE Crash Detection Algorithm: Refined with thousands of hours of riding data and crashes, and fully tested by Alpinestars Pro-riders in extreme racing conditions, including MXGP, AMA MX, and Supercross training environments, the crash triggering algorithm allows the System to accurately assess when to deploy the Airbag ahead of an impact or other dangerous situation.
• Active Airbag Protection: Upon the detection of a crash situation, a protective Airbag is deployed, providing unrivaled protection to the rider with an average inflation time of 40ms, depending on the Airbag size.
• System Versatility: The Tech-Air MX System can be worn over or under any properly fitting apparel with enough room to accommodate the inflation of the Airbag in the event of a deployment.
• Single Gas Inflator Deployment: A single gas inflator delivers one Airbag deployment for guaranteed protection. After the Airbag deploys, the gas inflator must be replaced before the System can be used again. The System has a quick-release cover opening that allows for rapid gas inflator replacement by users, only available in countries where gas inflator replacement by individuals is permitted by local regulations.
• Battery Life and Charging Time: The Tech-Air® MX System uses an integrated, certified lithium-ion battery, with a fully charged battery life of 30 hours and a recharge time of approximately 4 hours, a 1-hour charge delivers approximately 8 hours of riding time.
• Quick-Release Cover Design: Enables rapid gas inflator replacement.
• System Activation/Deactivation: Activating the Tech-Air MX is easy; simply attach the left buckle of the System to the Chest Protector, and an internal magnetic switch will detect the left buckle is closed and automatically turn on and activate the Airbag System. Detaching the left buckle will automatically turn off and deactivate the System.
• We advise against wearing a neck brace with any TA system. when deployed, the system stabilizes the head and neck similarly to a brace, limiting flexion, extension, and helmet–collarbone contact, but only when needed, preserving normal movement and visibility otherwise.
• Developed with the FIM, the system limits neck motion and hyperextension and was built directly into the design and bladder.

TECH-AIR MX SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS

• Integrated LED Display on Chest Protector: Monitors the System's status and battery level and provides convenient, easy access to charging the System via a USB-C connector—simply plug the USB-C cable into the recharge port on the System’s LED Display and connect to a power source.
• LED Display: Also incorporates the Riding Modes LEDs enabling riders to easy switch between Riding Modes by pressing the button on the LED Display.
• Ultra-Lightweight, Ergonomic Back Protector: Features Nucleon PLASMA with honeycomb and polyhedron cell technology for superior ventilation, flexibility, protection, and rider comfort.
• Breathable Stretch Mesh Vest: Features a streamlined, low-profile and lightweight construction, maximizing comfort and freedom of movement, and keeping the protection close to the rider's body.
• No External Sensors Required: Fully self-contained System.
• Robust Internal Housing: Located within the built-in CE-certified Nucleon PLASMA back protector accommodates the System Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and gas inflator.
• Removable ECU and Airbag: Allow for convenient washing of protectors separately.
• All-Weather Performance: ECU is seal-protected to ensure all-weather performance; the System and componentry are certified to function between -10°C and +50°C.
• ECE R10 04 Homologated: The ECU has been homologated to ECE R10 04 which ensures the unit’s electromagnetic integrity and stability.
• Bluetooth connectivity to the Tech-Air App: For convenient monitoring of the System’s operational status, battery level, and My Ride Trip data on a mobile device.
• System Software Updates: Users can easily update the System’s firmware when future crash-detection algorithms are released in the Tech-Air App.

PROTECTION

• Fully Self-Contained,Standalone System: 3 accelerometers (1 triaxial accelerometer) and 3 gyroscopes (1 triaxial gyroscope) are integrated in the ECU to provide the advanced crash monitoring performance and active Airbag protection for a variety of dynamic MX riding scenarios.
• 4 X Passive Protection: With the Airbag deployed, the Tech-Air MX is proven to be more than 4 times as protective as passive impact protectors alone.
• 40 ms Average Inflation Time: Depending on the size of the Airbag.
• Comprehensive Airbag Coverage: On the chest, back, and shoulders provides effective upper body protection.
• CE Certification of Airbag: Category II CE Certified to the 686/89/EEC European PPE Directive and EN1621-4:2013, which guarantees impact protection performance of the Airbag within 40 milliseconds to 5 seconds of full pressure inflation.
• The Airbag is certified for up to 6 Airbag deployments before having to replace it, provided the Airbag hasn’t been damaged in one of the first 5 deployments.
• CE Certification of Protectors: The passive Chest and Back protectors are certified to CE Level 1, and have convenient, adjustable straps for a customized fit.

RIDING MODES

• Additional information on Riding Modes: MX Mode is recommended for Motocross use optimized for outdoor tracks with natural, uneven terrain, such as dirt, sand, mud, and rocks, which typically include obstacles like jumps, berms, and ruts and feature long straights, sharp corners, and uphill or downhill sections. MX Mode can also be used for Supercross riding that typically consists of riding on indoor or stadium-based tracks that feature tight corners, large and sharp jumps, and man-made obstacles like whoops and rhythm sections.
• The System function for MX Mode is accurately optimized based on riding, falls, and crash data coming from the use of the System in this riding context.
• The MX RACE Mode should be used under the same conditions outlined in the Tech-Air MX Manual, and the Section entitled: "Envelope of Protection: MX MODE." Unlike MX Mode, MX RACE Mode is designed for a more selective Airbag activation scenario in the event of high-severity accidents while preventing the activation for minor accidents, such as tip-overs (low-speed accidents where the bike falls over), typically without significant impact or damage to the rider. The MX RACE Mode is intended exclusively for use in competitive sports events where the replacement of the gas inflator during the race following an Airbag deployment isn't possible—designed to ensure protection for severe crashes, as unnecessary deployments could leave the rider unprotected in the event of a more severe accident.