That's why we like Spidi's new Neck DPS Airbag Tex Vest ($600). Light, and loose enough to fit over your own riding gear, the vest uses a CO2 cartridge connected to a tether attached to your bike.

Airbag vests Shahrivar says it’s the first time this kind of protection will be available for the lower body. Equivalent technology for the upper body has been around for more than 20 years.

The vests themselves have a Patagonia look and come in black or neon yellow. Its price is expected to be around $700 (roughly £545 or AU$975) and will be available next spring in the US and Europe.

May 06, 2021 The Klim AI-1 airbag vest, with integrated CE back protector and In&Motion AI-driven airbag protection, slips under your normal riding jacket Klim View 5 Images View gallery - 5 images ...

Aimed at builders on construction sites - where 80 workers were killed by falls last year in Britain alone - a sensor in the vest will inflate the jacket in 0.2 seconds in any fall above two metres.

As for the airbag, it will slowly deflate once it’s served its purpose of cushioning the rider in the fall, and can be reused by simply replacing the CO2 cartridge inside.

Mr. Jim traded his BMW motorcycle last fall for the Can-Am Spyder to offer him more stability as his riding skills started to wear off with age. Still, he didn’t give up on the amount of riding ...

But the arrival of the air bag vests has generated the most excitement, even though some caution that the technology is too new to be wholly embraced. “It’s certainly the biggest step forward ...