VIDEO: Honda Gold Wing airbag in action
Normally, we don't keep up on the world of motorcycles. Some of us realize that when you hop on your crotch rocket you instantly become 32-times more likely to be killed then the guy next to you surrounded in metal, plastic and glass. So until they develop a system that detects that we've left the bike, then proceeds to envelop us in a large bubble, allowing us to bounce down the road unscathed, we're not taking any chances.
Honda seems to be taking a more traditional approach to the problem of crashing a vehicle whose driver is only equipped with a helmet and some dead cow. They've developed and successfully executed an airbag system for their Goldwing cruisers.
The video above shows the Goldwing being propelled into a minivan at 31 MPH, both with and without the newly minted airbag. The results for the dummy manning the airbag-equipped bike are clearly more desirable than his unlucky brother, but we're still a little apprehensive.
[Top tip, Meek]
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Kumar 11:40AM (9/09/2006)
Seatbelts on a motorcycle are a very bad idea unless it's got a cage around it like bmw did for a while on some of it's scooters.
Can't think of a faster way to break your neck in a rollover.
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MikeW 5:28PM (9/09/2006)
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcycle-air-bag/
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Krishna Das 4:38PM (9/19/2006)
Who would hit a car head on. Any sane rider would tr to steer.
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05Goldwing 9:32PM (1/20/2007)
This video is a bit out there.
This is only a good selling tool for Honda to sell higher price bikes
Using a parked van?
The van would be moving, which means the tire would start to turn left and scrape down the side of the vehicle, which means the bike would more than likey hit sideways, for which the air bag would have helped do nothing. This video is shown in a real life situation. I would not be casually sitting on the seat if I was about to it something. The reaction would be to start to stand to clear the vehicle or lay the bike down.
Same as the ABS brakes on a bike. I have never had the brakes on mine lock to skid the tires, and this is Houston Texas traffic everyday, rain or shine.
Crotch Rock, not quite but close.
These new Goldwings are not the old slow tour bikes. Cruising at 60mph and give it the throttle with no down shifting and you will be at 80 in under 6 seconds. This bike was built from the ground up as a sport bike 1st and a touring bike 2nd.
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