- Alpinestars’ Tech-Air® MX is an advanced airbag system engineered specifically for motocross and supercross riders
- Tech-Air® MX provides extensive and effective upper body protection in a compact chest protector that comes with an autonomous Airbag System embedded inside
- The Tech-Air® MX is a convenient Airbag protection solution that MX riders can easily wear as part of their kit, delivering unrivaled upper body protection at the track
- When deployed, the Tech-Air® System’s Airbag provides protection to the rider's shoulders, chest, and back, ensuring upper body coverage for motocross
Key Features
- Multiple Riding Modes — The Tech-Air® MX System comes with the default MX Mode that permits the use of the System on off-road tracks, specifically 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 Riding Modes are set, Users can easily switch between them by pressing the Display Button (3) or directly using the Tech-Air® App*
- MX/MX Race Crash Detection Algorithm — Alpinestars’ MX/MX Race crash detection triggering algorithm has been developed and refined with thousands of hours of riding data and crashes, allowing the System to accurately assess when to deploy the Airbag ahead of an impact or other dangerous situation—fully tested by Alpinestars Pro-riders, in extreme racing conditions, including MXGP, AMA MX, and Supercross training environments
- 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 40 ms, 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
- Charging the battery for approximately 1 hour will provide approximately 8 hours of riding time use
- Quick-Release Cover Design for 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
- Removing the left buckle will automatically deactivate and turn off the System
System Specifications
- The LED Display is integrated in the Chest Protector to monitor the System’s status and battery level and provide convenient and easily accessible charging for the System via a USB-C connector
- The LED Display also incorporates the Riding Modes LEDs allowing users to easily switch between Riding Modes
- The vest is constructed from a breathable stretch mesh for superior ventilation with a streamlined, low-profile and lightweight construction, keeping the protection close to the rider’s body to maximize comfort and freedom of movement
- Convenient and easy charging of the System, simply plug the USB-C cable into the Recharge Port on the System’s LED Display and connect to a power source
- The back protector incorporates Alpinestars Nucleon Plasma technology which is ultra-lightweight, flexible, and highly ventilated for enhanced performance, protection, and overall rider comfort
- Chest protector built from premium materials combined with an innovative design, utilizing both honeycomb technology and Polyhedron Cell Technology to create a passive protector that is highly ventilated, lightweight, ergonomic, and robust
- No external sensors are required for the System to operate
- Robust internal housing located in the built-in CE-certified Nucleon Plasma back protector accommodates the System ECU and gas inflator
- The Tech-Air® MX’s ECU is seal-protected within the System to ensure all-weather performance; the System and componentry are certified to function between -10°C and +50°C
- The Tech-Air® MX System’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and Airbag are completely removable so that the Protectors can be washed separately
- Users can easily update the System’s firmware when improved crash-detection algorithms are released directly in the Tech-Air® App
- 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 means the System’s operational status, battery status, and My Ride Trip recording can also be easily accessed on a mobile device
Protection
- A fully self-contained, standalone system; 3 accelerometers (1 triaxial accelerometer) and 3 gyroscopes (1 triaxial gyroscope) are integrated in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to provide the best crash monitoring performance and active Airbag protection for a variety of dynamic MX riding scenarios
- Average inflation time of 40 milliseconds, depending on the size of the Airbag
- Increased Airbag coverage on the chest, back, and shoulders provides effective upper body protection
- 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
Riding Modes
- MX Mode is recommended for Motocross use, i.e. on outdoor tracks with natural, uneven terrain, such as dirt, sand, mud, and rocks
- Typically, these riding scenarios include obstacles like jumps, berms, and ruts and features 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 include 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 context
- The MX RACE Mode should be used under the same conditions outlined in the Tech-Air® 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, i.e. low-speed accidents where the bike falls over, typically without significant impact or damage to the rider
Warnings
- The MX RACE Mode is intended exclusively for use in competitive sports events where the rider cannot immediately recharge the System after deployment during the race. In such cases, unnecessary deployments could leave the rider unprotected in the event of a more severe accident.