Whether you are 16 or 61, as a road user your personal safety should be your first priority. As more accidents occur as the result of avoidable mistakes, the need for more technologically advanced safety gear has become apparent. Where the ideal solution would be to re-educate the community about the rules of the road, the next best thing is to supply the products that might protect you from harm.

Safety was the first thing on Theresa Wilson’s mind when her husband Kenneth brought home a brand new motorcycle. She began an online search for products that would protect him while riding and happened across a line of motorcycle jackets that used the Hit Air system to cushion the rider in the event of an accident.

Worn and endorsed by the Japanese police force, the Hit Air jacket is the latest thing in motorcycle safety. The Wilsons, along with their family, own the business SportsPlusBermuda, specialising in sporting accessories, and are currently the only official dealers of this unique jacket on the Island.

“It’s basically a shock buffering system,” Mr. Wilson explains. “There is an air bag built into the jacket. Once the ball is pulled out of the CO2 canister that is attached to the jacket, the cavity fills up and this gives the rider protection to their neck, middle body and hips upon impact.”

According to Mugen Denko Japan Inc., the manufacturer of the jacket, activation is simple and automatic- a coiled wire is attached to the rider’s motorcycle and clips on to the jacket’s snap-in attachment.

Once the rider and motorcycle are separated, the wire pulls a “key” out of the gas release system, built into the jacket and inflates the air cushion system. After a few seconds, the gas is automatically released through a release valve.

Is there a chance that the jacket might inflate accidentally?

“It is set up to give you some tension, but it will not eject unless you are jerked off of your bike,” Mr. Wilson offers. “There are actually a few out on the roads today and no one has had any accidents as far as them ejecting prematurely.”

“The tension release is what causes it to inflate, just like an air bag in a car would upon impact,” adds, Mrs. Wilson.

The jacket is made of a durable material, available as either water or rain proof, and is also warm. “They are great for everyday use,” says the couple.

A major attraction of the Hit Air jacket is that in its un-inflated state, it does not appear nor feel bulky. At only 2.3 to roughly 2.8 kilograms, the jacket is light enough for most people to use, and comes in small to 3X sizes. But keep in mind that the Japanese are really small, adds Mr. Wilson, and that a double X in Japanese equates to about an extra large in the US.

With 16 different styles and a variety of colours to choose from, you are sure to find a jacket that is right for you.

Mr. Wilson keeps several jackets in stock but upon request will take special orders: “They normally take about two or three weeks to get here as they come straight from Japan.”

With prices ranging from $200 to $280, a Hit Air jacket is a good investment for road users.

Interested in other motorcycle products?

SportsPlusBermuda also currently carries the CycleShell- a unique platform with an attached cover that goes over the bike and locks in place at the bottom, and the Collett communicator, an inter-vehicle communication system that allows the rider to communicate with another rider at a distance of up to two miles, and to which you can also hook up your cell phone or MP3 player.

Ed’dwina Harris uses the Collett communicator when she’s racing with her team at the Southside Race Track.

For more information and products offered by SportsPlusBermuda, visit their website www.sportsplusbermuda.com.