A decade after the first production bike with an airbag went on sale, the Honda Goldwing remains the only machine still using the technology – but Yamaha has applied for a patent on an airbag system it intends to use on scooters.
Manufacturers have struggled to apply airbags to sporting motorcycles because of their crouched riding position and the fact riders move around a lot, making it near-impossible to position the bag in a way it can work as intended. The upright, more fixed riding position of a scooter makes airbags more viable.
The new Yamaha system takes the idea a step further, adding a knee-level airbag that extends down from the main bag to also protect legs during a frontal impact.
By Ben Purvis