E
vena motorcyclingiconlikeDainesecan’t
sitonitsleather-cladlaurelsforlong.The
Italianfirmhasbeenleadingthechargeto
combinestylewithsafetysince 19 72,and
innovationisoneofitskeystosuccess.
Backin 19 72,founderLinoDainese,whowas
just 20 atthetime,beganmakingprotective
apparelformotorcyclists.Hestartedwithleather
trousersformotocrossriders,andthingsgrew
quicklyfromthere.
Rightfromtheoff,Daineselookedfornew
andimprovedwaystoprotectridersandto
manufacturehisbikeclothing.Hestudiedthe
injuriesthatracersweresustainingand
developedspecificsystemsto safeguardthem:
frominnovativebackprotectiontostate-of-the-
artglovesandhelmets.
Inthemid-1990s,Dainesebeganworkingon
buildingairbagsintoprotectivemotorcyclingkit.
Thenewtechnologytookyearstomasterbut
in2000,DaineselauncheditsD-Airprototypeto
crowdsattheMunichShow.
Havingprovedthattheconceptcouldwork,the
Italianscontinuedtoperfectit,usinginternational
racetracksastheirtestbed.
In 2007 ,a fallbySimoneGrotskyduringthe
ValenciaGPbecamethefirstdeploymentofthe
DAINESE
D-AIR
SUIT
Latestversionof Italian
manufacturer’s airbag
systemboostsrider
protection and confidence
D-AirRacingsystemina full-racescenario.
Hewalkedawayunscathed.
Ittooka yearofdevelopmentbeforethe
technologybecameavailabletothepublicfor
thefirsttime.Dainesecalledit D-AirStreet.
Thesystemfeaturesreusableairbags,located
betweenthelayersofthesuit. Theseinflatein
millisecondstogiveaddedprotectiontoa rider’s
back,chest,neckandvitalorgansintheevent
ofa collisionora fall.
Howitworks
Dainesehasspentyearsperfectingthedesign
andpositioningoftheairbags to offermaximum
protection.Theairbagscontainpatented
MicrofilamentTechnology,whichmaintainsthe
shapeoftheairbagsastheyexpand,ensuring
protectionisevenacrosstheentirearea.
Buttherealgeniusisinthecomplextrigger
systems,whichdon’tevenrequireanimpact
toactivatethem.
Threeaccelerometersandthreegyrometers
combinewitha GPSunitanda cleverlycoded
electroniccontrollerto‘predict’whenan
accidentishappening.Thismeansthatthe
systemwilldeploybeforethefirstimpact;
beforea ridermakescontactwiththetarmac.
It’sa bitlikehavinga psychicsittingonyour
‘Twodaysago,I crashedat
160mph,whiletestingin
Spain.WithoutD-AirI’m
prettycertainI wouldn’thave
gotupandwalkedaway’
RyanVickers,BSBrider
1993
Dainese’s
D-TECR&D
centreis
established,
to speed
nnovation.
1995
Ergon,
Dainese’sfirst
helmet,is
launched. It’s
made from
composite
fibres.
1989
Dainese
begins
making
gloves.
1988
Dainese
introduces
the
aerodynamic
hump
concept in its
racingsuits.
1968
LinoDainese
rideshis
Vespato
London,
wherehe
seeston-up
boysin
leathers.
1972
Daineseis
formedand
starts
making
leather
trousersfor
MXriders.
1974
Daineseuses
newhide-
cutting
methodsand
elasticinserts
forcomfort.
1979
Dainese
workswith
Barry
Sheeneto
makethe
firstintegral
back
protector.
1981
Dainese
workswith
Kenny
Robertsto
developthe
firstknee
sliders.
1983
Dainese
makesback
protection
available to
roadriders
forthe first
time.
DAINESE’sgreatestmoments
108 | JULY 2019
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