The new airbags IMHO are introducing things like sensors to take the place of the simple tether I have on the bike....The cost to send in one of the AlpineStars airbags is almost half what one costs, if I remember right.
Chris
With the new Tech-Air 5 the first 3 deployment services are free of charge w/ a 1 week turn around, after that it's $179. Quite frankly, are people crashing and deploying so often this is actually a serious consideration? I've yet to crash in 80K miles since resuming riding 6y ago and I hope to keep it that way.
The tethered systems while more fool-proof, aren't entirely fool-proof. You will most likely forget to connect the tether on occasion several times during ownership. They've deployed unintentionally before as well or so the youtube video showed. Plus, the time from moment of impact/crash to full deployment is considerably longer w/ Helite's tether than w/ Tech-Air's approach. Here's a hypothetical: at say 50mph, you hit a deer which absorbs some energy and essentially slows you as a projectile, to say 38mph. At 38mph you are traveling 0.669 inches/millisecond. I didn't double check it but I think it's correct. Irrespective of the initiation time (the wireless models appear to initiate deployment far quicker) of tether v wireless, the 100ms deployment time alone in the tethered to CO2 deployment translates to 67 inches of horizontal travel, versus 17 inches with the 25ms deployment of the argon system in Tech-Air 5.
Imagine being rear-ended w/ a tethered model. The bike jettison's forward and you're nailed from behind before the vest ever deploys--it's plausible for sure which is how Helite justifies their fork-mounted sensor.
Here's the tethered Helite--he's fully thru the windscreen and bars before the vest ever inflates. In the video this doesn't appear to matter, but if the vehicle crashed into was a tall van it might have mattered. This screen capture was immediately before inflation:
In this crash w/ the Tech-Air 5 the dummy's vest is already inflated before it ever leaves the seat:
The vest here doesn't look particularly protective but that is in part because you can't see it as well in part. The upper arms/shoulders get a bit better coverage than w/ Helite Turtle 2 but better neck coverage w/ Turtle 2.
And these complex tech heavy approaches are being used on MotoGP and other where the crash rate is 10x what it is in street environments--i.e., they're quite proven it would appear.
I'll be trying both the new Helite wireless and Tech Air's when they debut I'll let you know what my impression is as to how they feel when worn. I like the idea of the external vest I think more than wearing Tech-Air under my jacket it, and my jackets do have the requisite 4cm of expansion capacity required. It seems like it might be a bit restrictive and warm having that under my jacket, though where I live now that's not all bad. In touring scenarios typically I'm off the bike every 90min or so to get fuel, whiz, eat, etc so not having to connect/reconnect has appeal. Right now the Helite Turtle w/ wireless deployment is most attractive to me between the two models. If I owned a tethered Helite I'd keep it for sure they're proven enough, but I don't so can afford to see what's coming down the pike.