14/10/2026
Reinventing motorcycle protection.
The introduction of the airbag system marked a major step forward in the history of rider safety.
Dainese's commitment through ideation, study and testing played a key role in turning this technology into something concrete and reliable: the D-air©.
The first working prototype was presented at INTERMOT in 2000, and it was the result of in-depth research and testing that had begun years earlier.
In 2006, development continued on the activation algorithm, turning the airbag into a system independent from the motorcycle. That very same year, D-air© Racing, the racing-specific version of the system, was tested and activated for the first time in real conditions.
One year later, at the 2007 Valencia GP, it proved its worth on the track during an actual race weekend.
By 2008, the system had evolved further, with a new internal structure capable of precisely controlling inflation and shape. And following a careful analysis of road falling dynamics, D-air© Street was born.
In 2012, the technology received TÜV SÜD certification and finally reached the market, after more than a decade of work.
D-air© Street and D-air© Racing became the first-ever motorcycle airbag systems with fully autonomous, electronic activation.
D-air© stands among the projects that have most significantly shaped rider safety, both on the track and in everyday riding.
Its influence has also extended to other disciplines.
This, and many other stories of great innovation, are preserved within the Dainese ARchivio.
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