Brightly colored or reflective motorcycle gear can help you catch the eye of other motorists, but for those of us looking for something a little less flashy, finding the right combination of visibility, protection, and style can be a challenge.
French motorcycle clothing brand Raylier believes it’s developed the solution to this problem: the “first luminous jacket” for motorcyclists.
Embedded LED strips draw attention to the rider when switched on, and blend into the high-end leather jacket when they’re powered off. The jacket features six white LEDs in the front, six red LEDs in the back, and an 8-hour battery life. The lights can be switched on and off with the press of a button.
An on-board accelerometer syncs with the motorcycle’s brake light, increasing the brightness of the LEDs on the back of the jacket to alert other motorists in the area that the motorcycle is slowing down. When the jacket’s warning mode is activated, the LED strips blink to help improve visibility in risky situations.
The jacket’s shoulders, elbows, and back are reinforced with visco-elastic protective shells. The flexible material hardens on impact, offering riders additional protection from injury risks without compromising their comfort.
Jackets start at around $615 dollars for those who pre-ordered and shipping is anticipated to begin in February of 2019. Raylier achieved its Kickstarter funding goal 24 hours after launching, and backers have pledged over $25,000 to the project to date.
As always, do your research before contributing to crowdfunding campaigns and be sure you understand the potential risks – including delayed shipping, misrepresented products, and items that never end up making it to production.
Want to join Raylier’s “community of the enlightened bikers”? Learn more about their project on Kickstarter.