Alpinestars Bionic BNS TECH 2 Benutzerinformationen Seite 7

BIONIC NECK SUPPORT - IMPORTANT USER INFORMATION
Replacement of the Attachment Plate (9)
The Attachment Plate (9) is specially engineered to fail in the course of moderate to severe
accidents. This is mainly to prevent any dangerous overload of force to the spine – but also if
the BNS receives any large side impacts to the rear which could transfer a rotational force to
the frame. Thus, it is possible that this component could fail in certain accidents but provided
there is no further damage the BNS will be reusable after this component is replaced. Users
should contact their Alpinestars dealer to obtain this replacement part. The instructions
below advise how to replace it:
1. Remove the Rear Stabilizer (10). This is in reverse to the way it is attached (see fitting
section).
2. Use two allen keys to remove one of the fasteners next to the Attachment Plate (9).
3. Remove the axle to separate the Attachment Plate from the Rear Stabilizer (10).
4. Replace with a new Attachment Plate (9).
5. Reinsert the axle and start to screw on the fastener. It is recommended to add a spot of
thread lock to the fastener.
6. Tighten both fasteners fully and reattach the Rear Stabilizer (10) to the frame.
Lifespan
The materials used by Alpinestars in its products are selected for maximum durability.
Properly caring for your Alpinestars products will also help ensure the longest possible lifes-
pan. Notwithstanding all products have a limited lifespan and are subject to degradation and
natural breakdown of materials in the long term, through factors such as use, wear and tear
caused by general use, accidents, abrasion, product maintenance, storage and/or common
environmental conditions - all of which effect the practical lifespan of products.
Protectors with foam parts have a limited lifespan due to stresses of use and/or the ele-
ments such heat or sun light exposures. For safety reasons and to ensure that the above
factors have not reduced the integrity or product's performance levels, Alpinestars strongly
recommends replacing your protector every 5 years under normal use conditions but at least
8 years from date of manufacture. The date of manufacture can be located on the internal
label of the protector where the year of manufacture is indicated. As written in this booklet,
always check the product for any damage to any parts before use. Regardless of the age of
the product, do not use any product if you notice any damage, cracking, deformity or if the
product no longer fits correctly or is lacking its structural integrity.
Disposal
At the end of its life the product must be disposed of in accordance with local refuse regula-
tions. There are no hazardous materials used in the manufacture of the product.
7. What you really should know about Neck Injury
mechanisms
Caring for your Bionic Neck Support
This section of the manual has been included to provide a brief overview of the research
that has been carried out during the development of this product. This addresses some of
the common assumptions that exist and clarifies the situations where this device WILL and
WILL NOT give protection. The following information is not exclusive to the Bionic Neck Sup-
port and applies to other neck brace devices of rigid construction that work with the helmet.
Catastrophic Neck Injuries
The one type of injury that riders fear above all others is damaging their spinal cord and
sustaining a career ending paralyzing injury. This can occur via injury to either the neck or
back. Here, however, we will deal only with what we call 'Catastrophic Neck Injuries' – or in
other words - injuries to the neck severe enough to cause paralysis. The following discussion
relates only to catastrophic neck injuries as the BNS is designed for the neck, not the back.
Injury by Compression
The first key fact is that in off road motorcycling the most likely way that riders break their
neck is when they land upside down and squash their head into their body. The injury is
caused by compression of the neck, and the more central the impact, the greater the chances
you have of breaking your neck. This is illustrated in figure 13 below in what we term the
'Cone of Vulnerability'. The damage incurred happens almost instantly.
30° 30°
15° 15°
Figure 13 – Cone of Vulnerability
Figure 13 – Cone of Vulnerability.
If you land directly on top of your head (in the red area) there is a very high probability that
you could break your neck. However, as you get further off-center the chance of this reduces
such that at 30 degrees and over the odds of breaking your neck are greatly reduced. This is
because the amount of force going through your neck is also reduced. Figure 14 illustrates
that the more sideways you land – the less force is channeled through your neck.
Injury severity is mainly influenced by the height you fall from and NOT your speed over the
ground. It is often quoted that a rider "was not going fast" or "it was a small jump." The truth
is that falling on the top of your head from a height greater than 55cm (1' 10") can be enough
to break your neck – even if you are stationary.
30° 30°
15° 15°