VOL. 56 ISSUE 6 FEBRUARY 12, 2019 P47
MUNICH COURT OF APPEALS RULES
AGAINST ALPINESTARS
T
he Munich Court of Appeal has, once again, ruled in favor
of Dainese in the ongoing saga of air-bag patent infringe-
ments with rival apparel company, Alpinestars.
The Court upheld the August 2017 decision that stated
Alpinestars infringed upon the German part of Dainese's Eu-
ropean patent EP 2 412 257 B1 relating to the Tech-Air Street
airbag vest (for road use) and Tech-Air Racing airbag vest (for
track use and road).
It's a serious case for Alpinestars, which, if they decide not
to appeal the verdict in the German Federal Supreme Court,
would mean the cessation of Tech-Air air bag vest sales in
Germany; a recall of all existing Tech-Air products sold in Ger-
many from July 1, 2015, and compensation to Dainese for any
damages that result from the sale of the Tech-Air products in Germany, again from
July 1, 2015.
At present, Alpinestars and Dainese own the market for air-bag systems and both
license their products to other apparel companies—such as Rev'It for Alpinestars and
Furygan for Dainese, among others. And with MotoGP now mandating the use of
airbag systems in competitor racing suits, a rule that will trickle down to production
suits/jackets across the motorcycle industry, the stakes of the German Court deci-
sion are extremely high. With litigation still to come in the Italian, German, UK and
French courts, we have not heard the last of this case. CN
The Alpinestars
Tech-Air air bag suit
is coming under
serious legal fire
from Dainese in
Germany, and could
be in more hot water
in other European
courts.
CAIROLI SHOWING NO
SIGNS OF SLOWING
N
ine-time MX World Champion Antonio Cairoli shows no signs of
slowing after completing the three-round Internazionali d'Italia MX
EICMA Series in Mantova, Italy, February 10 as the series champion.
Cairoli won the first two rounds in Riola Sardo, January 27, and in
Ottobiano, February 3, and finished out the series in Mantova in third,
which was more than enough to sew up the MX1 series championship
over France's Romain Febvre (Monster Energy Yamaha Factory) and
Slovenian Tim Gajser (Team Honda HRC).
Fourth in the championship went to Frenchman Gautier Paulin (Mon-
ster Energy Wilvo Yamaha) and fifth to Estonian Tanel Leok (Husqvarna).
Cairoli also took the series title in the Campionato Supercampione
class (which combines both MXGP and MX2 riders) over Gajser and
2018 MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM). Paulin was
fourth and Febvre fifth. CN
Tony Cairoli claimed a couple of
titles in the Internazionali d'Italia MX
EICMA Series in Italy.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
S.
TAGLIONI
