In a method for activating a personal protection device for a motorcycle, which personal protection device has at least one airbag that is capable of being deployed in a region facing away from a driver of the motorcycle, in front of a front fork and/or in front of a front windshield and/or in front of a front headlight of the motorcycle, a collision signal is read in that represents a collision or an impending collision of the motorcycle, and subsequently an activation signal is provided, using the collision signal, in order to activate the personal protection device and deploy the at least one airbag.