Riding a motorcycle is an almost spiritual experience. If anyone says this is ridiculous, they probably haven’t ever ridden. It’s a way to take your life into your own hands and throw caution to the wind that’s kicked up in your 160 mph wake. However, from a technology standpoint, bikes really haven’t changed that much over the years. Fairings are what give a modern bike that awesome look.
Naturally, they also have a lot to do with performance as well. When bikers stole fairings from aircraft engineers, they were applied in much the same manner to reduce drag and increase the aerodynamics. They help to streamline airflow by consolidating the bike and the biker. That being said, they also give your superbike the look of a fast bird of prey.
The second-generation CB900F series from Honda were decent motorcycles, for instance, but their lack of fairings created turbulence at higher speeds. Today’s crotch-rockets often come with fairings however. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with them though. They do wear out, and replacing them can also give you something that you can be proud to call your own.
Unfortunately, OEM fairings can cost up to 30% of the actual bike’s price tag. Many mechanics claim that OEM designs are more stable, but there really isn’t that much difference between them and the aftermarket designs. There are plenty of decent vendors that offer ABS fairings at a fraction of the price of OEM models. These aftermarket designs are also probably better for many stunt riders, and might come with a free windshield.
The trick to finding good aftermarket fairings involves understanding the way that they’re made. Compression molding is an older way of doing things. It involves manual work to scrape away excess plastic, and thus lacks uniformity. Injection molding is a process where molten plastic is injected into a mold cavity. Injection molding produces fairings that have a fitment that rivals that of OEM designs. It should be noted that the OEM companies actually use the same method, so there is no reason to pay for expensive fairings just to have an international motorcycle company’s name on it. Many of these better aftermarket fairings start around $599 US. With a custom paint job, you can have a bike to truly be proud of.