Contrary to what the title suggests, this article is more of an expression of personal opinions than a technical diatribe. What you are about to read is based on years of experience riding motorcycles combined with a sound scientific background. Over the past decade, I have owned several cars and motorcycles; but here's the fundamental difference between the two: A four-wheeler takes you where you need to go - a two-wheeler takes you where you want to go. Nothing says 'I own my life' better than slicing through air at 160 mph. You are at odds with the whole universe -- and winning. It brings us to grips with inherent human frailties, and that, in turn, makes us aware of what we stand to lose.
It is, however, often ignored that this 'ecstasy on wheels' comprises of thousands of moving parts, each one essential to our safety during the ride. Motorcycle fairing is one of the most critical parts of your crotch-rocket. As a matter of fact, it is so critical that I think it's probably the only thing that distinguishes a modern superbike from the metal chunks of the yesteryears. You may remember the first and second-generation CB900F from Honda. They were pretty good machines with brilliant engines; but not exactly a 'dream come true' for a motorcycle enthusiast. They lacked full, sometimes even partial, fairings, and were terrible at higher speeds. Turbulence at high speeds made them dangerous to ride and affected their maneuverability.
All of that, however, changed with the introduction of full fairings. The concept of 'fairing' was borrowed from the aviation industry where fairings were used to smoothen up the outline for the purpose of reducing drag and increasing aerodynamicity. Fairings consolidate the ride and the rider into a single unit resulting in streamlined airflow. Apart from the obvious performance advantage, fairings give motorcycles a menacing, hawk-like look. Add to it a custom paint-job and you have a ride worth identifying with!
What happens when you need to give your crotch-rocket a new look? It can be very confusing and frustrating because customization ends only where your budget does. There is no limit to what you can do to your motorcycle to make it go faster and look more dashing. So where do we draw the line? What kinds of fairings give you the best value for money? One thing is for sure! OEM fairings are not easy on your wallet. They may cost up to 30% of the motorcycle itself which is just way too expensive. Some people would argue that they are sturdier and more durable in comparison to the aftermarket fairings. Let me bust a myth for you: they're not. If you bought the wrong product, it's probably because you didn't know where to shop. There are many good vendors out there offering ABS fairings at an affordable price. They just cost a fraction of what an OEM fairing set would cost and often include free goodies such as tank covers and windshields; but here's the key to finding excellent aftermarket fairings: You have to know what kind of molding process was used during the manufacture. The two commonly practiced methods of producing ABS plastic fairing are Injection and Compression molding. Compression molding is an older method where the end product lacks uniformity because some manual work may be required to scrape away any excess plastic. Injection molding requires molten plastic to be injected directly into the mold cavity. The fairings produced using this method is accurate with a fitment that rivals OEM fairings. Starting at US$ 599, these aftermarket fairings are tough and built with 'no compromise' philosophy in mind. These fairings are not cheap, they are just affordable. It is also worthwhile to mention that even the OEM fairings are manufactured using the Injection mold technology so there is no point in spending a large sum of money just to have an international motorcycle manufacturer's name printed on it. Aftermarket fairings are available in the color of your choice or you can have the vendor design it in the way you prefer.
On another note, aftermarket fairings are highly recommended for the daredevils with affinity for stunts. Don't let a bad stoppie cost you too much! You'll probably get a free windshield with your new set of aftermarket fairings.
