{"id":388996,"date":"2025-12-19T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.motorprosa.com\/?p=388996"},"modified":"2026-06-19T16:42:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T14:42:29","slug":"winglets-or-when-motorcycles-learn-to-fly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.motorprosa.com\/en\/winglets-or-when-motorcycles-learn-to-fly\/","title":{"rendered":"Winglets, or: When Motorcycles Learn to Fly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Lesedauer \/\/ Reading time: 6<\/span> Min.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I know. Winglets \u2013 those odd, ugly wing-like parts on the sides of more and more motorcycles \u2013 have nothing to do with flying; quite the opposite, in fact. But allow me the pun anyway, because I can\u2019t help but wonder: Is there nothing left flowing through the veins of motorcycle designers these days but some wing-giving energy drink?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Winglets \u2013 \u00a0Next Level Aero<\/a>
  2. Winglets \u2013 \u00a0The Trend of Horror<\/a>
  3. D\u00e9j\u00e0 vu \u00a0with the glorious '90s<\/a>
  4. Vision\u00a0Wings<\/a><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n
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    Before you read, please note<\/strong>: this post was translated with the help of Deepl<\/a>.
    If you find any errors \u2013 please have fun first and then give me a hint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Summer 2025. I\u2019m at the Tamburini gathering at the foot of Monte Grappa. In honor of Massimo Tamburini, the creator of the Ducati 916, Tifosi from all over Italy are gathering to celebrate themselves, the 916, and its derivatives. It goes without saying that there must be separate parking areas on the festival grounds for \u201creal\u201d and \u201cfake\u201d Ducatis. That the latest ground-hugging rockets from Borgo Panigale are on display anyway \u2013 understandable. But that they have to be tucked away in hidden corners and that 91.6% of the visitors describe their fairings as \u201cschifosi\u201d \u2013 that is, disgusting in English \u2013 who would have thought THAT?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Who
    Who thinks of winglets when seeing THESE silhouettes?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Winglets \u2013
     Next Level Aero<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In the fall, I walk through the EICMA exhibition halls and see: wings. Everywhere, side extensions in all shapes and sizes. The sight is certainly no longer unusual on European high-performance monsters \u2013 rumor has it that BMW\u2019s M1000RR is now even being used for snow removal. But meter-wide fenders on 250cc bikes are really a bit unsettling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Almost
    Almost subtle …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"Pretty
    Pretty feisty for a 250<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"...
    … and then there are some real horrors<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Winglets \u2013
     The Trend of Horror<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I bet this trendy craze hasn\u2019t peaked yet. There are already \u201clightweight parts that give your motorcycle a high-end racing look\u201d<\/em><\/a>. I\u2019m curious to see when the first nutcase will nail two of them to his helmet. Three drops of glue, four cable ties thrown on, and boom! \u2013 the racer is ready to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"A
    A superhero look for everyone \u2013 just use tape<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Back to Massimo Tamburini: The initial letters of his last name are found in \u201cBimota.\u201d Bi-Mo-Ta \u2013 a declaration of love. Motorcycle enthusiasts would fall to their knees before the machines from this prestigious manufacturer, lose themselves in the exquisite details, marvel at the meticulous craftsmanship, and fall in love with the unrivaled beauty of its design language. You can say goodbye to all that now, because the KB998<\/a> is here. Whatever the designers were smoking while they were working on this \u2013 I\u2019d rather not get anywhere near it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"When
    When parking it, simply lean it against the wall (Photos: www.bimota.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Winglets are marketed to us as providing added stability at +300 km\/h. That\u2019s obviously incredibly important for the 250s mentioned earlier. And finally, you can tear through Alpine passes on your 1,000cc bike in sixth gear, in the red zone, without having to worry about wheelies. It\u2019s a bit of a shame, because I really love riding on the rear wheel; on a motorcycle with winglets, I might feel a little patronized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But I don’t have a Winglet bike yet. And I’m afraid of going over 300 km\/h.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    D\u00e9j\u00e0 vu
     with the glorious ’90s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The current wing craze began in MotoGP. A Formula 1 aerodynamics engineer probably wandered into the paddock and, in a feverish delirium, kept shouting \u201cWings, baby \u2013 wings!\u201d and \u201cDownforce, baby \u2013 downforce!\u201d until someone finally paid attention to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But all of this isn\u2019t really that new. Even back in the \u201990s, there were funny-looking plastic parts on motorcycles \u2013 just designed a bit more subtly. I\u2019m thinking of the rear spoiler on the 1993 Kawasaki ZXR 750. Intended as a handhold for the passenger, it bore a resemblance to those Japanese \u201cFast and Furious\u201d-style bar-counter bombs and had a Toyota Supra vibe. Now, decades later, MotoGP is celebrating a veritable orchestra of rear wings \u2013 and all without any handhold function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Wing
    Wing Orchestra at the Tail (Photographer: Rob Gray, Polarity Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    As practical as those winglets might be when leaning against walls, I don\u2019t like them. I\u2019m a fan of old-school motorcycle design. In my youth, I idolized Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey and their 500s decked out in Lucky Strike and Marlboro livery. Then a certain Valentino Rossi came along and turned MotoGP upside down with his style. I already thought his Hondas and Yamahas were fantastic, but the divinely beautiful 2011 Ducati completely blew me away \u2013 I still have a model of it on my desk, completely without wings or spoilers, of course. And now I\u2019m imagining Pecco\u2019s 2026 bike right next to it. That\u2019s not going to end well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Back
    Back when we could get by without wings (Photo: www.paddock-gp.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Vision
     Wings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If this keeps up, in ten years motorcycles will have wings, rudders, and retractable landing flaps just in case of an emergency on the Stelvio<\/a> hairpin bends. There might be some space issues at motorcycle meetups, but wind turbines could be repurposed for the winglets. And the electric motorcycles I love so much will finally stop being criticized for their range \u2013 because winglets can accommodate plenty of battery cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Actually,
    Actually, only the Honda Gold Wing is allowed to have winglets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Only Honda’s Gold Wing \u2013 plated in gold \u2013 will become unaffordable. So you’d better start saving now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Das<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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