FLYING WITHOUT WINGS?

Even in the past 10 years or so, bikes (and particularly sports bikes) have come on leaps and bounds. Not only have they got sexier, but we’ve been given a barrage of electronic aids that have turned from an aggravating annoyance into a genuine assistance. We’ve got tricker engines, stickier tyres, a shed load more power, the list goes on… but now? Well, wings are the new hype. Unlike an IMU controlling electronics, or a clever cam system to help maximise an engine’s performance, aero packages are an incredibly visible upgrade to the naked eye; I mean, when Ducati released their V4R in 2018 with the big chunks of carbon sticking out the fairing, it turned more heads than a naked supermodel. With the new Fireblade following suit, and now even naked bikes joining the winged fray, it got us thinking about the downforce side of things