PitLane Fairings

Welcome to PitLane Fairings, we offer the highest quality motorcycle fairings which feature professional paint jobs and come ready to go.

Motorcycle Fairings

What is a Motorcycle Fairing? Generally speaking, a motorcycle fairing is a shell that is placed on the motorcycle, particularly sport and racing types in competition, that reduces the air drag to create greater speed and overall performance. There may be both front and rear fairings that are used on the motorcycle to help reduce the air drag. The windshield is a standard part of most motorcycle fairings as well.

The Benefits of Motorcycle Fairings

Motorcycle fairings actually provide many benefits to the bike, beyond that of racing or use in sporting events. For consumers, there are other practical aspects to having motorcycle fairings on their bikes.

Reduce Air Drag: The primary purpose of fairings is to streamline the bike to reduce air resistance and increase handling and fuel economy; the latter a critical issue. This reduced drag not only increases fuel economy, but also increases the engine life as it does not have to work as hard to reach the same level of speed.

Protection of the Motorcycle: Fairings can protect the engine of the motorcycle from damaged that might otherwise be caused by impacts or crashes. In fact, the framing and other areas of the motorcycle which are covered by fairing have an additional layer of protection in case of disaster. Believe us, it will help you sleep better at night.

Protection of the Driver: Since most fairings come with a windshield and some provide protection for the driver, the fairing can greatly reduce the dust, debris and bugs that otherwise would smack into the driver, creating distractions and even causing accidents. Also, fairings that cover the sides and front can protect the driver from the elements, particularly from wind-induced hypothermia.

The History of Motorcycle Fairings

Fairings for motorcycles was a concept that was recognized early in the development of the bike. When higher speeds were being reached in the early part of the 20th century, the recognition of the effects of air drag were being noticed. This resulted in many individuals creating their own versions of fairings which started to appear on racing motorcycles in the 1920s.

The actual term “fairing” was actually first used for aircraft as they were being designed with proper aerodynamics in mind. Fairings were being used in aircraft to smooth out the lines over junctions of components where otherwise the air flow became disrupted. The concept then was applied to motorcycles with middling results in the early stages. Handlebar fairings, like those produced by Harley Davidson for their Touring models in some cases actually produced more issues such as wobbling which upset the balance of the bike itself. It was not until the mid-1970s that the first factory installed fairing was placed on motorcycles, starting with the BMW R100RS in 1976. At that point, fairings were then becoming installed on many sports and touring types of motorcycles for the general public.

While fairing were originally cowlings that were simply placed around the front of the motorcycle. Today, modern fairings cover most of the frontal areas and often carry headlights, instruments and other items as well. If the fairing is placed on the frame, then the mounting equipment often reduces the weight and assists in the overall handing of the bike itself.

Motorcycle fairings have come a long way from the home-built models created by racers to the modern factory versions used by many motorcycle enthusiasts today.