"Fairing" first began as a term used in aircraft aerodynamics. It refers to the process of streamlining airflow over aircraft components, especially in areas where airflow disruption happened constantly. Because aerodynamic drag also occurred in motorcycles, this term was also adopted by motorcycle enthusiasts. While streamlining efforts were seen on motorcycles as early as the 1920s, it was not until 1976 that motorcycle fairings gained mainstream use. The first motorcycle fairings were cowlings attached to the front of the bike, which increased its frontal area. These greatly improved the vehicle's stability at high speeds. Today, fairings have become an integral part of motorcycle design.
