A rear spoiler that Aprilia tested on the MotoGP circuit has resurfaced in a series of patents.
For the record, the Noale-based bike manufacturer is certainly not the first to dabble in rear aero perks. Suzuki and Yamaha have both attempted their own offerings, with Ducati integrating a set of double-layered fins – nicknamed the “Jurassic tail” – for their 2023 MotoGP Lenovo Team.
The pros and cons of patenting
As we all know by now, a patent application is a protective measure; if you don’t want another brand to steal your idea, you protect your product with a patent.
All manufacturers have to file a patent and then wait a certain period for approval – something that Ben Purvis reasons is “not ideal:”
– Ben Purvis, “Aprilia Rear Spoiler Patent Explained” (CycleWorld) |
Where’s the proof?
According to Ben Purvis’s coverage from CycleWorld, Aprilia’s patents state that the rear aero package “relates to ‘road’ or ‘street’ motorcycle.”
In other words, there’s good content here to suggest Aprilia’s considering rear spoilers for their production ranges.
But does it work?
In MotoGP, rear spoilers are mounted mainly for aero benefits on the straightaway – and Purvis tells us that’s only if the circuit is amenable.
The average GP bike’s speed there is 220mph – faster than the average speed of a commercial jet airliner at takeoff – so we really hope y’all don’t buy into the idea that a rear spoiler is a benefit to road-legal scoots.
Should Aprilia decide to punt out a machine with an extra rear aero commemorating their time on the Grand Prix grid, we expect the thing to be more for looks than anything.
Goodness knows there will be no need for an aero of any sort on our urban cobblestones proper.
What do you think of Aprilia’s rear spoiler patent?
