You blokes with 130 ish rear wheel bhp have enough power not to notice, but take it from me as a rider of an 80 odd bhp bike that there is a BIG difference between tucking in behind the fairing and not. My speedo has always been taped on trackdays, but I reckon that tucking right in is worth an extra 10mph out of my ST on a straight like Park at Cadwell or the start/finish straight at Mallory, and I know it is when I'm chasing 996's, and assorted 749's and 999's on rideouts.

I reckon that 10mph straight line speed is about the difference between an 80 bhp ST2 and a 95 ish bhp 748 when the 748 gets into it's stride (they're pretty even lower down the revs). I couldn't believe how frustrating it was at Cadwell be to be held up behind riders with less corner speed than me, to catch and draw level with them out of Charlies then watch them draw steadily away from about quarter way down Park Straight. If I was racing it would have been 'red mist' time.

The less power you've got to overcome wind resistance, the more it's gonna play a part in your top end speed. There might not be as much as 10mph in it, but I know that with only 60-70 bhp to play with I'd rather not be sitting there on a naked bike like a damn great airbrake.

Aerodynamics always play a role. There is a good article on Ducati.com on the subject: The art of slipstreaming

Here is what you need:

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