How Yamaha wants to make exhausts the next frontier in motorcycle aerodynamics
Photo: Xataka
It seemed we’d seen it all in the motorcycle aerodynamic war: fenders that would make a motorcycle engineer. Formula 1 smile, fins under the rear swingarm and fairings that take ground effect to the extreme. But the Yamaha decided to look where no one is looking: in the most neglected part of the bike, the exhaust.
And, according to several patents published in Japan, the idea is as simple as it is crazy: use the exhaust gases as a directed jet to control the motorcycle.
The Invisible Impulse: Using Engine Throttle to Control the Motorcycle in a Corner
The patents show a system of tubes and valves that redirect the flow depending on the situation. The brand isn’t looking to silence anything, or fine-tune emissions: it wants to turn the engine’s exhaust into another dynamic tool, something like a mini-thruster that provides thrust where it’s needed.
The first application would target one of the biggest enemies of modern acceleration: rearing. Rather than relying solely on electronics, Yamaha designed a split exhaust system: a main tube (the standard) and a second tube, much narrower, positioned at the top. If the front wheel begins to lose grip, a valve diverts exhaust gases into the narrower tube.
By narrowing the outlet, the pressure increases. By directing it upwards, this pressure pushes the rear downwards. Result: the front wheel returns to the ground without the need to significantly reduce engine power.
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