riding in the wind

2766 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by nananoyz, Dec 5, 2006

tomr

Discussion Starter · Apr 18, 2006

it gets very windy here in lakeland,fl. i find it very discomforting to ride on the route home-rural highway at 60 mph indicated-its mostly the side gusts as well as when cars or trucks pass-any tips on how to better deal with this condition would be appriciated

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aa6vh

· #2 · Apr 18, 2006

You do not state how windy it gets. I have rode my Majesty in 60mph winds - and it was something I admit I did not enjoy. Riding in 30mph or less seems like nothing after the 60mph winds.

The thing to do is relax. Fighting it will only make it worse.

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RonStewart

· #3 · Apr 18, 2006

Second tip - take the MSF introductory course.

Third tip - practice on rural roads.

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tomr

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 19, 2006

just want some ideas as to methods of improving riding skills-the side gust like when cars or trucks pass by are the ones that really bother me

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bigjim

· #5 · Apr 19, 2006

For me, the main thing when passing a big oncoming truck is to be aware at that moment what is going on around me... good comfortable grip, eyes forward, maybe even lower my profile... bringin' in the sail, if you will, by ducking down behind the windscreen (I'm 6'4"). Focus on your line and daily learn what "normal" feels like. Same thing applies with ambiant wind, like going over an unsheltered bridge or coming around a group of buildings into exposed gusts.
my 2 cnts.

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Braden

· #6 · Apr 19, 2006

When you're hit with crosswinds from passing trucks or on bridges, etc. the wind seems to want either to knock you over or steer you across lanes and into the bushes (or oncoming traffic).

The trick is to make the wind meet you on your terms. Try and picture instead the wind blowing the bike "out from under you," and not toppling you over, or changing your course. It sounds wrong, I know, but having the bottom of the bike (the wheels actually) move away from the wind while your head stays in a pretty straight line, means that you are now "banked" as if going into a turn. This rapid, short, banking against the wind counterbalances the wind's force and keeps you going in a straight line. Think of it kinda like a skier on the slolem - his skis go out to the side but his upper body stays over the line of where he wants to go.

The "slolem" move is what we practice as "swerving." I'll do this on an empty rural road, picking something to avoid like a manhole cover or a different color spot on the pavement and throw the bike out from under me so that it counters to the other side, then reverse the move from one side to the other, like the skier. Getting familiar with this feeling will prepare you for a faster, more automatic response time when the wind gusts hit.

good luck, enjoy.

b
t

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Larry Newman

· #7 · Apr 27, 2006

I get quite a frontal blast when a tractor trailer goes by in the opposite direction. with a touring windscreen, it is manageable, especially if I'm prepared.

A sideways blast is different, and needs both practice and experience to successfully handle. I find that it is my upper body that functions as the sail, and with a little tilt, or skew of my shoulders, most of the force can be dissipated. I angle my shoulders so that my chest is away from the wind direction, and the wind hits my shoulder and back. Just a little angle will do it.

This is a trick I learned while bicycling [ 100kmi of touring, racing ].

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dagadget

· #8 · Nov 14, 2006

tomr said:
it gets very windy here in lakeland,fl. i find it very discomforting to ride on the route home-rural highway at 60 mph indicated-its mostly the side gusts as well as when cars or trucks pass-any tips on how to better deal with this condition would be appriciated

Tomr

I live in Avon Park just 55 miles away from you. I took my Majesty to Ocala on November 6th (A very windy 25-40 Kt gusty day) Rode up US 27 to Florida Turnpike to I-75. The winds were most always cross winds but with a little lean placed when you feel the gusts you can stay straight enough. If the winds is less just pushing down on the handlebar on the side the wind is coming from usually handles it ok. The motorcycle riding tips book I received with my Yamaha owners manual has a lot of good tips in it for riding in the wind as well.

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nananoyz

· #9 · Dec 5, 2006

I encountered some pretty hefty wind gusts through Oklahoma this summer and it seemed that I was affected much more by side winds and gusts from big trucks than other riders I passed. By the end of the day, my head and neck felt like they'd been run through a ringer and I'm still seeing a chiropractor 3 months later. My husband's take on this was that since I'm more of a couch potato than a superheroine (despite my avatar) my neck muscles probably aren't up to withstanding the battering of side winds. Now, I've ridden for years and I have to say that the force of winds seems to be much stronger on the Majesty than on any of my other bikes (I've had a couple of cruiser style bikes as well as a BMW ST F650.) Is it that I'm just not used to the big fairing, or is it as my husband says, my lack of strength? I love my Majesty, but this is a real problem.

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