Riding in Windy Conditions

flash412 · Dec 14, 2007

Maybe all those folks complaining about riding in the wind should get an F650?

I live twenty miles from a wind farm, thirty miles south Wyoming. (We get hundred mile an hour wind storms on occasion.) In general, it's pretty windy here. It hasn't stopped me yet.

Once while going down US287 between Limon and Lamar, CO, over the hill past a (different) wind farm, my mpg dropped by HALF of the usual value, because of the wind. We still did our planned 650 mile day, no problem.

Buncha wuzzies.

:stick

kbasa · Dec 14, 2007

flash412 said:
From: http://www.deathstar.org/~flash/cross.html

Riding in a Crosswind
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 02:48:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: Flash - DoD #412
To: bmwmc@world.std.com
Subject: Crosswinds: THE ANSWER

There seems to be some general confusion and disagreement about how to ride in crosswinds: go faster, go slower, hold tighter, be looser.

Years ago, I found THE ANSWER. It worked for me when I had an R75/5 with a full Avon fairing and Enduro bags, with a backpack strapped upright to the short sissy bar, with a passenger. (Maximum crosswind profile.) And it worked for me when I had a nekkid R80G/S, solo. (Minimum crosswind profile.) I have posted it occasionally on rec.motorcycles and gotten many favorable responses. Though, some folks, with some bikes, claim it doesn't work. YMMV. (It works on an F650, too.)

When riding in a crosswind, particularly a gusting one, all you need to do is stick your knee on the upwind side out as far as you can. The drawback is that if it is cold or rainy, you tend to scoop all the weather into your crotch. The reason it works, I *think*, is that with your knee out, you are putting your bike aerodynamically off-center and must compensate to get it to go straight. Now, when a gust comes along, your knee scoops up a bunch of the breeze, pulling you INTO the wind at the same time the wind is pushing the bike away. In any case, the effect of the gust is reduced by 90% or so.

Try it. It's free. If you don't like it, or it doesn't work, stop doing it. (Disclaimer: The suggestion assumes you are a licensed motorcyclist with enough sense not to fall off. If you try this and fall off, it is your own damn fault.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A really good imagination is almost as good as... hmmm I dunno."- E.Foote
David Braun - F650 - DoD - BMWMOA - VBMW
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You got this from http://www.deathstar.org/~flash.

Out here, we get pretty regular crosswinds, especially on the coast. This method works.

Prior advice about relaxing is also helpful, as is imagining a hinge at your hips, which lets your upper and lower body move independently.

TVAILLANCOURT · Dec 15, 2007

riding in windy conditions

My first try at this so hopefully this is the way to do it.
Anyway, I ride in Newfoundland Canada where railroad cars were tied down during some of our winds......so there!
I've driven all 48 states and most of Canada over a twenty year period.
I find motorcycle riding very similar to downhill skiing in that it's your position over the motorcycle (or skis) that determines your controlability, including windy days.
If you find yourself holding on to your handlebars (or sitting back on your skis) you will not have the necessary control in a quick repsonse situation such as gusts etc.
If you just push the bottom of your back forward slightly so that your centre of gravity is more forward on the bike and your hands are just lying on the handles, rather than holding them, you will have much greater manoeuvrability than sitting back.................and it will allow you to react to any circumstance, including wind gusts.
PS Is there no spell check on this?

BOXERR · Dec 15, 2007

I dont mind riding in the wind. As long as it is not too strong.
I found my R1150RT was the best bike I had for windy conditions.
Super stable, even at 100mph. (bike speed, not wind speed)
My 1150GS wasnt quite as stable as the RT. Being higher probably dint help.
As everyone has stated, avoid trucks etc as much as possible, and get out of it if too bad.

henzilla · Dec 15, 2007

Front blew in early this morning with 30-40MPH winds all day...GSA made a big target in crosswinds ( sorry boys & gals it was 50 and sunny :nod

), but I noticed I use the knee method automatically. Seems years of riding 700X22 tires on the velocipede made it just one of those reactive riding styles...made me chuckle a bit that I did not have to think about doing it. The RT is definitely a little more aero, but not really a worry on the Adventure, especially with a full fuel load. It makes you sit closer in to the bars anyway as opposed to the RT.
I guess I have only been in 60+ MPH gusts before, so nothing really to some of the puffier locales. The T-storm downdrafts are wicked as RTRandy described. No rail cars blown over to talk about, but serious blasts. The perpetial lean to the windward side is always a treat. And dropping a gear does honk on the fuel economy a bit.

ctyankee · Dec 26, 2007

I've had some experience in high wind conditions, both on the interstate and on the Mt. Washington auto road under low speeds. It can get pretty gnarly out there.

Some good suggestions were offered up in previous posts (not that this crowd would ever steer you wrong anyway).

Being relaxed is huge, I've seen some bad stuff out there with folks white-knuckling it in high winds.

Practice is the best antidote.

bobh41 · Mar 16, 2008

Don't be stupid

I was, at age 20. Two of my buds and I decided to travel to New Orleans from Biloxi to discover what a hurricane was all about. Hurricane Carla. Everything was fine until we started across Lake Ponchartrain Bridge and the winds picked up. It was a busy two-lane with obviously no shoulder and no place to pull off. Traffic was running in the 60's. A very strong gust caught me on my Ariel Sq. Four and pushed me about four-feet into the oncoming lane. I didn't get hit, but realized this was a stupid, life-threatening situation. I pulled up to within about three feet of a Greyhound bus and drafted it all the way across to the south shore of the lake.

I didn't know the knee-out technique, but I doubt it would have worked in that situation anyway.

I definitely do not recommend doing this - but if your life expectancy suddenly drops, approaching zero, what are you gonna do?

Riding in Windy Conditions

flash412

Loose Cannon

kbasa

Well-known member

TVAILLANCOURT

Guest

BOXERR

Guest

henzilla

not so retired

ctyankee

New member

bobh41

Guest

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