Riding in high winds

[photo_grphr]

Curious if others have had the unfortunate experience to have to ride in extremely high winds... Yesterday, I had to ride home from Reno, NV, to Truckee, CA(just had heli bars installed at the shop in Reno). On the way back there were swirling winds up to 60mph-cross winds... I literally was blown into the shoulder, which was somewhat expected to a degree... I couldn't fully stop as the winds were so strong that I feard stopping would make it impossible to keep the bike upright. Semi's were having trouble....

What are some techniques, aside from stopping entirely, to help with high winds? Yesterday was a freak storm and I will never ride in those conditions again, if I can help it. SCARRY white knuckle ride for sure...

[mello dude]

Originally Posted by photo_grphr

Curious if others have had the unfortunate experience to have to ride in extremely high winds... Yesterday, I had to ride home from Reno, NV, to Truckee, CA(just had heli bars installed at the shop in Reno). On the way back there were swirling winds up to 60mph-cross winds... I literally was blown into the shoulder, which was somewhat expected to a degree... I couldn't fully stop as the winds were so strong that I feard stopping would make it impossible to keep the bike upright. Semi's were having trouble....

What are some techniques, aside from stopping entirely, to help with high winds? Yesterday was a freak storm and I will never ride in those conditions again, if I can help it. SCARRY white knuckle ride for sure...

I was on a trip on the high plains in Arizona/New Mexico and there must have been 60 mph crosswinds. About all we could do was hang on. The bike was leaning into the wind at a strange angle. The actually had wind fences - kinda a high X wood structure for miles along the road.

Another wierd part of it - we rode for a good section maybe 40 miles with the wind at our backs at maybe 125 mph, but the windspeed felt like 45-50. Very erie and weird - surreal. (I wanna do that again someday.)

MD

[Action]

We get some pretty high winds here in Albuquerque and what works best for me is to try to stay as loose as possible on the bars. Its exactly opposite of what you feel like doing but the tighter you get the more the winds will affect your direction of travel. I also lean down over the tank to try and lower my profile. I also found that going slower seems to make that darty/blown feeling worse. Two weeks ago I rode through a rain storm then hit high winds and blowing dust, by the time I got home I looked like something out of a Mad Max movie.

Action

[alter ego]

I have a few bridges here that are tall and always windy. Its wind and lots of height over an ice cold bay. It should be nice but.... I try to avoid them unless I am riding to work. On my CBR I never rode to work because it was so light it was getting blown all over. Now I ride in once in a while. Like Action said going slower makes it worse. The bike is like a gyro....the faster it goes the straighter it goes so I tuck down on the tank and resist the urge to crawl and make it worse(and last longer).

[pontiacformula99]

Yep, faster is better. too a degree... Use your head, but I also run faster in higher winds... 60mph is also a bit higher wind than I've rode in, though. 40mph at the worst.

[ZonaMan]

I don't know how fast the wind was here in Tucson today, but I almost got blown off the highway and into a passing car! I can't imagine what 60mph winds would be like. The way I dealt with it was crouching down a little, leaning into it when it gusted and sometimes putting my knee out.....it seemed to help.

[Rev]

I've ridden in high winds before and they are always a good time. I let the bike move around underneath me somewhat and lean it into the wind. I stay 'loose' on it to quickly react to gusts and other movement. Riding faster does help and don't try to stop it from moving around; all you will do is make things worse.

[PorscheBob]

Last week while riding in the northern California "delta" we had cross winds so strong (from our right) that in order to keep from getting blown into oncoming traffic we had to ride on the shoulder. This was also the first time that I was ever passed by a Harley!
The heavy low cruisers seem to do pretty well in side winds.
I have found that downshifting to lower gears for more torque seems to help.
One time, years ago, I was riding my Yamaha XS1100 and pulling a trailer. The wind moved me over one lane and I tried everything to prevent it but was unsuccessful. Not a fun ride!

[VaRollOn]

Tuck in behind fairing, chest to tank. Don't go too slow, and like these guys are saying no arm pumping tight holding on. Act like you are sailing, nice and loose, stay in middle of lane if possible. The bike will lean over naturally, just hang on!

[jackinthebox4]

going over the Delaware Memorial Bridge in high winds, I cuddle up next to a tractor-trailer, about midway. works fine. it gets a little slow, but it's better than getting whipsawed by the gusts of wind through the bridge cables at the top of the arc.

[Taz]

Originally Posted by Action

We get some pretty high winds here in Albuquerque and what works best for me is to try to stay as loose as possible on the bars. Its exactly opposite of what you feel like doing but the tighter you get the more the winds will affect your direction of travel. I also lean down over the tank to try and lower my profile. I also found that going slower seems to make that darty/blown feeling worse. Two weeks ago I rode through a rain storm then hit high winds and blowing dust, by the time I got home I looked like something out of a Mad Max movie.

Action

Perfect explanation & especially the Mad Max part know that feeling

i just had some fun ones up here, & almost was bounced off the center divider.

I dropped it a gear & cranked up the R's & speed from 65 to 80 & moved to the far right of the car pool lane & was much better.
I took a serious sand blasting, was suprised my clearcoat was still good.

But I'm used to the winds in Palmdale/Lancaster, CA., everywhere in AZ, & now up here in Utard.

[RacerX]

Hi wind is a problem but gusts are the real danger . like coming past a wall of buildings or trees and getting hit with a blast from the side .The vfr is great like rock solid . try a super light 600 or 250 ninja or an advevture turing bike with boxes on the back .forget wind, passing trucks is an adventure.