50mph Crosswinds. How do you ride? fast? slow? not at all

[deepforkriver]

Ok, so while we are no strangers to wind in Oklahoma (although not the tumbleweed state some people think) we regularly get several days of constant 45-50 mph gust (like today), swirling, from sides, head on, tail wind, you name it. How do you take on these winds? slow down? lay down? Speed up?

 

I know there are hundreds of thousands of miles logged by riders on this site. And while I know you all can't have the tainted "texas" winds from the Gulf we get here, what is your method? I have mine, but am eager to learn........ lets hear it!

 

 

p.s. I dont care if you ride a "first Gen" and they cut the wind like a knife.....:whistling::

:stirthepot:

[Itsan06]

I was exiled (jk) to Oklahoma City for 6 years and rode in all the crap while there...

I just maintained normal speed and grip a little tighter and be prepared to lean and weave

[Snaggletooth]

p.s. I dont care if you ride a "first Gen" and they cut the wind like a knife.....:whistling::

:stirthepot:

 

Who told ya that?

 

I've had a lot of riding in winds like that. Drives me nuts on the slab. 75 mph can get you to changing lanes rather you want or not. At least it keeps most the cages from drafting on you. Not all .... but a few. Freaks them out I guess.

 

I usually try to reroute myself to a road where I can bring the pace down a bit. I'd rather have a bit slower speed and a little more reaction time to adjust.

 

There are those days with the side gusts that feel like somebody threw a sand bag at ya that make me find a place to park for a while. That ain't worth the risk in my book.

 

Now for the tail winds..... yea! Great fuel mileage! Sadly the wind isn't always headed where I want to go.

 

Mike

[friesman]

I am with Snag on this one, I like to slow down a bit and stick on roads that arent as heavily travelled. I hate being around semi trucks in that stuff, sometimes you feel like youre gonna be wallpaper on the side of the truck when theres a strong crosswind.

 

Brian

[Marcarl]

Different winds different tactics, sometimes I ride through them, in other words I ride faster so to make the winds less noticeable, other times going slow gets me there too soon.

I say, ride at what you feel comfortable, for if you don't feel comfy you need to go do something else.

[chabicheka]

here's an interesting article on riding on windy days...

 

http://www.soundrider.com/archive/safety-skills/dang_wind.htm

 

[deepforkriver]

here's an interesting article on riding on windy days...

 

http://www.soundrider.com/archive/safety-skills/dang_wind.htm

 

 

Great article! Lots of good info everyone should know with spring "wind" season just around the corner....

[GaryZ]

It contradicts the 'experts' in that link, but, my VR is far better in the wind versus my Ninja. The Ninja seems to react much, much more to side winds. I feel the additional 250lbs of the VR have something to do with this . . .

 

[Carbon_One]

No problems what so ever when riding on 3. Prior to triking the bike I felt that the RSV was a pretty stable ride thou it would still get pushed around a bit with strong crosswinds. This was coming from a 500 lb bike opposed to the Ventures 850 lbs. And sometimes the same in and around semis, especialy on windy day. Now with three solid wheels grounded the bike almost rides as stable as a car. BUT while the bike is solid as a rock I'm not so the rider still gets buffeting on strong cross winds. Gets tiring after a while on the slabs so slowing down a bit helps there or as others here have said seak out slower secondary roads.

Larry

[DarkLeftArm]

The RSV is way better in wind than our Roadstar.

In high winds, I am more vigilant to correct, but try to remain loose, and let the steering do its job. It is pretty hard to muscle it out against a high crosswind or driving by a tanker at 80.

Seems like the bike will find it's own angle if you let it.

[darthandy]

It contradicts the 'experts' in that link, but, my VR is far better in the wind versus my Ninja. The Ninja seems to react much, much more to side winds. I feel the additional 250lbs of the VR have something to do with this . . .

 

 

I'll have to agree with that. My old '87 Royale handled heavy cross winds better than does my Triumph with no top box. Haven't had the RSV in any bad cross winds yet, so I can't say how it compares. As for the original question, I learned a long time ago to handle windy days as stated in the article above, but frankly, at this point in my life, I prefer to cage it on really bad days when the gusts are above 30 mph. Just getting old, I guess.

 

Andy

[aharbi]

I ride for my enjoyment. I don't enjoy riding on windy days, say anything over 25mph. So if it's windy I don't ride. Now if on a trip and I have to ride in the wind I use my ear plugs and tuck-in while I ride. Wind from the back is not noticed and actually fun but from the front or sides not so much. But as stated I prefer a heavy bike in the wind.

[Zfrebird4]

On my 86 VR I always gear her down to 4th, that way I have a stronger, and most instant way of getting power. As well, as the wind leans the bike say right, I slightly lean left. It works for me. Never will forget crossing the Mo river on her on a cross check metal bridge floor you could see the river though, and I was literally riding in a 'V' shape, bike leaning one way, and me leaning the other way.

 

Of course, watching the wind on the brush and trees BEFORE it hits me helps, as well as tighting up the crotch when there is a large opening on either side of the road. Here in CO it is not at all unusual to have winds of 20-30 with gusts on up to 50. Beyond 50 I try to park it.

 

Ya all stay up, ya here! And please let me know when you are going to ride in CO as I am always looking :fingers-crossed-emofor ridding buddies. Any sex:cool10: will do too! LOL ..

 

Jack T

[Grump]

so much for normal wind but what do you do when following rocket

[N3FOL]

I stay on the throttle and travel a little faster than normal so I don't feel the wind too much plus hold on the bars all the time.

[myminpins]

Since we can only really ride on weekends, if it's not raining, we ride. If it's windy, oh, well. We always travel on secondary roads (virtually empty around these parts) and now that we have the Venture, it's much easier than the Shadow was with higher winds. It's not often we get winds over 35 or so though but we have ridden in 50 before. Mike gets a bit tired and we may take more breaks but it sure doesn't keep us home!

[Pam]

I try to keep the speed up and look further down the road than normal. That seems to allow me to let the bike lean and come back on its own as the gust increases or decreases. I also check the weather for wind before heading out.

[Condor]

I don't get into windy conditions all that much, but back in '07, on the way back from Ft Collins, GeorgeS and I split off from the group returning to California and took 30 up thru Wyoming. Big black storm cells, monster cross winds, and lightening. A 2 Lane road with 18 wheelers coming from the opposite direction. It was an E ticket ride, but were able to stay in one lane. When we finally stopped for fuel in Karremer and George took his helmet off eyes were huge. He said it had to be the worst conditions he'd ever ridden in, and he rides a bunch. I don't know what the wind speed clocked out at, but it had to be close to a catagory 1. It's fun to talk about it now, but I wouldn't want to do it again....

[GaryZ]

I don't get into windy conditions all that much, but back in '07, on the way back from Ft Collins, GeorgeS and I split off from the group returning to California and took 30 up thru Wyoming. Big black storm cells, monster cross winds, and lightening. A 2 Lane road with 18 wheelers coming from the opposite direction. It was an E ticket ride, but were able to stay in one lane. When we finally stopped for fuel in Karremer and George took his helmet off eyes were huge. He said it had to be the worst conditions he'd ever ridden in, and he rides a bunch. I don't know what the wind speed clocked out at, but it had to be close to a catagory 1. It's fun to talk about it now, but I wouldn't want to do it again....

 

Since we're telling stories:

Riding my new 1971 Honda CL350 home from my mother's house I had to go south across the Golden Gate Bridge. Rolled onto the bridge with 'small car warnings' flashing. Crosswind from right-to-left . . . Very Interesting!

[Condor]

Since we're telling stories:

Riding my new 1971 Honda CL350 home from my mother's house I had to go south across the Golden Gate Bridge. Rolled onto the bridge with 'small car warnings' flashing. Crosswind from right-to-left . . . Very Interesting!

 

LOL... That puppy does move around a bit. Kinda unnerving...

[rod]

We get some high winds a lot on hwy 8 to and from the desert. Going too slow is the worst thing to do. You have to be able to adapt but generaly slow a bit and keep a stedy throttle works the best on all my bikes. Rod

[Brake Pad]

I rode in the winds yesterday, was only able to stay on the highway for two exits, had to get off., I was more afraid of becoming one with a truck then anything.

[BuddyRich]

Leaning WAY OVER ?

[KIC]

My first experience with an unexpected cross wind was riding from Yorktown VA to Washington DC on a Honda CB360T in 1977. While admiring the fall colors, I crossed a high bridge over a big chasm. I was in the "fast lane" and was hit so violently and unexpectedly I was moved from my lane to the right lane in a heartbeat. Luckily there weren't any vehicles alongside me. Wasn't even time to react. Just "boom" was over there..now over here. Would have love to see what that looked like from behind.

 

A recent experience was a couple of years ago while returning from Silver City NM with some friends. I was riding a Vulcan 1600 and we all were leaning sideways into the severe crosswind just getting beat up and hanging on for our lives.

 

Along came some guy on a big new Goldwing, blasted by us, sitting straight up, one hand on the handle bars while he used his left hand to smoke a big stogie.

Edited March 8, 2012 by KIC

[iwhoss270]

here's an interesting article on riding on windy days...

 

http://www.soundrider.com/archive/sa.../dang_wind.htm

 

 

 

 

 

So when I was in my 20's, I noticed is didn't matter whether I was on my XL500 or my FZR750, comingg from Sab Diego to Phoenix on I-8 they thing that helped ne battle the strong side gusts was to stay loose.... That was an excellent article too:322: