Going steady at fast (for me, anyway) speeds?

**zeocen** · 12th October 2006, 11:39

Alright, well I'm still a newbie and damn proud! :P
I was taking my time learning a lot of the basics and getting some confidence under my belt and I think I've progressed quite a lot on my ol' gpx.

However, I got pretty brave one day and went out from manurewa/the gardens and onto the road that leads to maraetai (wouldn't have a clue of the road names, sorry). Everything was fine, I was freaking myself out but having a blast at the same time. There was a bit of wind that day but I found myself rarely getting up and past 70-80kmph because with the wind and the bumpy-ish road I wasn't very confident and following what's ahead of me at that speed.

I was just wondering if there's any tips for light bikes at 80 - 110/120 (;p) kmph? It just felt a bit unstable, is it just getting used to the wind resistance and slowly building up confidence for high speeds or are there some tricks to getting better stability? Leaning into my bike etc..

Theeeeeeenks !

**Mole_C** · 12th October 2006, 11:47

Yea i still feel a bit strange at speed with all the wind. My head blows around a bit and the bike sometimes. Feels strange but im getting used to it, just try not to get tensed up, just stay relaxed and let it do what it wants withing reason

Also tucking under the screen cuts out a lot of the resistance to your head + body so just have a play around with that and find what feels comfortable.

Im still new so thats just what i've found helpful, others will probably have some more advice

**gijoe1313** · 12th October 2006, 11:47

Sounds like you having fun! Yeah, I know what you mean about those roads out to Maraetai - every time I've ridden them they always seem different (which I hear is a good point of view to take, always consider every road you ride as unique no matter how many times you've gone down them).

Just trust in your ride and get comfortable with it, I felt unsure like you at times when the winds got up - but you learn to live with it and get a "feel" for what the bike is doing (with your input of course!).

Keep reading and learning as much as you can about the fine art of the ride, heaps of useful articles online and whats been posted in KB...plus a whole bunch of more helpful advice that others will give you I'm sure!

Keep it rubber side down and enjoy the ride!

**WRT** · 12th October 2006, 11:48

You could try filling the wheels with water, that should weigh you down a bit . . .

Seriously tho, it sounds like you are doing it right. Dont push yourself to hard, and ride to the conditions. If you are on a bumpy (and windy) road, adjust your speed accordingly. To help stop the wind buffetting you around, you can however try ducking in behind your windshield.

And we are all newbies in a way. Even those of us that should be oldbies still generally have a thing or two to learn.

**Bend-it** · 12th October 2006, 11:53

Yeah, I'm a relative noob too... been riding under a year, and in THE windy city! I rode all through winter too... Tuck yourself as low as you can, and still be able to see, and be relaxed... The bike will "want" to go straight. Sometimes I've found that dropping a gear helps too. Have fun and ride to the conditions!

**acewheelie** · 12th October 2006, 11:57

The only problem I ever had with that rode was the bridge into Clevedon coming back, two up on a Honda 750 with the suspension set too firm, look hun no wheels!!

I still find riding in the breeze an absolute pain and I've been riding for errrr lets just say a number of years! It does get easier with experience, it affects a lot of larger bikes as well as smaller ones, agree with the above try and keep as much of your body low down as possible, not only do you get less wind resistance it brings down the bikes centre of gravity as well.

**acewheelie** · 12th October 2006, 11:59

Originally Posted by WRT

You could try filling the wheels with water, that should weigh you down a bit . . .

Seriously tho, it sounds like you are doing it right. Dont push yourself to hard, and ride to the conditions. If you are on a bumpy (and windy) road, adjust your speed accordingly. To help stop the wind buffetting you around, you can however try ducking in behind your windshield.

And we are all newbies in a way. Even those of us that should be oldbies still generally have a thing or two to learn.

Agree with some of us old hands being newbieish, took my bike for a ride from Akld to Raglan and back on monday, scared myself silly a few times coming out from sheltered hills into windswept areas.

**zeocen** · 12th October 2006, 12:05

Ah awesome, thanks for the replies guys!

Yeah I've tried tucking under the windscreen, I'm 6'1 so it feels a bit akward but I guess it'd feel akward for anyone who hasn't done it for a long period before.

And yeah, I'm always riding to conditions which is why I was hesitant to go above 70 - 80k on the bumpy/windy roads - luckily it was during a week day so there wasn't much traffice, whenever I saw a car coming up from behind I'd find the next open road area, indicate and move over to let them pass.. I got a few happy toots for that hehe

I guess I'll just try to go when the wind is down and during week days when there isn't much traffic to annoy at my low speeds

**Str8 Jacket** · 12th October 2006, 12:09

Yeah, the wind can be quite brutal. I've had a couple of accidents caused by being blown off the road as well as numerous other "incidents". Living in Wgtn is hard due to the fact that there is always wind and the gusts can be quite scary. There are lots of people with different theories on battling the wind but I have found that you just get used to it and after awhile you dont notice it so much. The only things that I have found have helped me being blown off the road again is to tuck in as low as you comfortably can into the bike (behind the screen if you have one). I usually grip the tank quite hard with my knees and try and keep my arms loose, I also like to keep the revs up as it makes the bike feel more stable. Even by doing these things I still find that I can be blown across lanes but by having my arms loose its easier to guide the bike back on track and if your knees are firmly on the tank then it helps as well. At the end of the day its a confidence thing, if im nervous on the bike then I find things can go wrong very easily, where as if im slightly more relaxed then its easier to control what the bike is doing.

Keep at it, sounds like you are doing well!

**bobsmith** · 12th October 2006, 12:31

GO FASTER

The faster you go, the more stable you'll be..... or so they say...

[edit] - what str8 jacket said... also just keep riding and you'll get used to it. Practice counter steering so you can instinctively counter-steer into the wind when you meet a gust. Get a road cycle and go cycling on windy days... just try not to get killed though. I still maintain road cycling is more dangerous than MTB or bike riding...

[edit 2] - and don't worry about the size of your bike, it's a very comfortable bike to do 100+ on open road... count yourself lucky your're not on a fxr150...

**TLDV8** · 12th October 2006, 12:56

Originally Posted by zeocen

Ah awesome, thanks for the replies guys!

Yeah I've tried tucking under the windscreen, I'm 6'1 so it feels a bit akward but I guess it'd feel akward for anyone who hasn't done it for a long period before.

Maybe its your height but it can get gusty on the coast...You have the right approch in taking the safer option in going at a comfortable speed that suits you.

I remember the first time i went across the Napier/Taupo road and saw the Beware of wind gusts signs but didn't take much heed...What wind?,you soon found out when you went from a cutting into the open..Whoa..Ok,those galeforce gusts

**Bend-it** · 12th October 2006, 13:05

Originally Posted by bobsmith

GO FASTER

Yeah, heard the same, maybe from the same source?? who knows... but I don't think it's made a difference once you're above 30kph or so...

Wouldn't work around those bumpy and unfamiliar roads though...

**beyond** · 12th October 2006, 14:08

Relax!!!

As soon as you tense up and worry about the wind, you will probably grip the bars tighter and therefore tense your arms and lock them as well. The counter steering reactions will be very diminished and any side ways movement will be accentuated.

Use your abdominal muscles and leg muscle to keep your profile as low as you can while keeping weight off your hands and wrists and relax your grip on the bars.

Let the bike have it's way over the bumps and in the wind and bring counter steering into play in the real hard gusts. Read the road and see where there are gaps between trees and gullies that can funnel wind and be prepared for extra hard gusts in these places.

Move with your bike and has has been mentioned, grip the tank with your legs and use your knees to make smaller adjustments.

It takes a huge gust to actually blow you off the road and we seldom get those up here in Auckland.

**Wasp** · 12th October 2006, 14:13

180km/h on a naked bandit 250 seems fine to me.........

just ride, eventually you'll naturally learn to move with the bike, it comes with experience

**Nitzer** · 12th October 2006, 14:29

Sounds like you are doing well. I've been out on those roads to Beachlands quite a few times and know what it can be like.

Anyway I live in your area and if you want some company next time you ride those roads feel free to PM me. Cheers