Daily commute over the Harbour Bridge

[not2slow]

Hi there, so my work has moved to Takapuna, we were based downtown Auckland. I would like to hear from riders who ride over the harbour bridge every day, mainly about what weather conditions (e.g. wind) they won't cross the harbour bridge in, whether the lane in which you ride is dictated by weather and/or traffic, are you sheltered from winds more if you ride in the centre lanes or should you stay on the outside lanes so you have more room to adjust to wind gusts? Also do riders split lanes over the bridge when cagers are driving just below the speed limit (~70km), do you split lanes in the centre lanes?
Cheers

[Latte]

Purely because there's more space to split, I use southbound clipon in the mornings. In the evenings traffic moves ok so I keep right and use the 5th lane when it opens up.

I always ride over, in the last 2 years there hasn't been weather that has stopped me riding over (the whole keep loose and go with the flow thing when it's windy works well).

[not2slow]

Hiss, did you ride this morning?

[maggot]

I used to cross it daily on my little RGV, rain or shine. Generally the weather ain't much of a biggie, though look out for the real big gusts.
I used the southbound clipons in the mornings, purely because they offer more room and you can split if the traffic gets too shite. The central lanes are thinner I thiiiiink and full of trucks, as they can't use the clipons, so progress is slower and less opportunity to split if you want. In the evenings I stayed right and used the fifth lane, was just easier.
I found the most tricky bit came after the bridge southbound, with everyone jumping lanes and trying to cut in further up the queue and all that jazz, and big SUVs not looking where the fuck they're going.
Other than that, it's not bad at all, and on a pearler day it's a pretty gorgeous view really. I sometimes miss it now that I'm not living on the shore, but then I just remember the traffic :bleh:

Good luck!

[Latte]

Hiss, did you ride this morning?

Yep sure did, and I'll be pillioning the wife home tonight across the bridge. I used to do it on my NSR (similar in size/power to maggots RGV, and in size to your Hyo). and it was no drama, I found keeping the power on a bit helped with the wind - but the "keep loose" is the best advice for wind riding).

Not that your riding south in the AM, but I found keeping left all the way, then hopping into the 3rd lane just before the viaduct is the easiest. You'll learn in a couple of weeks (if not a couple of days) which lanes work best for you.

[Blinkwing]

I cbf splitting in the centre lanes. The nippon clipons are the best lanes to split on, and generally only during heavy traffic.

+1 to all the advice in this thread, especially the 'keep relaxed' ones.

[not2slow]

cheers for the advice, i chickened out riding today as i thought the wind may be too much, but as i drove over in my 4x4 (i do look for bikers!) i noticed a few bikes heading south. then i had to deal with frick'in parking not to mention the slow traffic on the north-western and not being able to split!!....So tomorrow i'm riding!!

Anyone hide beside trucks to shelter from the wind?

Loosey goosey! :niceone:

[vifferman]

I suggest you search for similar topics - this has been done to death. Well... ad nauseum, at least.
I worked in Ponsonby for 7 years, and commuted by bike most days from Birkenhead to Ponsonby. There are some tricks on REALLY windy days, but it depends what bike you're on (over 7 years, there were 4 different ones), which direction the wind's coming from, and what other traffic's on the bridge. For example - with buses / big trucks, you need to be careful of the wind spilling around the corner of them when they're pointed into the wind, as it's travelling much faster than the wind on its own. However, if the wind's a bit sideways, you can use a bus/truck as a moving windbreak.
The wind comes from two main directions: northeast, and southwest. For strong northeasterlies, travelling north is worst coming down towards the police HQ, as the wind has a really long fetch there. Also travelling up the Shelly Bay offramp you get some nasty gusts. For gusty soutwesterlies, be careful when you come over the bridge heading south, as it buffets you a bit at the crest.
General: relax - don't grip the bars hard. The bike moves around a bit, but if you're relaxed and looking where you want to go, the bike will tilt back'n'forth with gusts, but will keep tracking more or less straight. With a death grip and stiff arms, you'll be counter-steering all over the place - that's what moves the bike around. Very rarely (if ever) will the bike actually be blown across the road.
IF it's really windy, keep yourself low, minimise your profile (and that includes luggage!)

[GOONR]

Purely because there's more space to split, I use southbound clipon in the mornings. In the evenings traffic moves ok so I keep right and use the 5th lane when it opens up.

I always ride over, in the last 2 years there hasn't been weather that has stopped me riding over (the whole keep loose and go with the flow thing when it's windy works well).

I do exactly the same as you. Been riding over for just over a year I guess, no matter what the weather is doing.

[racefactory]

I can see how it could be a death trap for a n00b on a GN250 but on a sport bike it is a piece of piss... keep relaxed, let the bike move around and it will stay on course. Don't worry it will never slide out sideways.

[skinman]

get a heavy bike, just try not to get blown off it cause it doesnt move around

[Latte]

IF it's really windy, keep yourself low, minimise your profile (and that includes luggage!)

Funny, was thinking about this thread on the way home tonight, noticed a bit of wind on the downward (northern) side of the bridge but didn't think anything of it (was more annoyed about the leak in my glove).

When I got home the wife thought we were going to be blown off the bridge..... guess she sits a bit higher up on the back of the priller. Tee Hee.

[swbarnett]

I ride it daily north to south in all weathers.

When I started I took the long route around the upper harbour a couple of times because of wind but now I've gotten used to it and it doesn't worry me. I don't even think about the conditions before crossing any more.

There was one day a year or so back that we happened to be in a car when I thought it would've been crazy to take a bike over the bridge. Traffic was horrendous because of all the car drivers scared to death by the conditions. Myself, I was enjoying the ride. At one pont we were stopped in the left lane of the north-bound clip-on and I looked sideways to find that we were oscillating up and down by around a meter. It was actually closed to bikes that day.

[swbarnett]

I found keeping the power on a bit helped with the wind - but the "keep loose" is the best advice for wind riding).
Ditto.

Keeping the revs up improves the gyroscopic effect so the bike resists the gusts better.

[swbarnett]

Anyone hide beside trucks to shelter from the wind?
I prefer to avoid trucks. The square shape doesn't slice in to the wind too well and just creates turbulence.

[not2slow]

Thanks for the all the good advice. Rode today and thank god i can split lanes! the relaxed riding is the way to go as there was a few gusts today over the bridge to practice the relaxed style. the clipons are the place to be so i can take advantage of splitting and moving amongst the slow cagers. Cheers for the replies and the good advice!

[Latte]

Thanks for the all the good advice. Rode today and thank god i can split lanes! the relaxed riding is the way to go as there was a few gusts today over the bridge to practice the relaxed style. the clipons are the place to be so i can take advantage of splitting and moving amongst the slow cagers. Cheers for the replies and the good advice!

Nice :niceone:

Pretty soon you'll be looking forward to the windy days as it'll give you something to break the monotony.

[matdaymon]

I've been riding over the bridge daily for a year or so now since I got by learners. Basically all the advice here is spot on. Personally I don't split lanes on the bridge but that's just my choice (I'd rather be late to uni but have a sweet view while I'm sitting there than cruise through and get to class early:msn-wink:) I've not seen the bridge closed to bikes since I was a kid either but that was normally advertised on the radio, not the side of the bridge. Coming along the long stretches of motorway can be more windy and a bit frighting than the bridge itself for first timers.

[SPman]

Very rarely (if ever) will the bike actually be blown across the road. ...unless you're on a ZZR1100 and you're crowding on the pace.......

[swbarnett]

Very rarely (if ever) will the bike actually be blown across the road.


...unless you're on a ZZR1100 and you're crowding on the pace.......
I was once leaning in to the first bend off the bridge going south on my CB250N (back in the 80s) and was lifted off the ground by a rare, very strong, wind that aiming south exactly parrellel to the bridge. I only touched down again, after being moved clear accross my lane, as my speed dropped. I know I was off the groud because the engine raced as the rear wheel lost all resistance.

Best air bed I've ever had. Absolutely no sense of fear or panic because I felt very supported.

[not2slow]

I was once leaning in to the first bend off the bridge going south on my CB250N (back in the 80s) and was lifted off the ground by a rare, very strong, wind that aiming south exactly parrellel to the bridge. I only touched down again, after being moved clear accross my lane, as my speed dropped. I know I was off the groud because the engine raced as the rear wheel lost all resistance.

Best air bed I've ever had. Absolutely no sense of fear or panic because I felt very supported.

That sounds like fun! I scare myself with two wheels on the ground let alone having both them off the ground!
Over the last couple of days i have found the wind to be strongest at the bottom of the bridge (as noted above) just before the Onewa road offramp (heading north). However, employing the head down arse up, lie on the tank princlple with the loose grip techinque and a bit more throttle appears to overcome that, with a little side to side head movement and mirror scanning to make sure no :Police: are lurking! :eek:

[C.Linnell]

Yeah I do exactly the same - left lane southbound in the mornings, splitting where possible (watch out for the opportunistic lane-changers!).

Even if you're not splitting, use the leftmost lane no matter what; it's always faster, mostly because it has an offramp to Ponsonby, and because cars avoid it due to an annoying merge at the end that happens to be easy for a bike to navigate.

Wind? Sometimes excessive, but never more than I've been able to handle. Just loose-grip and duck down!

[Timmeh:P]

My 2cents...

I ride North to South heading into Town. If you are lane splitting on the outside lanes (left clip-on) as you reach the top of the bridge it is best to stop splitting and stick to the left or right lane. You get a LOT of drivers cutting across to the right lane as you come down towards Shelly Beach Road off ramp. The cagers are pushing in to avoid getting caught on the Bus lane. :shit:

[Hellzie]

My 2cents...

I ride North to South heading into Town. If you are lane splitting on the outside lanes (left clip-on) as you reach the top of the bridge it is best to stop splitting and stick to the left or right lane. You get a LOT of drivers cutting across to the right lane as you come down towards Shelly Beach Road off ramp. The cagers are pushing in to avoid getting caught on the Bus lane. :shit:

Plus the traffic is generally moving at a decent speed at this point so lane splitting for just a tiny little bit more speed is not worth the risk

[chasio]

Like many others, I take it as it comes whatever the conditions. The advice on here is spot on although I'm not sure anyone mentioned grip with the knees while loose on the arms? It works for me.

Also in strong wind, I like to make sure I have as space around me as I can find (i.e. no splitting) when clearing the main supports at the top of the bridge as there can be some pretty good swirly blasts that can feel uneasy. If I'm loose and on positive throttle, it's all good anyway but I like a bit of margin.

A guy I work with who has ridden Africa bottom to top offered me a good tip that I have been trying. If you have a stiff crosswind, stick the upwind knee out so it is pointing into the wind. It seems to work in reducing the push effects.

And it's not that far to ride, so splitting traffic that is doing over 50kmh is unnecessary; but it can get addictive, which is something I have to watch tempting me.

Cheers - Chasio

PS I used to have a Vespa GT200 and it was awesome in bad crosswinds!

[Latte]

I tend to keep splitting all the way over, usually only if I see a bus further up (as they're a pain to negotiate at the merge point). When I started communting in I seemed to get caught up with the cars changing back into L2 from L1, but now I don't seem to have that problem anymore.

[FROSTY]

Just as you go from aproach road to bridge propper on the clipons heading north there used to be a metal plate. That sucker got plenty slippery when wet. Combine that with a gust of wind and you do a nice sideways shift and a chirp as you hit tarmac.
Its been three years since I was daily commuting over the bridge so I might be a bit out of date.

[Latte]

Just as you go from aproach road to bridge propper on the clipons heading north there used to be a metal plate. That sucker got plenty slippery when wet. Combine that with a gust of wind and you do a nice sideways shift and a chirp as you hit tarmac.
Its been three years since I was daily commuting over the bridge so I might be a bit out of date.

Don't remember having a problem with it in the last couple of years, but I have made the mistake of accelarating while changing lanes over one of the expansion plates in the wet going up the bridge. On the nsr I got a bit sideways and had a wee laugh. On the rsv I think I would have ended up on motorway patrol..