Riding in strong winds

[bluninja]

I'm currently commuting 110Km each way daily on my bike...it's winter here and damn windy. Last night was windy with sudden gusts that moved my bike from one side of the lane to another. So what is the best way to handle windy conditions?

I tend to gauge where the wind is coming from (harder in the dark) by feel and then positon myself in the road so that a sudden gust won't put me into oncoming traffic, or the truck in the lane next to me.

I tried to plan my cornering to know where the wind direction will change to as I turn through the corner.

But the big one is speed.....if I slow down I lose stabilising force from the gyroscopic effect of the wheels and get moved around far more, if I speed up I will make a bigger mess should I get blown into the path of something.

So what opinions or advice?

BTW I'm talking wind so strong that I move across the lane even leant over as though taking a 90 degree corner......strong enough for trucks and cars to be swapping lanes suddenly in front of me.

[Karma]

Not much you can do really, just gotta go loose and roll with it eh.

Alternatively, you could get a naked bike?

[Fat Tony]

But the big one is speed.....if I slow down I lose stabilising force from the gyroscopic effect of the wheels and get moved around far more, if I speed up I will make a bigger mess should I get blown into the path of something.

That was my excuse for the speed at which I got to work in this morning mate, lol. Very windy up here too, but on a plus side, it's the first day I've got to work this week and not needed to wring my gloves out.

You're spot on though, the slower you go, the more affect the wind has on your direction and stability.

There's not a lot you can do about the wind mate. Just try to relax and do what comes naturally. I find if I think about it too much, I don't relax on the bike, end up locking the arms and making the affect of the wind worse. You could always PX the fully faired bike for a nice little step-through ride

It's worse when it's like it is today, really gusty. When it's constant you can at least lean in to it a bit.

[bluninja]

Was gusty last night too! Took me 75 minutes to get to work this morning (including the daily petrol stop) but the wind wasn't as bad (no beans last night). Daylight is easy as you can see the trees and well ahead to see what's happening, but it's a bugger in the dark.

A naked stepthrough? Sounds like an old worn out prossie. Maybe I should replace the lightweight OZ wheels with standard ones to generate more gyroscopic effect for the same road speed.

I do try to relax, but when the wind whips around your helmet suddenly (oooer ) and your neck goes crack you realise you've gone a little too floppy. At least I don't need to worry about nodding to other bikes.

[Trudes]

RElax, loose grip on grips, bend in arms, lean forward closer to the tank, grip with your knees and keep at a steady constant speed,... if you can! Practice, live in Wellington for a year!

[Hawkeye]

RElax, loose grip on grips, bend in arms, lean forward closer to the tank, grip with your knees and keep at a steady constant speed,... if you can! Practice, live in Wellington for a year!

Come on Mrs Kendog. Look out the window. How can you say Wellington is windy. I'm sitting on the 8th floor of the building up on the Terrace and the harbour is spectacular (sp). Barely a ripple out there. Oh! yes. Just remembered. It's only Friday. Tomorrow, when I'm not in the office, it will be windy...

[apteryx_haasti]

I found this thread extremely useful for windy riding:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...likes+the+wind

I am such a convert to its methods that I shamelessly plug it whereever I can. I should get royalties.

[skelstar]

Ummm....usually I see posts/questions by newbies on little GN250s, not presuambly experienced riders on RSVRs. Have you ridden much at all?

[Lissa]

Ummm....usually I see posts/questions by newbies on little GN250s

I feel like taking exception to that... but i wont cause its such a lovellllllly day.

[bluninja]

Ummm....usually I see posts/questions by newbies on little GN250s, not presuambly experienced riders on RSVRs. Have you ridden much at all?

Ha ha! I still have lots to learn and relearn. I manage ok in the wind, but I'm always looking for ways to improve things. Even if I hadn't ridden much 220kms per day would soon fix that. BTW I've had the RSVR from new and it's already travelled around the world and been ridden round a fair bit of the North Island.

Need to relearn Spank's posting rules and search for existing threads before starting a new one!!!!

Not thought of hanging off the windward side of the bike, I hang off and keep the bike vertical in very wet conditions but hadn't considered that option for the wind.

[skelstar]

Don't like the idea of hanging off a bike in strong winds. You kidna loose a bit of control if things take a turn for the worst.

I did a trip recently in very strong winds and pouring rain...ya just got to accept the wind is going to knock you around a bit and 'go with the flow'. You relax your arms and let the wind move the biike around underneath you. I tend to keep my speed up a bit too. In above mentioned trip I maintained a constant $1.20 speed even though I didn't feel very secure in the conditions. Slower means less momentum/inertia I guess.

[bluninja]

I'm not sure I like the idea of hanging off in strong winds, but I'll give it a try and see how it compares with what I've been doing so far. Then I'll choose which works best for me.

My run to work in daylight rush hour takes 75 mins including fill up with fuel half way. My run home in the dark also takes about 75 minutes through rush hour. So my average speed is 88 kmh both trips.......I must admit to being more 'comfortable' in the wind at higher speeds, but I'm also aware of the consequences.

Filtering (lane splitting) in gusting wind is also kinda fun.....I tend to be sat as high as I can to get a better view of what's ahead and that acts like a bigger sail. I can duck down and let the cars take the wind, but then I can't see that far ahead...just looks like a red light lined passage.

[skelstar]

I'd hate to say it but you're painting more and more of a dodgy picture. Maybe public transport on the bad days? You can't always win on a motorbike.

[Hitcher]

Strong winds? Don't ride an ST1300.

[bluninja]

The same run in a cage takes 2.5-3 hours. The train takes 2.5 hours if they all run to time (2 changes of train)and I have to get to the station from home. It also costs about $240 for the train ticket for a week, half that for the bike fuel.

Last week it was pouring with rain and blowing a gale and I took the car for one day....feel more comfortable and relaxed riding the bike in the wind/rain than sitting in the car queueing.