Small & large bikes & this wind?

**Supermac Jr** · 5th March 2009, 17:24

What excitement!!! the ride home tonight was, well, something else. I got blown around heaps and it probably looked as if Im making love to the bike.

So as Im 'clinging on for dear life' another biker on a GSXR passes me at a rate of knots. It didn't look as if he (or she) was that bothered by the wind whereas I'm being blown from the RH-side (just left of the centreline) all the way to the left-hand of my lane.

So how big is the difference that a large bike makes in wind like today???

**firefighter** · 5th March 2009, 17:29

Only people who have forgotten what it's like to ride a 250 will say it does'nt make a difference.....

Bigger bikes feel it less, also the bikes profile etc will make a difference too.

The least iv'e ever been effected was on my old mans triumph speedmaster......and the worst was on my old ZZR250.

Little bikes get it the worst for sure.

**Ixion** · 5th March 2009, 17:30

Bugger all. The difference is "passes me at a rate of knots". Secret of riding in wind is to keep the speed up. Go faster. Faster. that's no tfast. Faster.

**icekiwi** · 5th March 2009, 17:35

Get a ZX10R and slice through it...
Seriously bigger bikes get pushed around alot less and as said already the faster you go the less it seems to affect you...and oh yeah The bigger the mess if it does.....

**Supermac Jr** · 5th March 2009, 17:35

Speed does make a difference but for me going 100 today just didnt feel safe. I mean this bloke was moving.

Maybe its a case of HTFU. Will see tomorrow. At least my gear is waterproof

**KiwiKat** · 5th March 2009, 17:38

Larger bikes can still get blown around a fair bit. side profile makes a big difference and also whether the bike has a low centre of gravity. My 750 Katana has a large profile(area) side on and is also top heavy. Side winds blow it around a fair bit, to the extent that I was blown off.

Inexperience plays a fair part too because I am now more confident in strong winds and the bike doesn't move as much. I was told thes wise words by an experienced rider / mechanic

"lean the bike into the wind (push handlebar forward) and don't try to lean yourself. It's less tiring and more stable." He was was right.

**piston broke** · 5th March 2009, 17:40

speed makes the difference as,
the quicker you go, you move the apparent wind angle closer to head on

**Slyer** · 5th March 2009, 18:22

My ninja was getting blown all around as well, in the slow lane at 90kph all the way...
Mine has more fairings though.

**Hitcher** · 5th March 2009, 18:30

The worst bike I have ever ridden in terms of being badly affected by wind, was my ST1300. Fuck me. I had a couple of wind riding experiences on that that could only be described as terrifying.

**Howsie** · 5th March 2009, 22:02

Originally Posted by Supermac Jr

Speed does make a difference but for me going 100 today just didnt feel safe. I mean this bloke was moving.

Maybe its a case of HTFU. Will see tomorrow. At least my gear is waterproof

The bike is more stable than you might realise. Iv had mine out in some pretty strong winds. Either point ur knee into the wind or hunch down on the tank and keep the power on. If you tootle too slowly it can get real tricky, prob why that rider blasted past you (or so it seemed in this weather)

**retro asian** · 5th March 2009, 22:13

Originally Posted by Howsie

The bike is more stable than you might realise. Iv had mine out in some pretty strong winds. Either point ur knee into the wind or hunch down on the tank and keep the power on. If you tootle too slowly it can get real tricky, prob why that rider blasted past you (or so it seemed in this weather)

That was me today, must have looked quite silly to the cagers...hunched down on a cruiser with half ass cheek & one knee sticking far out on the right...

Hope tomorrow morning is better!

**quickbuck** · 5th March 2009, 22:15

I deliberately went out to find the age old answer to this myself on my CBR600 a couple of years ago... It cost me $350 ish!

Yup, I was doing somewhat over the open road speed limit to prevent the CBR being affected by the hurendous cross wind.
A little bike wouldn't have had the power to even get there..... Nor the nice wide Gyros (wheels) the CBR has to keep it upright.

There is also a case of experience....
You really go go from being consciously incompetent to unconsciously competent.

Remember when you were young learning to tie your shoe laces???
Now, do you remember tying them this morning?

Same with riding in the wind.
The rider also makes ever so fine subconscious reactions to what the bike is doing to keep it on track (or road).

**McJim** · 5th March 2009, 22:17

Well it's been a beautiful still week with sunshine, high temperatures and not a breath of wind.

What are you North islanders wittering on about? Isn't the weather in the North Island supposed to be so much better than down here?

You'll need to excuse me - I need to go and tend to my sunburn..