Tips for riding in blustery wind

[steve_t]

As the title suggested, I was wondering if there were any tips for riding in these conditions. A constant wind is fine but today I'm getting blown all over my lane. I try and relax and go with it a little but other than that, any tips?

[BMWST?]

this is a situation where riding to the centre of the space available is best.keep the speed up and look for the geography that will cause shelter /blast situations.Keep your wits about to to counter any movement in the lane and try to keep space around you to a maximum.Large trucks have a double jeopardy,they can create a shelter/blast situation and the turbulence they create can be tricky.

[p.dath]

In a lot of cases, if you do nothing your bike will self-correct. You can make the effect worse by keeping your arms stiff or adopting the death grip on the handlebars.

So, lean forward a little more if necessary, keep your arms bent (and weight off the handlebars), and try to relax. Grip the bike with more knees to keep you on, and use your core body strength to hold your body position (rather than putting weight on your arms, and hence onto the handlebars).

[centaurus]

Depends mainly on the bike. If you're on a fully faired 250, better stay home. Most of the times going riding in gusty winds is just asking for trouble.

If you're on a bigger/heavier faired bike, make sure you lean as much as you can under the screen. Lie with your chest on the tank if you can - it helps heaps, especially when you have a big truck/bus coming the other way. Most of the times on big bikes, it's you who's getting blown off and not the bike. lying on the tank you have a much smaller wind resistancee.

As p.dath says, hold the bike with your knees and relax your hands/arms. This makes a HUGE difference in stabilising the bike during an unexpected gust.

Find the right speed - too fast and you'll get blown off, too slow and the same will happen.

Don't lean too much in the corners. The more you lean the less room for adjustment you have if a gust of wind hits you mid corner. Be especially careful of leaning heavily against the wind in the corners. It can sweep your front wheel off the ground.

Don't ride parallel or just in front of other vehicles in the next lane. A gust of wind might push you right in their path. Even though visibility wise is not recommended, if you need to ride close to another vehicle, ride in the neighbouring lane, behind the vehicle. You might be in it's blind spot (and you need to be aware of that) but if the wind blows you out of your lane, right behind the car it will be an empty space, even if there is a car behind it.

[steve_t]

Depends mainly on the bike. If you're on a fully faired 250, better stay home. Most of the times going riding in gusty winds is just asking for trouble.

ROFL... I know you're serious and I did keep my ride short because of how bad it was getting, but it did make me laugh

[FJRider]

ROFL... I know you're serious and I did keep my ride short because of how bad it was getting, but it did make me laugh

If it made you laugh ... it can't have been that bad.

[scumdog]

If it's a constant side wind?

Stick out your knee on the side the wind is blowing from.

[CookMySock]

If it's a constant side wind?

Stick out your knee on the side the wind is blowing from.

I always stick out my tongue.

Steve

[EJK]

As the title suggested, I was wondering if there were any tips for riding in these conditions. A constant wind is fine but today I'm getting blown all over my lane. I try and relax and go with it a little but other than that, any tips?

Just hang on!!

[YellowDog]

Run a sail up and take advantage of the free propulsion.

OR keep the bike in a low gear at high revs. The high revving engine has a gyroscopic effect of stabilising the bike.

The other advice is also good. If you grip the bars too tight and you body takes a gust, this can cause you to steer into danger.

Hard to do, but just relaxing and taking it as it comes seems to work very well for me.

[Okey Dokey]

I agree with a lot of the previous tips. Relax your grip on the bars, and position yourself in the middle of the lane. Be prepared for "blasts" from oncoming trucks. I also grip the bike with my legs.

On the bright side, I much prefer riding my gsxr in the wind compared to pillioning on a gsxr in the wind. You really do feel vulnerable in high winds perched on the back!

[Mrs Busa Pete]

treat it like a long corner sit one ase cheak of the side of the bike that is getting pushed arouned and this will give you some control over being bloween around

[banditrider]

I find it takes me a little while each time to get used to riding in the wind - particularly if it is gusty. As mentioned above, the secret is to relax into it and keep your wits about you when trucks pass or you pop out from behind some cover.

I find on the Connie a bit of pace definitely helps keep me on the straight and narrow although this might not necessarily be the case on a small, light 250 (and it can take a bit of nerve to try it out).

Whatever you do, be careful!

[Gareth123]

I love riding with a tail wind. Makes my bike go so much better. Head winds just plain suck and cross winds are real fun.

I remember riding my little beast back from Ashburton in a nor'wester. Going over the Rangitata river bridge was scary as fuck! Pushed from one side of my lane to the other. I was really lucky though, the car behind me saw I was having trouble and gave me heaps of space. I didn't know the knee out trick then. Spuds1234 told me that one later on that night. It really does work though.

[p.dath]

I love riding with a tail wind. Makes my bike go so much better. Head winds just plain suck and cross winds are real fun.

Head winds turn your body into a sail, and mean you need less core body strength! I like head winds.