Riding in the wind....

[idleidolidyll]

eat more pies.
less likely to get blown about then

hmmm, obesity and the windjammer effect.............................eat less pies and hunker down son

[Hawkeye]

Stop being a wimp Scamp and become an all weather rider instead of a fine weather rider

(something tells me I'm going to pay for that comment when I get to work tomorrow!)

Anticipation is what's required. You do learn to read the wind the more you ride in it. Let's face it. 6 weeks in the saddle and you have already ridden in a track day. Before you know it you will not even think twice about the wind.

[Scamp]

Try riding (practice) in all sorts of weather, because oneday you maybe stuck out in it... and you have to get home.

Thanks for the advice. That was pretty much what I was thinking yesterday morning when I decided to take my bike to work. And even though some of the gusts were pretty scary, I did what everyone suggested, and hey surprise surprise, it worked and I made it home safely.

[Scamp]

Stop being a wimp Scamp and become an all weather rider instead of a fine weather rider

Thanks for the moral support there Hawkeye

[skelstar]

Scamp: have a read of this thread. Its a 'report' of my crashing in the Rimutakas last year. Im pretty sure thats theres some good advice in there somewhere.

[judecatmad]

Does riding in the wind ever get easier? There's been a little bit of wind over the past 6 weeks (how long I've been behind the controls) and none of it seemed that bad, but today I felt like I was being pushed backwards. I had to give it more juice and then I felt like I couldn't hold my lines on corners.

Any advice for the newbie?

Yes, it gets easier

I moved down from Auckland in January last year and didn't ride for 6 months - mostly cos of not being able to get the bike out of the shed of the house we lived in at that time, but also because of the wind.

The couple of times I did take the bike out, I was almost in tears riding along SH1 up to Plimmerton and back to Porirua. Was so scared of the buffeting I was getting.

But I have to be honest and say that, whilst it's never EASY, it does get easier to deal with. You learn your best way of riding in windy conditions. Try tips that people offer you. Eventually you will find what works best for you.

Stick with it

[Scamp]

Stick with it

That's exactly what I plan on doing.

Sitting on the back of a rocket ship is fun, but being behind the controls is BETTER. It'll take something pretty major for me to give this up.

[sunhuntin]

it gets easier. the higher the speed, the better off you are. [or the higher the revs.] some have mentioned sticking a knee out on the wind side, but its never worked for me. sports bikes may be different.

i used the foxton strait as my playground when it came to wind. use the whole lane, and let the bike lead. i trusted the bike to do what she needed, i only intervened when the center line started appearing on the wrong side of me.
now, i love it. headwind is still a challenge, but its bearable. look at where shurbs and buildings are, and be prepared to be blown suddenly in either direction. same for bridges, or near water

i remember having to ride at 110k down south [as opposed to my preferred 80k] simply to keep from going into a ditch. [was between dunners and invers.] and also when heading north from invers, riding along a bit of road that was "wall" on one side, and gully on the other. the wind was whipping up the gully something wicked. was kinda like being on a bridge. i nearly lost it there, and came out the end laughing like a maniac. lol. i spent that "lifetime" cursing the virago, calling her every name under the sun for being disobiedient.

just keep on riding, and hang on. some will disagree with me, but trust the bike to keep you safe. only step in when you feel the bike stepping out of line. [ie, crossing center line, or heading towards ditch.]

[Ixion]

just keep on riding, and hang on. some will disagree with me, but trust the bike to keep you safe. only step in when you feel the bike stepping out of line. [ie, crossing center line, or heading towards ditch.]

Well, I certainly would not disagree. That is excellent advice. Guide the bike, don't fight it, and relax.

[Scamp]

trust the bike to keep you safe

This is something I already do as I realise my bike has more skill than me. Hopefully one of these days soon my skill level will catch up with my bike and then overtake it....

[Manxman]

Does riding in the wind ever get easier? There's been a little bit of wind over the past 6 weeks (how long I've been behind the controls) and none of it seemed that bad, but today I felt like I was being pushed backwards. I had to give it more juice and then I felt like I couldn't hold my lines on corners.

Any advice for the newbie?

Mate, head down arse up usually works for me (as the actress said to the bishop)!!

There have been two occasions recently - going north between the ferry terminal and SH1/2 interchange - that have been fecken well-scarey for me. Almost blown into the middle lane 4-5 times in that stretch, which before I got a bike didn't think was possible (bikey mates talking it up, I thought, but true).

Yep, there's nothing like leaning into the wind, whilst going in a straight line, just to keep in yer lane...! The language that goes on inside your lid during all this is unprintable, but if you come out in one piece....woohoo.

[Hawkeye]

Thanks for the moral support there Hawkeye

I told you I was going to get grief for my comment.
Ok Coffees are on me on Monday

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

The only reason Wellington is so windy is cause Auckland sucks... or is that the politains are full of hot air... its one of the two... or both



As for riding in it... all the above is good advise...

[Guitana]

You all need to harden up!!! If you're not at an angle of 15 degrees to the road then you're not riding in wellington!! You get alot worse winds on the plains heading north,but why would you want to leave this tropical paradise???

[quickbuck]

Last time I wanted to find out the answer to the age old question of "How do you handle the wind?", it cost me $300, and 40 points!

Yep, I was so busy working out exactly what I was doing, that the 600 crept to 130k.

Well, gyros are more stable at higher speed......

But I didn't argue the point and paid the fine 60 days later.