Pushed around by trucks

Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
1,258
Location
Donegal, Ireland.
Bike
Vstrom 650
I've been on this forum for almost three years. First time I've heard of the Stefi Plate and belly fairing fillet. Thanks Phil! any other great tidbits of knowledge you can pass along? Now I've got more mods to do!
News to me too, the ST gets a bit buffeted behind big trucks alright or going through a high mountain pass not far from me when the wind is strong from a certain direction,it gets a bit interesting trying to keep her stable on days like that,doesn't happen very often though.
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2006
Messages
3,513
Location
British Columbia
Bike
2021 RE Meteor 350
What I find with the belly pan is you get one 'push' then the bike pretty much stabilizes at a particular angle, depending on the direction of the 'wind'.
Could it not be that the one "push" you experience is coming at the point of the initial largest amount of turbulence that is being created off the rear of the truck you are passing? Once through that point and beside the truck, the turbulence will change to something less dramatic. Just as large aircraft produce dangerous (to smaller aircraft) vortices of wind from the tips of their wings, those vortices are very defined in the airspace and are capable of severe turbulence in a very small area behind the aircraft, although, in still air, those vortices can linger for quite some time. I doubt the belly pan is making little, if any difference, in this situation.
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2006
Messages
3,513
Location
British Columbia
Bike
2021 RE Meteor 350
Well my truck passing experiences sound identical to yours - big blast at one point, then quite manageable while passing. I think what's on the top half of the bike - size of windshield, rider and maybe a trunk play a much larger role in how that turbulence is felt, not something on the bottom of the bike about 10 inches off the road. But you are right. I've never tried it, but also never felt that passing trucks and the wind blast was something that gave me that much concern. I'm more concerned with getting by the truck quickly, as I'd hate to be beside one when it throws a tire carcass off a retread.
 
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