What speed wind will tip over a parked bike?

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Given an ST 1300 with a stock side stand parked broadside to the wind (wind blowing directly toward the sidestand side of the bike when it is parked on a flat, hard surface). Figure a top case into the equation, windshield down (or wherever you want it to be).

What speed wind will knock the bike over?

Of course there are a lot of variables, and I'm talking generalities. Surely there is an approximate wind speed that makes parking the bike in this orientation dangerous.

I've read here in another thread that this happened to someone (i.e a wind induced parked tip over). I just want a ballpark idea of what kind of gusting could tip over the bike. Why? If I park the bike in wind gusting to 25 mph, and the consensus here is it will take a 60 mph wind to knock it over, I would not give it a second thought. Otherwise I would be more careful where I parked it and how I parked it. Will I ever encounter these kinds of wind? I doubt it, but once, years ago, I was camping in Colorado and the wind picked up so much at night that I tipped over a picnic table and arranged my sleeping bag in its lee. By morning the wind was so strong I decided to head home. With this gusting tail wind, I was able to put my hand outside the car window and feel no air movement at all. I was driving 60 to 75 mph (don't remember any more than that).
 
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I have had my ST1100 parked on the center stand in winds with gusts at 45 mph. No problem. I suspect that with the larger bike on the side stand and angled low side windward, a much higher wind would push it over. Unless....you get a gusty situation that will cause the bike to rock.
 
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I've seen an ST1300 blown off the centerstand by a strong gust of wind along Hwy 1 when the guy stopped for a photo.
I've also seen wind blow bikes over off the side stand when left in neutral, the wind got behind the screen and rolled them forward enough to fold up the sidestand and over she went. Now I'm sure the angle and ground surface (dirt) had a lot to do with that.
I believe the side stand is safer than the center stand in high wind areas, but I would also park the bike so the direction of the wind is blowing from the bikes right side to the left, forcing downward pressure onto the stand.
YMMV
 

the Ferret

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Interesting mine has never come close to being even wiggled by the wind and I have been in some pretty high winds in Colo, Kansas, etc. I even use a block of wood an inch thick under my side stand because the dang thing is so heavy/hard to stand upright especially if the ground is sloping away on that side, or I have my wife on the back,,or both. (note pink reminder string in the photo below). Rarely use the centerstand.

I agree about parking so the wind hits the right side if possible, and turn handlebars so front wheel is facing to the left.

 
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A rubber hockey puck works really well too. You could drill a hole in it, use your pink leash to pick it back up once mounted.
And rubber does not slip or skid as much as wood on some surfaces.
 
OP
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I even use a block of wood an inch thick under my side stand because the dang this is so heavy/hard to stand upright especially if the
I have two - one made of wood with a small piece of steel epoxied to the top, and a 4x electrical box cover. I keep one of those extendable (telescopic) magnetic screw retrievers (3.99? at Harbor Freight) in the glove box w/ the pucks. The magnet helps to place the puck under the side stand. My arms are not long enough to reach down to put it there, and I'm afraid if I nudge it in place w/ my toe, one of these days the bike will tip over before I get it in place.
 

docw1

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My 1100 was tipped over onto it's right side from the side stand by wind, but it also had a cover on it. This was in, of course, Chicago, the windy city. Not sure of the wind speed, but there were some pretty good gusts.
 

jfheath

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I'm always very wary about where I park the bike on the side stand - I like it to be really leaning onto it rather than just resting - although you can overdo this to the point that the bike will be levered over the side stand ! The camber of the road or the slope of the ground, makes a big difference. I never want the bike to be much more upright than it would be if it was parked on level ground. Turning and locking the bars on full right lock can make it a little more difficult for the bike to fall to the right. (At odds with The Ferret here !).

I understand completely why he has the block of wood for the side stand, but I could never leave the bike as upright as that. Its not the wind that I am concerned about as much as a pedestrian or kid bumping into it.
 
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Mickey have you tried squaring the bars or turning them to the right before uprighting the bike? This takes a lot of weight of the side stand.
 
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IMHO parking the bike with the wheel pointed to the right is the WORST thing a person could do! I have seen several bikes either have the front wheel blown to the left, flop to the left, or bumped causing the wheel to flop to the left...
and when it does that, it rolls the bike forward enough to roll it right off the sidestand and bamn, down she goes.
Always lock the wheel to the left. You'll notice that when you turn your wheel to the right, it raises the bike up as it passes center, then does not go down enough to make it as stable as turning it to the left.
.02
 
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I do lock the wheel to the left whenever parked. I turn it to the right or center it when sitting on it before I take the weight off the side stand.
 
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I would point out that 1) you should never park the bike with the wind blowing from the sidestand side always park with the sidestand downwind 2) a cover is going to increase the effect of the wind dramatically and 3) the wind doesnt have to blow the bike over all it has to do is take enough weight off the sidestand so the spring retracts it. The bike then falls into the wind.
 

TPadden

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You guys really have to get out and ride more; it's not even winter. :(

More importantly when a parked ST tips over and no one is around to see it, did it just decide to lie down on it's own?
 
OP
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when a parked ST tips over and no one is around to see it, did it just decide to lie down on it's own?
Is this counted as a tip over?

I would point out that 1) you should never park the bike with the wind blowing from the sidestand side always park with the sidestand downwind 2) a cover is going to increase the effect of the wind dramatically and 3) the wind doesnt have to blow the bike over all it has to do is take enough weight off the sidestand so the spring retracts it. The bike then falls into the wind.
I think you mean the wind also has to blow the bike forward. I pull my bike upright off the sidestand and still have to retract it with my foot - the spring does NOT pull it up from the deployed position when it is unweighted.
 

dduelin

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I'm not weighing in on the wind speed but comment on the angle of lean on the kick stand.

After adjusting my suspension my bike rides a little higher and it had too much lean to the left on the kick stand so I had a welder build up the kick stand foot 1/2" thicker.

If I think the bike has a chance of rolling forward I just leave it in gear. The NC700X comes with a parking brake which comes in very handy. I miss not having one on the ST. They make a lot of sense.
 
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I once had the wind blow my GS850 over while parked on the CS in a parking lot across the street from a hospital where I had been visiting my late wife. I didn't even know the wind had been blowing outside while I was visiting her. When I returned to the parking lot the bike wasn't on its side, the lot attendant told me it had blown over and he picked it up with help from another guy. The bike didn't have any luggage on it, but IIRC it had an aftermarket frame mounted fairing similar to a Windjammer on it at the time. If I had suspected that It would have been subjected to any strong wind gusts I would never have parked it on the CS. Never a good idea.
 

OhioDeere

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This is a crazy subject!! Definitely you guys need to get out and ride more !!of all my years of motoring on all sorts of bikes. I've never given thought to half of this stuff. You know. If your bike falls over SO WHAT! Get it picked up and ride on. Lol! I know I'm terrible! Like getting your car stuck in mud or snow. Get it out and have fun! Yee haww! I don't believe I've ever given consideration of wind direction or anything when parking my bike. If it fell over for any reason I'd kick its tires while it was down!! Lol
 
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