Safety when confronted with gale strength wind

[George Couperth]

Just back from our two up tour of 800 plus miles. Great trip out but the return journey was really frightening to say the least. With some 400 km to home the wind started to blow at gale fource. This as we negotiated a mountain pass (which has warning signs about cross winds for cars). The bike was fully loaded, two up with Honda Top Box as well. I slowed to 60km per hour (36 MPH) but still felt unsafe as we were blown across from the left lane of our two lane road to the right lane (we drive on the left here). At this speed large trucks were passing us with the resultant vacuum effect.
Once over the pass we were able to increase our speed to 100km/hr, the national speed limit is 120km/hr, the result, everything on four wheels passed us.
Big touring bikes seem to have this stability in wind problem, must be due to the larger area.
In hindsight with our safety in mind I should have stopped at the first available accomodation and waited for the wind to abate, as we did not have any time constraints.
Anyone care to comment on their similar experiences ?

 

[Mark]

Even with only one on the bike the wind will make you change lanes here in the desert southwest.
I too slow down and I do a *lot* of leaning...

With them as strong as you describe I might have parked and waited for a lull in the wind... But, probably not...

 

[st1300r]

Not having a death grip on the bars will help with the buffetting.
You can shift your butt one cheek off the seat towards the windward side.
And yeah you may have to lean a lot.

 

[clmixon]

Carl,

Don't you mean the lee side? I have to tilt the bike into the wind so I end up sitting on the side away from the breeze....

During a ride this spring, I ended up with a direct crosswind of about 40-50 knts coming off the Gulf and spent about 30 minutes sitting on the right wing of a Russell seat with the bike leaned way over to the left.

I second the "get off and wait" theory, If you are getting blown into the opposing lane, it's time to stop...

Chris

 

[st1300r]

hmm...never tried that.
I will say may elbo was killing me doing it for 300miles straight LOL.

 

[KarmaDog]

Physics is your friend in this one....if you can relax enough to benefit! The gyroscopic effect of the bike will keep it up, but YOU need to lean into the wind. First, this feels really awkward, but as noted earlier, if you relax and don't exaggerate the buffeting of the wind, then it's not so bad. As the wind varies, if you are relaxed, you will naturally correct the bike...if you buckle down and try and resist the wind, you can be blown across the road! The bike can absorb a lot of the energy, but if it is too sever, stopping is prudent.

I just came across Wyo. with steady crosswinds of 40-50 mph winds, gusting to 60. It wasn't fun, and I eventually stopped and regrouped.

Since there are a lot more experienced riders here than me....I would ask some of the HIGH MILEAGE guys on the site....they might chime in too. Cheers, and safe riding.

 

[yogione]

I like riding in windy conditions least of all the elements. I don't know when I would get off and stop but there have been a few times I seriously thought about it. I was crossing the Mackinac bridge that connects mainland Michigan with the UP, 500 feet up, raining sheets and the wind is howling like a banshee. The only lane open is steel grated and the ST is slipping and tipping precariously. I would have gotten off and walked but I was riding with two guys older than me and they didn't seem the least bit bothered so I kept going. Earlier this year I got hit with a gust of cross wind that somehow managed to snap my head to the side while attempting to rip my helmet off my head. I ended up at a chiropractor after that ride.

 

[T.Wilson]

I counter ballace as Carl described and put a lot of my weight on the peg and bar in the direction of the wind. To try and hold a straight line. With the wind pushing and counter ballancing it felt like the bike was in a lean as if cornering. Stopping and regrouping helps to calm the nerves. However, when in some areas its just not going to get any better and you have to press on. For me slowing is the best practice. Let them pass, at least I arrive safely at my destination.

 

[Nevada]

I've done a lot of riding in the wind, and I don't like it much either, unless it's a tailwind. As noted, relaxing on the bike is critical. Run the windshield all the way down, it's a big ol' sail otherwise. Lean as needed. Depending on the direction of the wind, consider tucking in behind a semi. Behind, not beside. As tempting as taking refuge in the lee of the semi can be, it's too dangerous. They can get blown over or come into your lane in a hurry.

You can't slow down too much, as it's the gyroscopic effect that keeps you upright. At the same time, you don't want to be going too fast, otherwise the sideways blow can move you cross lanes a lot quicker than it would otherwise.

Last thing: if you're getting rattled, take a break. I have in the past, and I will in the future.

 

[CKTURISMO]

A technique i always adopt is to lean forward over and as close to the tank as possible, reduces area for the wind to catch you and adds weight to the front wheel. Counter steering technique is also great in extreme conditions. Living in England and riding all year you soon get used to it !

Cheers, Chris

 

[DaveyB]

I bought my current ST about 18 months ago, and drove out in my car to pick it up. A friend came with me, to drive the car back for me. Weather was nice, early April in Phoenix, so no worries!

Picked up the bike, loaded the rest of the parts into the car, then geared up ATGATT and realized I had forgotten my gloves! Too late to worry now, we set off from the far West side of Phoenix, to the East Valley, straight across the I-10!

It was an interesting ride - winds picked up and I was getting side gusts of 35-40mph, and this on an unfamiliar bike! We got to the turn onto the on-ramp, and the wind literally blew me off the road! As I came around the left turn to the ramp, on top of an exposed bridge, I was pushed from the left lane into the right lane and ended up missing the blacktop entirely as the bike dropped onto the gravel beside the road - almost a foot below road level!!

This is the second closest I have ever been to actually dropping a bike, but I managed to hold it upright until my friend parked the car and helped me wheel it back up onto the blacktop. Once we were rolling again, I kept the speed down but the semis whistling past through the extended roadworks didn't help a lot. At one point I was down to 35mph, the left footrest dragging, and still veering to the right into a concrete wall - the gust dropped just before I hit and I shot back over into the left lane as a result!!

At the next exit, I pulled off and stopped, my friend pulled off and parked behind me for safety. My hands had the imprint of the handlebar grips deeply embedded in my palms and fingers - I hadn't realized I was holding on that hard!

We considered heading south onto a regular road for lower speeds for the conditions, but in the 15 minutes we rested, the wind suddenly dropped and the rest of the ride was very comfortable .. I had to keep slowing up for the car to catch up!!

Since then, I have become a lot more accustomed to how the ST acts like a sail on crosswinds, and have learned to counter it with body-weight, but I will admit that taking a long sweeping left hand bend (Grand Ave) while the bike seems to be leaning to the right is still an eye-opener!!!

On reflection, I've decided anytime I go to pick up a "new to me" bike, I'm going to trailer it home and take some time to get used to it!!

 

[bkra13]

There are some interesting comments on riding in wind here (I've read this before, couldn't remember if we'd had it posted..) Scroll down to "riding in heavy storm".

http://www.lazymotorbike.eu/tips/weather/

 

[LarryC]

A few years ago on my return trip from Florida I took a slight detour in order to visit the United States Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Dayton, Ohio. I had followed the weather somewhat but since I was out of work at the time, I didn't check up to the minute conditions nor radar. I knew there was "weather" ahead but figured I'd don my rain gear and skirt it as well as possible or push into it as necessary. On a two lane HW I had just passed under a viaduct and exited the other side when I could see HEAVY rain. I headed into it but almost at the same time was hit with a crosswind that I estimated to be at least 60mph. Having no time to pull over I was instantly blown into oncoming traffic. Luckily for me there was a break at that point and the driver of the lead car stopped as soon as they saw what was happening. I had all I could do to keep the bike upright until the wind died enough for me to move back to my side of the road. Apparently I was the victim of a microburst where a high and low pressure come together.

Needless to say, I watch the weather much more closely these days...

 

[Indian Express]

I learned to scoot my rear end off the edge of the seat towards the side the wind is blowing from. Also somewhere I read about sticking your knee out towards the direction the wind is blowing, let it relax and the bike will track straight. I have tried this with success in steady 30mph winds, would be interested in how this technique works in heavier wind gusts.

 

[sofawizard]

Not having a death grip on the bars will help with the buffetting.
You can shift your butt one cheek off the seat towards the windward side.
And yeah you may have to lean a lot.

yeh here in scotland it can get a bit blowy been known to get out even in gusts up to 70 mph i just lean and try to rad where the winds going to come in from
i aslo find that slowing can make the winds effects worse but hey some will say im nuts for not slowing down much

 

[Onicabbit]

hmm hard to explain.... in high wind I tend to look where i want to go and i guess let the bike get pushed out from underneath me to the point it leaned over and correcting the direction i want to go in. I hope that makes sense. no death grip on the handlebars. I only tuck if the wind gust are erratic and forceful enough to make you feel like it will tear you off faster than the bike will lean.

 

[STony G]

As Onicabbit recommend, no death grip. I believe in relaxed riding, quicker reaction. I will tend to stay on the windward side of the lane if I am in a windy area,


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[T_C]

consider tucking in behind a semi. Behind, not beside.

I have found that being in the next lane over and about 20 feet behind is a sweet spot on some of the semi-trailers. Be sure you can see his mirrors and he can see you. But I've stayed tucked in there for awhile and even saw the gas mileage hit in the mid-upper 50's.

 

[Woonjas]

Hold yourself on the bike with your knees, tuck your elbows in and relax. that way gusts will not result in steering inputs.

when you hold on to the handlebars with a death grip even a minor crosswind can result in weaving in your lane.

 

[Digger1]

One of the worst things about riding in big crosswinds is stopping and starting. God help you if you accidentally put the bike in neutral at a stop (say, at a stop sign) and put your left foot on the ground. If the wind is coming from starboard, you could be sitting there a while before getting the opportunity (between gusts) to pick your left foot back off of the ground to put the bike back in gear.....

DAMHIK!