Dealing With High Winds

[dropstharockalot]

Please post your tips for dealing with windy conditions.  I had a fairly difficult highway ride yesterday in very gusty conditions, and I'd appreciate advice on how to deal with the issues that wind throws at me.

I'm especially interested on tips for throttle control when dealing with gusts, as well as maintaining lane position when turning while dealing with both constant winds and gusts.

Thanks in advance!

DTRAL

[somegirl]

My regular ride is the San Mateo bridge which gets quite windy, especially in the afternoons. 

Here's some general wind-riding tips:
- use earplugs
- try to keep your arms as relaxed as possible ("flap" them from time to time if you need to remind yourself)
- use your legs to squeeze the tank to hang on instead
- for crosswinds, the bike will naturally want to lean into the wind, best to just let it do its thing
- when doing head checks, duck your head instead of turning it to the side (almost like you are looking under your armpit)
- faired bikes are better for headwinds, naked bikes are better for crosswinds
- the more you do it the easier it gets, just go at a comfortable pace
- tuck down if you need to

[nkryptit]

Ah....A fellow mid-westerner.  We've had some abnormally strong storms for the last 3-4 days.  Looks like another one today!

+1 for the first reply.

[rsoffar]

thanks for the tips.... its been abnormally windy here in dallas this summer it seems (or maybe ive just been away for so long i forgot about the winds here.)

[SKOM]

At my beginners course I was told to stay in the middle of the lane in gusty conditions. The gusts can change directions rapidly. By staying in the center of the lane you give yourself a good margin of error in case a gust tries to push you out of your lane.

[johnster]

msincredible pretty much covered it all.. 

      The biggest thing is to stay loose on the bars, and not to freak out when you feel the bike getting blown around under you (It's going to)... It took me a while to get used to the sensation, but you will...Even if you get a mega-blast of a crosswind it's not going to "blow the bike over", it'll just cause you to veer off in one direction a bit, and a gentle nudge in the opposite direction will help keep you on track...

[CDawg]

Corollary to the loose arms (which is good for all riding conditions):
Think for your body acting as a sail to the bike. If you hold on tight then all that sail/resistance energy gets transfered to the bike.  If you keep your upper body loose then you can absord some of the wind blast with your waist.

[Ducatiloo]

I press down on peg on the side the gust of wind is coming from, so I can keep my arms relaxed and not be tempted to over correct.

[triangleforge]

Another thing to be aware of in cross winds is that obstructions will cause them to cease abruptly. We were getting 40-50 mile gusts around here a couple of weeks ago, and the sketchiest times for me were the first couple of highway cuts I passed. I'd be settled in with a 40 mph wind blowing on my right shoulder, only to have it cut out immediately when I passed a bridge abutment or other big obstruction on that side. Fine once i got used to it, but a little startling the first time or two.

[erkishhorde]

I've run against some killer winds along the coast on the 101. It feels odd riding straight after you've ridden for 30 minutes with a constant crosswind and a 5 deg lean. Don't feel bad about slowing down. I've run against a wind so strong that it knocked me from 70mph to 55mph. The head wind was just so strong that it slowed down the bike and I really had to slouch down and lay on the throttle to keep my 70mph but it wasn't comfortable so I finally gave up and just slowed down. I felt much better after doing so.

+1 on watching out for gusts. Middle of the lane is best for reaction time.

[somegirl]

+1 on watching out for gusts. Middle of the lane is best for reaction time.

Yes.  Once riding in monsoon-like conditions with brand-new tires, I was hydroplaning so much that one giant gust of wind moved me over an entire lane!

(I can't really recommend this combination btw....)

[He Man]

ride fast, be nimble with the controls, and be ready to move with the wind. If the wind blows you right, you go right and correct later.

[duc996]

Loosen the arms,duck down and go with it,it's actually fun,scary at first but once you get used to it no big deal.

[aleng]

I'd say slowing down is key... being in OH we've got those same storms you've seen. I just can't get used to that feeling of my wheels being blown out from under me while doing 75-80 on the express way. If it were constant it'd be fine it's the gusts that suck.

[CDawg]

Just found this:
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/howto/122_0604_motorcycle_riding_tips_wind_gusts/index.html