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Riding in Windy conditions?

3K views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  NavyVet 
#1 ·
Waz up everyone,
I am a beginner rider and was wondering if anyone has advice on how or If to ride in windy conditions?
I took my bike out on Friday and it was pretty windy. I was a little scarred, but just held on and finally arrived home safe. It was my first time riding out in open country (35-40 mph) and the wind moved my bike from side to side alot.
Any suggestions from veteran riders that would help make me feel more comfortable riding in open fields?

DZ:cool:
 
#4 ·
I had the same issue. I often asked seasoned riders how they deal with it. More than one told me that I would develop a sixth sense for wind gusts. They were right. You'll relax after a period of time and you'll be able to sense the gusts coming and lean into them before they become an issue. Perhaps the riders I spoke with were a little nuts, but they seem to be right.
 
#10 ·
I was actually pleasantly surprised when I took my CBR250 home at how little the wind blew me around. I was sort of expecting to have real issues with 18 wheelers passing me and blowing me all over, but it's much better than I had imagined in that regard. Maybe I just had realistic expectations since I have owned a KLR250 previously.
 
#11 ·
I was terrified of wind gusts when I first started. I had visions of me getting blown off the road and into the ditch- needless to say that never happened and I just got used to leaning into the gust. Relaxing was a big part of it.
 
#12 ·
for 'normal' or typical wind gusts there should be no problem..
your single track vehicle is inherently stable with momentum..
ie, if you were magically lifted off it at speed [say] it would
continue on in a more or less straight line, given fuel
and a level surface.. when you and it are hit by
a gust of wind, eg, riding out onto a bridge, or a cleared space
somewhere, or just some weather fluctuation etc,
even thu the pressure might push on you and your bike
[forming a unit] that moving unit will tend to auto-correct
as in tending to continue along the line of momentum,
or forward along the path or trajectory you were riding..

this is the good news.. translation, 'dont worry about it'..
as members have advised, relaxation is important,
given that what you, your body, does, will impact upon
forces pushing against you/the motorcycle unit..

if you are tense, including gripping the bars, and otherwise
holding a partly rigid position in your major joints
this will both prevent or hinder your natural responses
by taking away smooth movement, plus tending to
emphasize whatever reaction forces you add
to the moving unit [by attempting to counter wind etc]
thus potentially adding, an extra movement effect..

ive been hit by wind gusts and by surprise many times
over the years on different motorcycles and its never
causes anything like a dangerous response situation..
thinking of it, my response has been more like
'oh, good girl' after the fact, when she has
continued on her selected forward path
as if to say; im a bloody honda mate,
youre not pushing me around so easily'..

on the other hand tho, in response to a big gust
you will [esp if naturally relaxed etc] tend to
respond appropriately as your balance
mechanism etc do in normal riding..
 
#13 ·
I'm a tuck and toss out a leg guy if it's a crazy wind gust. And yes the more you ride in it the less it affects you. You do develop a feel for it and also take a look at how a racer rides I'm not saying copy it but they ride the way they do for a reason. And as others have said relax your grip helps in so many ways it's suprising.
 
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