Normal for a sportsbike to dislike strong winds?

[-Ralph-]

I know my new Daytona 955i is an older design, and probably considered more sports tourer that sports bike, but so is the CBR600F I had in the 90's, so the Daytona is definitely the most 'sportsbike' I've ever owned.

Been out for 150 miles of nothing more than burning petrol for fun today, and the bike is awesome, but the wind was quite blustery. Not gale force or anything, but enough to blow the leaves around.

The bike was all over the place whenever it got a gusty side wind, I never felt quite the same effect on the SV. Big gusts had the bike wandering in it's lane, and involuntarily leaning in a straight line. Big gusts from the direction of lean were quite disconcerting as the bike leans further, the front wheel tucks away and feels like it's washing out on you. When you don't land on your ****, you realise it wasn't a front wheel slide, but just the effect of the wind.

The Daytona is of course fully faired, whereas my SV wasn't. The rake of the forks is also steeper, though I don't know if this would amplify the effects of the wind for the rider?

My SV only really got affected by winds when they were really severe, not just strong and blustery, and having done most of my riding on the SV in the hills of Scotland, I've ridden it in some strong winds.

My question is does anyone else recognise what I'm saying here, and is this normal for a fully faired sportsbike, or is it just something the Daytona is particularly susceptible to?

[fizzwheel]

My question is does anyone else recognise what I'm saying here, and is this normal for a fully faired sportsbike, or is it just something the Daytona is particularly susceptible to?

Yes, my GSXR behaves in a similar manner, but thats the only sports bike I have owned, I havent ridden Liz's Ducati enough to comment on whether that behaves in a similar manner or not...

[JamesMio]

Weirdly, I noticed the wind far, far more on my SV than I do on the Blade. Overtaking trucks on the SV was often followed by the sensation of being kicked in the chest on the SV, never get that now.

[Teejayexc]

Weirdly, I noticed the wind far, far more on my SV than I do on the Blade.


Have you changed your diet recently?

[beabert]

I was all over the shop today too, first time ive been knocked around since owning it (naked SV) im 10 8 stone btw.

Its just a gusty day.

[Mr Speirs]

Yup, never noticed crosswinds as much on the SV as I did the 749. The 749 has a mahoosive slab of a fairing too.

I would imagine the fairing on yours would catch the wind much more than the SV too.
Bear in mind it was proper windy today too.

[Mej]

i noticed it on all the bikes i have ridden, worst was probably the SV though, very wobbly.

[The Idle Biker]

Well I was blown off course by the wind today. My wife told me I had to go to DFS sofa factory blah blah at Farnborough to sign up a 40 year interest free credit deal, and the wind blew me straight into the Infinity MotorBike shop, where much to her dismay I bought and returned with a new Shoei crash hat. They didn't throw in any free cushions at Infinity though. Damn that wind.

[beabert]

Well I was blown off course by the wind today. My wife told me I had to go to DFS sofa factory blah blah at Farnborough to sign up a 40 year interest free credit deal, and the wind blew me straight into the Infinity MotorBike shop, where much to her dismay I bought and returned with a new Shoei crash hat. They didn't throw in any free cushions at Infinity though. Damn that wind.

Bloody wind!

[Harry_Mc]

i've noticed its quite bad on mine the past few days (fully faired sv650)... a truck passed me on the woodhead pass and it literally felt like i was gonna come off... good fun tho :)

[rictus01]

get some proper handlebars ... ;)

[-Ralph-]

Well I was blown off course by the wind today. My wife told me I had to go to DFS sofa factory blah blah at Farnborough to sign up a 40 year interest free credit deal, and the wind blew me straight into the Infinity MotorBike shop, where much to her dismay I bought and returned with a new Shoei crash hat. They didn't throw in any free cushions at Infinity though. Damn that wind.

:D :lol:


get some proper handlebars ... ;)

:p You reckon clip-ons make it worse?

[Specialone]

Col, I have the same thing on mine , but also got it on my fully faired sv, worse if anything.
I once had to slow down on a dual carriageway to about 40 cos I couldn't hold it in a reasonable line, scared the crap out of me.

Any bike would have got blown around today, it was bloody windy.

I probably wouldn't have gone out today in this wind, especially not for pleasure.

[rictus01]

:D :lol:




:p You reckon clip-ons make it worse?

of course they do, the wind is there no matter what bike you're on, it's just a question of correctional inputs, there is no doubt these are easier with better leverage, add to that the fact your elbows aren't pushed in and your riding position is higher (making the side effect less of a block than bent over the tank), the wind on your chest is a constant and you are braced for it, where as with clip-ons you tend to hide from it.

I've had a T595 and 2 Datyona 955i's and love the look, but all 3 have been converted within weeks because the actual riding position on the speed triple is so much better.

Cheers Mark.

[-Ralph-]

I never experienced that problem on the half faired SV, and I can't remember what the CBF600 was like. It's not getting blown about that's the issue, it's the feeling of the front wheel tucking away from underneath you. If your already leaning into the wind and you get a big gust, you s**t yourself as you think for a split second that the front has lost traction and the bikes about to lowside.

[-Ralph-]

I never experienced that problem on the half faired SV

Though I am 16 stone, so I probably damped down the effect a fair bit.

[B1k3R]

I am happy to do a straight swap with my SV.

My S catches the wind a fair bit. The worst was a GSXR. I can remember riding along a French coast road and the bike was at about 60% into the wind just to keep me in a straight line.

It's all those slabs of plastic on modern bikes. You can always try drilling some holes in the fairing.

[-Ralph-]

I am happy to do a straight swap with my SV

Lol. Could never go back mate! Recommend a Daytona if you fancy changing for one though, far, far superior bike in every way (except in a side wind, but by the sounds of things, no worse than a fully faired SV!).

Suspension is sweet, power delivery awesome at any revs, and dropping 60mph in speed in a few seconds is just a brush of the fingers on the brake lever.

Could do with a steering damper though, the rear shock is a good 'un, so it doesn't tank-slap, but the front wheel is prone to coming up under the power and sending the steering loose, and then having a waggle when it lands again. I think any bike with that sort of power should have one.

It has a 190 section rear tyre, I may change this for a 180 when I get new tyres to speed up the turn in.

[-Ralph-]

It has a 190 section rear tyre, I may change this for a 180 when I get new tyres to speed up the turn in.

Rictus, did you do this on any of yours?

It doesn't drop into bends, the more lean you want the more countersteer you need to add. I prefer a bike that drops in when you countersteer, then you stop the lean where you want it and power through holding it up, rather than a bike where you have to countersteer more to push it down and hold it down.

[B1k3R]

Never ridden one Ralph but who knows about the future.

It does seem to be a different riding style that you are getting used to. Having spent the summer last year on a 650 thumper I was getting wound up by the force of the wind blowing me everywhere. The SV came up cheap. I was looking at Dukes and a Triumph 4. Since getting the SV the weather hasn't been that good so getting used to it has been slow. The tyres seem twitchy (Sportec M1's) but never have let go, yet. Just looking forward to some dry, non windy days to have a play.

[andrewsmith]

i noticed it on all the bikes i have ridden, worst was probably the SV though, very wobbly.

I've had it on a couple of bikes.

The SV requires it to be stupidly windy. I learned to ride with my weight to the side (for sidewinds) as it meant the bike didn't move as much

[barwel1992]

mine doesn't move at all in the wind










:lol: thats because its in the garage in bits most of the time

[B1k3R]

mine doesn't move at all in the wind

:lol: thats because its in the garage in bits most of the time

Class :p

[Milky Bar Kid]

Last year I went to Knockhill to the BSB on the CBR and if you watched it, they ended up cutting short the racing as the winds were gale force. I was TERRIFIED leaving the circuit heading for Kincardine! Wind was blowing the bike all over the bloody shop. So in short, I think anything that's got lots of fairings on it will suffer with side winds!

[orose]

Don't think it was just sportsbikes having problems yesterday - I was getting the same from my front wheel, and some of the guys in front were carrying a lot of lean to keep it straight.

Of course, they had bigger problems - most of them were riding BMW GSes, and at some point, you've got to stop and look at it :p

[rictus01]

Rictus, did you do this on any of yours?

It doesn't drop into bends, the more lean you want the more countersteer you need to add. I prefer a bike that drops in when you countersteer, then you stop the lean where you want it and power through holding it up, rather than a bike where you have to countersteer more to push it down and hold it down.

yeah a pretty standard change to be honest, the original t509 was a 180 and only went to a 190 in 99 when they went to 955cc (same rim), I always get a 180 there is a marked improvement in handling.

Cheers Mark.