View Full Version : How to handle the wind?
Evening peeps of the org, here's a question.
This current spell of ridiculous wind has the bike doing all sorts of funny things. Normally I'm alright in the wind, when it's constant and never been this strong, but this evening on the way home I got hit by the fastest side wind ever and it nearly caught me out.
What's the best way to handle the sons winds/ how do you do it?
Is it just to stay "loose" and let the bike sort itself out?
the worst thing you can do is to try and counter it too much as you'll then go the other way erratically.
I find it best to allow the wind to move you a bit, then to gently apply a counteracting force and see if you need to apply more or less. In this weather I make more of a conscious decision to steer very wide of all vehicles, from MPV's to HGV's.
wyrdness
23-12-13, 10:13 PM
Avoid the brussels sprouts at xmas :D
The way I was told to deal with high winds, and seems to work well, is to actively countersteer to counteract the wind blasts.
If you don't already know how to countersteer, then you really should learn. There's plenty of threads on here about it, and probably huge numbers of articles on the web.
Teejayexc
23-12-13, 10:24 PM
Relax with the death grip on the bars and grip tighter with the knees. The bike will move you can't fight that but I find this way you stay in control better.
craig dow
24-12-13, 07:41 AM
http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6314&page=5
Specialone
24-12-13, 10:36 AM
Don't go out in it, I won't purposely go out in high winds, it's too unpredictable, I've rode in some bad side winds up on the m6 by the Scottish border last year, worst I've encountered, I had to slow to 35mph and passed a cop with a wind speed recorder which I suspect they were thinking of closing the road.
Cheers for the replies guys, I'm ok with counter steering and the constant winds.
It's the sudden gusts that I'm concerned with. Checked out some of that link which has helped, but it's long so will take a bit of time.
I'm not intentionally going out in the strong winds, but I do have to get to work. It's not far, about 8 miles. But there is a road on my route which is like a tunnel where the gusts get kind of circulated.
Fallout
24-12-13, 12:12 PM
Don't overtake is good advice. I had an interesting overtaking experience in high winds once. There was an oncoming car but i had plenty of time. I leaned the bike over to pull back into my lane but the side wind kept me from changing back into my lane. For a few seconds I was in parpsville.
Best to avoid using the roads until the gales have subsided.
Best to avoid using the roads until the gales have subsided.
Off road wouldn't be any easier ;)
Red Herring
24-12-13, 01:00 PM
Take the car instead, my lad was glad he did last night....
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/Broomewood/544909_10152169545746096_1351159192_n_zps218c34c7. jpg
Take the car instead, my lad was glad he did last night....
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/Broomewood/544909_10152169545746096_1351159192_n_zps218c34c7. jpg
MOTHER F!! Damn!
If I had a car I would use it, not fun being sat at work soggy all day!
Specialone
24-12-13, 02:03 PM
Take the car instead, my lad was glad he did last night....
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/Broomewood/544909_10152169545746096_1351159192_n_zps218c34c7. jpg
Holy cowpats batman, is he ok?
Red Herring
24-12-13, 02:23 PM
Unbelievably yes thanks, so is the young lady who was in the passenger seat. I've been to quite a few incidents involving cars and trees in my time but this one was a bit close to home! He drove it home this morning with his head sticking out of the sunroof and a pair of goggles on!
Specialone
24-12-13, 02:27 PM
Unbelievably yes thanks, so is the young lady who was in the passenger seat. I've been to quite a few incidents involving cars and trees in my time but this one was a bit close to home! He drove it home this morning with his head sticking out of the sunroof and a pair of goggles on!
Lol, I like his determined attitude :)
But double holy cowpats, a passenger too, bloody luck was on both their sides there.
Red Herring
24-12-13, 02:51 PM
I did suggest they go out and buy a lottery ticket this morning! That hole in the windscreen was caused by the end of a 5" diameter branch and it stopped just touching his chest.
Specialone
24-12-13, 03:23 PM
Ask him to buy me one too!!!
Holy ball bags. Did he roll it or did a tree fall on him?
Red Herring
24-12-13, 06:58 PM
Driving home last night this mass of foliage suddenly appeared from above in his headlights, hit the anchors but ran straight into it. The main trunk ended up on the roof above the back seats, suspension completely squashed so the bottom of the car was on the ground! One lucky boy!
yorkie_chris
24-12-13, 08:13 PM
Bloody hell! That'll need more than a bit of T cut.
I've had a couple of near misses in wind. Hit a wheelie bin on the XJ on the M6, christ knows how it got there. The cars dodging about were the real hazard!
However I find just relaxing and keeping looking where you want to go seems to do the trick, not much fighting required it just leans about all over the place but keeps going in a straight line!
I think you'll find that chip in the screen will fail the next MOT.
Holy moly, lucky couple there. Moral - don't mess with mother nature, she'll win.
Fallout
25-12-13, 08:58 AM
Thats nothing. My wheelie bin fell over and some rubbish fell out.
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