Motorway experience?

[Nobbylad]

Have done most of my 5k+ miles on the same stretches of M-way (M58/M6/M62/M602) and had a few issues getting used to the wind. Yes you have to be 'ready' for things like sidewinds (as you pass breaks in the scenery either side of the M-way), looking in your blindspot, taking a hand off the bars, headwinds, turbulence from cars, bow waves from trucks etc etc but as most have said, if you anticipate it, you prepare for it. It's all about awareness.

I borrowed a mates Z750 and hated the ride home 'cos I thought I was going to get blown off! Took a while to get used to but my double bubble screen on the SV certainly makes a difference.

Earplugs/ipod helps reduce the wind noise too, so you concentrate on what you're doing.

I've put 3k on my sv in the 3months since i bought it (use it at work for going site to site, much easier than my knackered mondeo!) mainly up and down the M6 between birmingham and manchester.

If your not doing lifesavers at speed mate your asking for trouble. Unless your really hammering along (unlikely if your nervous, or its just a day to day ride) most of the vehicles on the motorway are easily capable of hitting the same speeds your doing, so every lane change you do you have to assume theres likely to be something lurking in the blind spot and check it, never done it but i cant imagine turning across the bonnet of a vectra at 80-ish would be all that good for you.

As for the wind, ear plugs make everything seem to slow down, its so much calmer and easier to think, if your lid will take a chin cover thing, that really made a difference for me, your muscles will soon adapt to cope with being blown around.

Dont quit, its fine once you get used to it!

Originally Posted by Crash_Artist

I've put 3k on my sv ... mainly up and down the M6 between birmingham and manchester.

I can't think of anything worse

TBH I'd get the train

most of our sites are way out in the sticks around brum, stafford, cheshire and up towards manchester, so unfortunately the trains are generally inconvenient, have considered it though!

Get a faired bike, fit a double bubble and sit at vMax in comfort; you naked riders don't half whinge

"It's got no fairing and gets windy when I go quick!"

- Not a big suprise

[yorkie_chris]

Who's whinging? Yer faired bike riding poof

I had a naked, hated the windblast at speed - felt like my concentration was elsewhere. Bought a fairing for it and it was solved.
Then bought the S, which was great on the Mway with no issues.

Now thinking of going naked again, although hoping more than anything else, that the tiny little bikini fairings above the light units will make a difference. Its just something about a naked, much better looking than the majority of half faired bikes.

You naked people

think you picked a bad stretch of motorway to start on especially going over scammonden dam the sidewinds are dreadful also bad time of year, what worries me is other people swapping lanes and not seeing me

[yorkie_chris]

Read roadcraft there's a whole chapter on it to make you even more paranoid