Motorway experience?

Ok folks, I took the bike for a spin yesterday up past ripponden and onto the M62. Now I’ve never been up there before and would just like some advice. Now firstly on going onto the slip road. Theres a bloody cattle grid!!!!! I mean what fecking numpty put a cattle grid mid corner onto the motorway? Managed to get past that and accelerated up to m way speeds. Upon joining the motorway this is where I started to experience issues. Namely the fact that my face started to feel like it was being turned inside out. The force of the helmet on my cheeks had me biting down on my teeth so hard the last time I experienced stuff like this I was on the oblivion at Alton towers! I gritted more as I wound the throttle on to overtake a car and really wished I hadn’t. As I turned my head it felt as though it was going to be ripped off! I mean it was windy but my god I was starting to get worried. Luckily I have a fat **** and managed to use this to good effect as it clung onto the seat for dear life, as images of me being thrown off the back went through my head. I hugged the tank and stuck with it while what seemed to be hours later I arrived at the next available exit. Now trembling I got of at hudds and had a nice ride back to brig on normal roads.

Now the problem is ive had a mate come up from Cambridge twice on his bike now. A naked xj600. Im wanting to go down there but am struggling to cope with 1 junction down the m way never mind the 3 hour trip each way. So could you please offer your advice as to riding on the motorway in comfort. I love riding about sorta 70 ish but on a m way its completely different. Im getting a lot more buffeted. And the sustained speed feels like its going to kill me.

Your thoughts please.

[yorkie_chris]

Miss YC lives in aberystwyth, that's about 70 miles of Mway, then 90 miles of A road. Have done the Mway bit flat out the whole way before.

You get used to the wind, seat will start to annoy you more soon.

Does your helmet fit correctly? If it is too loose it will feel like it is being peeled backwards off of your head.

Get a fly screen. Nothing will solve the problem of windblast completely but even a small screen will make a noticable difference.

a screen on your naked is the only thing i can think of mate there not much and you can pick one up fron a place in the link section hope that helps also the buffeting from left to right you get used to just keep your shoulders relaxed and counter steer slightly it will all come with time

[Drew Carey]

Can I just ask, were you wearing a baggy waterproof or such over the top? I find that this makes things more wobbly at speed. Also, as already mentioned, sould like your helmet may be too loose.

As YC says, you do get used to it and it becomes much easier as your neck muscles build up. I am currently using a Hornet and can happily now ride along the mway at "Reasonable Motorcycle Speeds" with no issues at all.

swap the bike for a faired one preferbly in yellow, this will not only help the wind problem, but also vastly improve your street cred

[Brettus]

I noticed this first when I got on an ER5 for my DAS, hadn't had such speed or windblast before, same thing when I tried a naked SV, you do get used to counter acting the speed, fairings/screens do help significantly (well a surprising amount for me anyway but I'm slightly naive )
the cattle grid sounds nasty though! bad enough on country lanes but to put one on somewhere like that sounds madness.

I was wearing leathers at the time so no waterproofs.

I would get a yellow faired bike but ive got an mg at the moment and am sick of people thinking im a hairdresser/gay so buying a faired yellow bike just wouldn’t cut it im afraid (although tbh on the m way the other day I did think why the feck didn’t I get a fairing )

Ive considered a fly screen but just wondered if there was some riding position or something that helps? And how you deal with the helmet thingy. Its not moving and is a very snug fit but it does feel as though its lifting sometimes at high speed. Im wondering if I can get a spoiler or something from Halfords

Allow more time, avoid motorways and enjoy the ride