Advice for riding in windy conditions?

[sfninja]

Today was a bad riding day. Strong gusts of wind, bike getting pushed left and right, body being shoved randomly this way and that... I gave up, puttered through my intended route at low speed and took surface streets home because I didn't feel safe doing 80+ on the freeway with the rest of traffic. My roommate said he was getting pushed around badly on the freeway and he was driving a car!

My current strategy is to slow down and stay relaxed on the grips, and countersteer into the wind. Does it help to have a heavier bike? I have noticed BMW riders zipping past without the slightest erratic reaction, as though they aren't bothered by the wind. On my Ninja 250 I-5 run last summer in heavy gusts it was a guy on a Boxer Cup style bike and today it was a guy on some kind of GS flying down the 101. I followed a Ducati 749 for a while on PCH and saw him get tipped hard (not a fall, just an erratic, momentary hard bank while going in a straight line) by a gust of wind along the way. The armada of sportbikes going the other way later on was going fairly slowly in deference to the wind as well.

Any good advice for riding in windy conditions besides...don't? Some people enjoy riding in the rain but does anyone enjoy riding in the wind???

[Sameraz]

Heya!

Pretty much in the same boat with the little ninja as you.

Hell, I've been on rides where is started spitting snow and I liked that better than gusting winds.  The wind thing gets discussed a fair deal from time to time at the www.ninja250.net site.

To compare notes, and strategies.  Wind from the rear, no problem.  Wind from ahead, I tuck in and don't care if I look like Ricky Racer.  Presenting less of a cross section to the wind means that the wind has less effect.  I prefer the Lockhart Phillips speedscreen which is a bit taller than the stock Kawasaki one.  Haven't tried a double bubble yet, but considering it.  

One interesting ride I had was with variable headwinds from about 10 o'clock on the left to 2 o'clock on the right.  I could get two gusts from the left, and the next was from the right.  What worked for me was to ride tucked, and keep a very light touch on the handlebars.  Wind from the side.  I tend to tuck down a bit since the largest factor in being blown around is "sail area" which is the cross section the wind has to work with.  I tend to find that the countersteering is almost automatic since if you don't, you will have your line changed.

IIRC correctly, the relationship with sail area is a squared one, where if you have double the area, you actually have 4 times the force, 3 times the area, 9 times the force.  Weight is a linear factor.  So, if you had your bike, and one that magically was 2X the weight and exactly double the sail surface, it would have more inertia, so it wouldn't be affected as suddenly by a wind gust, but it would actually be more subjected to more force by wind in a direct comparison. [Anyone, if I have botched that, please help clear it up].

Faired bikes will be more affected than cruisers or naked bikes.

On a ride in November I was out in front of a friend on a ride.  Later we were talking and he commented, "I was looking at you, and all of a sudden you were leaned way over, but going straight, and I wondered, HOW THE HELL is he doing that?  Then the wind gust hit me and I was doing it too, automatically, and I was like, oh, okay, this is how he was doing that".  

The thing I REALLY watch out for is if the wind is coming one direction, the wake from an oncoming semi truck doesn't even touch you, if the wind is coming from the other direction, you can get some REALLY nasty turbulence.

[garry]

Stay relaxed and let the bike wiggle around a little underneath you. My DRZ400S was a handful in strong cross winds (being a lightweight dual sport with big plastic bits hanging out), but I could manage it fine if I stayed really relaxed and didn't let the wind pushing me around turn into control inputs to the bike.

[BLARNEY]

 Size doesn't always matter.....  



 Fairings / bike design have a lot to do with how well / poorly
 a bike performs in a crosswind. I had a 93 CBR1000 that was
 a 600 lb bike...... stable right ?  No way !  because it was
 completely skinned it still has my vote for worst ride on a windy day.


 No good advice..... really windy / gusty days just suck.


 Tom

[GilaMonster]

...My current strategy is to slow down and stay relaxed on the grips, and countersteer into the wind. Does it help to have a heavier bike? I have noticed BMW riders zipping past without the slightest erratic reaction, as though they aren't bothered by the wind. On my Ninja 250 I-5 run last summer in heavy gusts it was a guy on a Boxer Cup style bike and today it was a guy on some kind of GS flying down the 101. I followed a Ducati 749 for a while on PCH and saw him get tipped hard (not a fall, just an erratic, momentary hard bank while going in a straight line) by a gust of wind along the way. The armada of sportbikes going the other way later on was going fairly slowly in deference to the wind as well....

I'd go with both weight and fairing design as contributors to side gust stability with neither being the absolute variable.  It seems to bother my GT the least, but my Multistrada is also pretty stable with the wind and it only weighs about 400lbs.   On the other hand, my '02 Concours, and '03 ZX-6R were not very happy with unexpected wind gusts.

[jstark47]

Contrary to expectation, my 1/4-faired V-Strom reacts less to wind gusts than my naked Bonneville.  Haven't figured out why yet, but it makes a difference now for which bike I choose on a windy day.

General technique- grip the tank with your legs, everything from the waist up should stay loose, don't react to every little wiggle the bike makes.  Call it quits when your magnetic tank bag starts to blow off the bike!  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Also watch for wind "edges" - places where the wind will gust or change directions (or stop) suddenly. Road cuts into hillsides is one place, "canyons" in a cityscape is another. Don't forget to anticipate the wind change when passing another vehicle (especially something big like a semi).

Good ideas on keeping the upper body loose and holding onto the bike with the legs. I prefer rain to wind because at least its more preditable!  

[chaserkeywest]

Sweet Heart size does matter.

My Blackbird is a little porky but in the cross wind and truck air it is really nice compared to the bikes that are 50-70 lbs lighter.

Even with all the plastic.

Relaxing and leaning into it a little helps on the lighter bikes.

[hambone_p]

Another big "edge" is coming out from under a bridge.  

First time out in really strong wind I was trying to keep the bike straight up with body English, gripping the tank with my legs and leaning.  This is frustrating and exhausting.  I checked out "Proficient Motorcycling" and now I use a little bit of countersteering input on the handbars to control my angle, things are much better now.

[jsanford]

Stay relaxed and let the bike wiggle around a little underneath you. My DRZ400S was a handful in strong cross winds (being a lightweight dual sport with big plastic bits hanging out), but I could manage it fine if I stayed really relaxed and didn't let the wind pushing me around turn into control inputs to the bike.

+1, seems to work for me.

Also look where you want to go.  Ideally the mirrors would be positioned so you could check them without moving your head much.

[tripledigits]

My most recent bikes, VFR and Blackbird, are excellent gusty wind bikes.  I've been at freeway speeds in 50+ mph gusty winds with no issues.  My checklist is:

Tuck in behind the screen - I like laying on the tank anyway.

Look far down the road - your gyros work better that way.

Don't think about what you should do in the wind - it will come naturally if you are loose on the grips.

I don't find that going fast or slow has much effect on coping with wind.  I've cruised extended distances at 90-100 in gusty conditions.

[cbsnbiker]

sfninja, you gave a good summary of what to do, and others have filled the interstices. Basically, stay loose, countersteer into the wind, watch out for places where the wind will get worse or temporarily abate, and park the bike if you're not comfortable.

I've never encountered wind that I couldn't handle, including some impressively nasty conditions while crossing North Dakota years ago.

When riders tell me that they can't keep the bike on the road on windy days, and there's nothing mechanically wrong with the bike, I suspect that that rider's countersteering skills may not be entirely up to snuff. But I haven't been able to test this theory yet.  

[turboderek]

for my vstrom 650 lowering the front 15mm, fork brace and better tires made a huge difference in the wind.  It is windy near my home from december to April.  I also find it much easier in daylight then the dark and having a quiet helmet.

[Corwin]

I've got a KLR 650 and have been riding in winds up to about 100 km/h here in Vancouver.  I find that staying relaxed, looking ahead and not worrying too much about getting blown around a bit works.  I tend to stay more towards the centre of the lane and automatically countersteer into the wind.  While the bike will lean, the direction of travel actually doesn't change much.  I haven't had any problems other than losing a tank bag cover in high winds on the freeway.  Even with the upright seating position, I have no worries about riding on the freeway at speed at any windspeed I have encountered thus far.  
I did take off my hand guards, though as they act as little sails at the end of the handle bars.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

One trouble that I've had is leaning into a turn (even something simple like an off ramp loop) and the wind either gusts or dies down, just as you're at full lean. Talk about throwing me off balance!  

[blackbeltrider]

To add to what everyone else has said, look ahead about 100 feet and see if the grass, trees, weeds, etc. on the sides of the road are doing. "Reading " them will provide some advance warning of wind direction and velocity across your line of travel.

Sometimes you can get an indication on the freeway by watching other traffic, but that is usually only when the X-wind is very strong, as it takes some force to move a larger vehicle around.  

Of course this isn't much good in the city, or freeway, but others have offered some good advice regarding where to expect cross winds (rock cuts, bridge ends, etc).

Having some idea in advance will obviously not stop your bike from reacting to the wind, but it will make it less nervous for you, and your reaction to the bike's movement will be less reactive and smoother. This makes for better riding.

[Windblown]

Gusty swirling winds can be a pain.

If the wind is coming from a fairly constant direction then sticking your knee out on the side of the bike the wind is hitting can help a little. It seems that when a gust hits the bike your leg also catches more wind in the pocket which is formed by sticking yor leg out which helps offset the pressure from the gust.  But frankly if it's really nasty and unpredicatble then hunker down, reduce your speed to a managable level, stay relaxed on the bars, and maybe getting a touch more weight on the pegs is about all you can do.

Oh one other thing I've found makes a big difference in dirty wind. I find that I (and therefore the bike) get pushed around a lot less when I'm wearing leather versus textiles. My theory being the difference is that leather doesn't flap around constantly creating uneven pressures against me which gets transfered to the bike.

[Rex Nemo]

Strangely, I find that I fight the wind much more on the Nighthawk (naked) vs the VFR (fully faired, and theoretically should act as more of a sail).

Perhaps the upright riding position on the naked vs. the more tucked sport-touring position has something to do with it. In any case, I try to stay loose but attentive and reactive on the bars, heavier on the pegs and keep a tighter grip on the tank with my knees.

Shorten your intended distance on a windy day, too--the extra energy drain from fighting the wind is considerable.

[St_rydr]

If its a shear style wind use proper body english, keep the weight off the bars thou so you can quickly react. I find that I use my knees to grip the bike tighter too helps keep weight centered. Keep an eye out for open areas to react to gusts.  Helped me though some nasty days...windy days suck.

[county]

It's just a lotta work and concentration.  Makes me tired if I gotta ride in it all day.  Like going thru Oklahoma on I-40.  Looking at them fences that are leaned over from the wind.

My advice, don't fall down or get blown into cars or inanimate objects, and if the wind is coming from the same direction then favor the side of your lane that gives the most reaction time.

[andmoon]

faster is better

[county]

faster is better

For what?

[Snowbird]

Advice: watch out for empty garbage cans and other crap that can get blown onto the road. Watch for dust and dirt blown airborne that can get in your eyes.

And, yes, be very careful riding past wind egdes that can easily blow you into the oncoming lane or off the right side. Watch for other vehicles that might get blown into your path-- large profile vehicles like SUV's and semis.

[andmoon]

For what?

You may not be able to ride a motorcycle at 5mph in 50mph crosswinds but you can at 80....yes the bike is thrown around but sometimes going too slow will make riding in windy conditions harder.

[Mobycanuck]

Make a sail.  Stick your knee out in the direction the wind is coming from.  This works really well on my 250.  The added wind resistance is enough to dampen the gusts a little, and prevent you from needing to lean as much in constant winds.  Experience helps too.  My first time out in the wind, I turned back and went home.  After riding a 300km trip in the rain and a 60km/h crosswind, I learned that it's not going to blow me off the road.

[PixelPusher]

To add to what everyone else has said, look ahead about 100 feet and see if the grass, trees, weeds, etc. on the sides of the road are doing. "Reading " them will provide some advance warning of wind direction and velocity across your line of travel.

Sometimes you can get an indication on the freeway by watching other traffic, but that is usually only when the X-wind is very strong, as it takes some force to move a larger vehicle around.  

Of course this isn't much good in the city, or freeway, but others have offered some good advice regarding where to expect cross winds (rock cuts, bridge ends, etc).

Having some idea in advance will obviously not stop your bike from reacting to the wind, but it will make it less nervous for you, and your reaction to the bike's movement will be less reactive and smoother. This makes for better riding.

+1! If you looking for it, you'll be surprised at how many clues you can find for the behavior of wind. Trees and grass are obvious guides. Also, street signs can flutter in sudden gusts. And a spray of dust or leaves can give direct evidence of the track of the wind. And once you see it you can prepare your position for when you hit it.

[Bug R]

Be very careful on big bridges like the Golden Gate, Seven River M4 (UK), Hamilton Skyway (QEW Ontario), you are very exposed and the geography tends to funnel the wind across them. I almost got blown into the guardrails (Across 3 lanes) once.

If I have had to cross I have actually use a truck to shield me in the past, yes it sounds and is dangerous, you are relying on the truck not to get blown into your lane.

There are times when it's better to pull over or find a less exposed route regardless of what it does to your personal schedule.

Chris

[turboderek]

I want to add a few more.  Earplugs or headphones.  I find it much easier riding in the wind if I don't hear it blowing.  I had a few times were it sounded like death was knocking on my helmet but the wind was more like a mouse fart.  Once I started riding with my iPod cranked up it was much easier.

[RBEmerson]

First and foremost, "go with the flow".  Oversteering can be as exciting as being blown around like a tumbleweed.  If the bike wants to move a little, let it, but stay on top of things and come back to your lane position as soon as possible.  Drift, gust by gust, over to the left of the lane, next to an 18-wheeler, and then take one more gust pushing you left and...    But when doing all this talk yourself into keeping a loose grip on the bars.  Do a "death grip" on them and you'll fight the bike, things will feel worse than they are, and you'll tire out a lot sooner than you might otherwise.  

DantesDame is spot on about wind edges.  Watch for them, anticipate them, and the ride will be more to your liking.  Vehicles in front, passing through the wind shear, will give some clues as to what's about to happen.  Look for a flag or blowing leaves or debris to give some indication of where the wind's coming from.  If you just see leaves or paper flying around, the wind's really not that bad (10-20 MPH), but if you start to see dust raised, the wind's started to come up and is probably blowing more like 25 or better.  

Back off a notch in turns.  As someone said here, it's not a lot of fun to be set up hard into a turn and have the wind knock the props out from under you.

And, yep, wind force increase with the square of the increase in velocity (remember it's all about wind acting on an area, measured in square inches or centimeters or whatever).  Go from a breeze of 5 MPH to 10 MPH and the pressure exerted by that moving air is four times stronger.  

[iflyducati]

Hard Gusty wind is hard to ride in.  I get blown around but tuckin in seems to help, even with the side gusts.  I have a friend that rides a VTX 1800 (he always adds the 1800) he tells me that the bike doesn't move at all but he gets blown around so much he has to hang on.

[RBEmerson]

Earlier this winter I took a ride to Maryland's Eastern Shore and part of the route was down I-495 in conditions forecast to include wind gusts to 35-40 MPH.  I happened to find a Gold Wing heading south at the same time and I figured I watch how things went for him as the wind gusted up and down, blowing from basically the right rear quarter.  Things generally went well until we came to the bridge over the Christiana River.  The bridge has a published 60 foot clearance for boat so that would put the bridge deck about 70-75' off the water.  Going up the bridge, the winds got surprisingly strong and I really had to work to stay in my lane and the GW was busy doing the same thing.  I basically tried to "climb under the paint" to keep my profile as low as possible, tried to keep the bike in line, and held on until I got down the other side of the bridge.  

It helps to remember that the higher you go, the windier it gets.