My first mini tour..........and the dreaded CROSS WINDS!!!!!

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:32 pm

actually buck...didnt feel that bad

my left leg was sore though...dont know why
perhaps i was tense

and yes a bigger bike is on the list

was considering a gsx750f

had a look at one close up and can get it for $12,500 on the road

nice size even engine capacity

sorry though its not a kawa

cheers

RG · Post by RG » Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:37 pm

I'm small size so crosswinds does get me real bad on my ZZR250, I usually tuck my head down, grip the tank wif my knees and tuck elbows in, basically to low center of gravity and reduce 'air pockets'.

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:49 pm

i too am not a big person but the crosswind sure caught me...............i did tighten up but it was strong enough to push me nearly across the road

i have to ask................silly question from newbie

Can the wind push you hard enough to push the tyres off the road and on your side....as in sweeping the tyres off the road so the axis of pivot is your seat?

easy way to explain=hold you hand as ready to shake someones hand then turn it 90 degress.....can the bike do that from the force of crosswind?

thats what it felt like was gunna happen

RG · Post by RG » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:06 pm

I believe is it possible given that the wind is strong enough.
I'm not sure if this is the right way to do it, but my instinct always causes me to lean over one side to counter the wind.

Kishy · Post by **Kishy** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:09 pm

rocco wrote: Can the wind push you hard enough to push the tyres off the road and on your side....

Well if the gust was strong enuf.. why not.

Ouch!

Thats why its always safer to slow right down when you getting blown
all over the place.

Ratmick · Post by **Ratmick** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:29 pm

rocco wrote:i have to ask................silly question from newbie

Can the wind push you hard enough to push the tyres off the road and on your side....as in sweeping the tyres off the road so the axis of pivot is your seat?

easy way to explain=hold you hand as ready to shake someones hand then turn it 90 degress.....can the bike do that from the force of crosswind?

thats what it felt like was gunna happen

Firstly, no question is silly

.

Secondly, well done on the ride, I did 400km on my GPX250R just after I got my P's and it felt like me arse was going to divorce my body after 300km or so and I reckon I did the last 20km standing up. The seat, although it seems soft is NOT the best option for the long haul.

Thirdly, I know EXACTLY what it feels like to be nearly blown off a GPX250, the area where I live is reknowned for its wind, more so in spring and autumn, although this winter has been pretty blowy. I have ridden in crosswinds so strong that I have been off the seat on the upwind side of the bike and as someone said on a previous post, the biggest threat is the wind dropping and then veering into the path of an oncoming truck (or off the road). Athough it feels like your bike is going to fly out from underneath you, it's unlikely unless you're riding in a tornado or a severe cyclone. the rotating wheels seem to help, probably due to a bit of gyroscopic happening

.

A bigger heavier bike does help, the ZZR is 70-odd kg heavier than the GPX and hardly moves at all. However I rode late last summer in gale-force winds on the ZZR and I thought I was going to do a Mary Poppins (without the umbrella) or get hit/maimed/knocked off the bike by flying debris. The 70-80km/h winds were accompanied by horizontal torrential rain, and it's the wettest I have ever been and not been naked in a bath. We had trees down all over the area, worst gale in decades, and in hindisght it was probably stupid of me to ride home in it (even if it was only 5 km).

I looked at the GSX750F before the ZZR. I didn't like it, mainly because it seemed like a pig and was air-cooled with a big POS fairing to keep the heat in (not a good thing in summer). IMHO the ZZR600 is a much better first bike off your P's. How tall are you? I'm 165cm/5'5" and while the ZZR is a doddle (now) the GSX was ok height-wise but seemed really heavy, especially when trying to push it backwards while seated.

Buck · Post by **Buck** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:53 pm

rocco wrote:andd yes a bigger bike is on the list
was considering a gsx750f Total shitbox partsbin crap the bikers Exel.

had a look at one close up and can get it for $12,500 on the road
look again for rust on the frame suss welds and bad fit of panels.
You might lose 4or 5 grand putting the key in it look in the press.

nice size even engine capacity. Good idea wrong decade x2 wrong donor engine wrong frame unsuitable power curve chain final drive on a tourer butt ugly rear Ha Ha.

The world is your oyster with that cash a F is a dud. good at nuthin
except depreciation.

But that only my opin anyway.
Steve sorry though its not a kawa
cheers

esie · Post by **esie** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:56 pm

The Z750 hates crosswinds as well. Rocco, I know exactly the feeling you are describing when you feel that the wind is going to sweep the tyres out from under you. I had the same feeling one day riding south on the Bruce H'way, extreme crosswinds, tucked down, held on tight, and ended up with a tankslapper. Scared the life out of me!

gco0307 · Post by **gco0307** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:57 am

Good stuff on the out an about as there is no better way to learn than to ride the type of distance you describe (or even longer).

As for crosswinds, well I ride a ZR-7 and it can get affected by strong winds.

But when riding in wind, particularly gusty winds I always keep a look out at trees or roadside scrub up ahead and watch it for thr signs of a gust. Once I see something I prepare myself by either body position or readjusting my position on the road (do the same with semi trailers etc).

Just a thought.

And as for the next bike I wouldsay go out and ride everything within your price range (and some outside it) until you find the one that gives you that 'wow' factor. Then, ride something else for comparison before returning and riding that 'wow' factor machine again. Only after riding all possibilities can you make a thoughtful decision.

John H · Post by **John H** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 12:13 pm

The really bad crosswinds experience for me was riding the ZZR250 over the Westgate bridge (for those non-Melbournians, our big bridge at the mouth of the Yarra, deck height 50 metres or so above water) when there was heavy rain and wind.

It felt like the tyres were struggling to retain grip, and I have a feeling there was possibly a bit of oil on the road here and there. The speed limit was reduced to 60km/h (no trouble at all for those in cars) but I finished up riding in the emergency lane at 30 km/h. Illegal I know, but i preferred that to being tailgated with no opportunity to slow down if I needed to.

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 12:48 pm

..Bruce hiway, old Boldor, leaning a LOT to the left to counteract the cross wind, semi goes past, almost go under Semi....

Mate unless you are on a Goldwing (and the big fairings dont help them none) you are going to cop crosswinds.
The GP buys drill BIG holes in the fairings at PI to counteract but still get caught out everytime.
If Colin Edwards has probs with it, I guess WE are all going to.

I know I havent added anything but looks like no one has an answer to this quandry.
OF course you could always do what the Cafe boys do and just dont go out

mike-s · Post by **mike-s** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:25 pm

The last time i was copping a nasty crosswind on a freeway was on the way back from canberra about 12 months ago, coming back from canberra at about 4pm, there was heavy rain, a 80km/h crosswind, made turning fun at anything above 90km/h, especially when the crosswind was pushing me OFF the road (pushed me from tracking on the centreline to within 15cm of the catseyes), it then dropped and i returned to the centreline and dropped a couple of km/h.

The other place where there is always heaps of crosswinds is at the tops just south of wollengong (the s bend roads hugging the clifftops), sometimes it makes just riding 40km/h hard, othertimes it's perfect for being able to do the limit plus a bit *ahem*

.

It's definately something that just comes part & parcel with riding.

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:54 pm

yea ive heard bad things abt the gsx750f...cant remeber what tho....but it wasnt good...
look at a zzr i reckon mate...or a z750 if u like naked..

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:55 pm

yes...was thinkin bout the zzr600 first