Riding in strong winds...

[Bogan]

So on Saturday on the way to the coast and back the wind was fairly severe gusty crosswinds. On the way home I was shitscared that I was going to get blown over to the point where I had to stop for a bit over half an hour and sit beside my bike and cry like a little girl. Mind you I think the place I stopped (Braidwood Showground) was the windiest place on earth and that didn't help. But anyway most of the way home there were gusty crosswinds that were blowing me around a great deal and I had to resort to 80km/h and sticking wherever I could in the lane, and having no confidence whatsoever that I was not going to crash.

What are the techniques for riding in gusty strong winds? Any tips for me if it happens again? When does it become unsafe to ride a motorbike in strong winds?

The way I feel right now I'd rather torrential rain or riding over an oil slick than having to go out in winds like that again.

I made it home but only really stopped being scared about 2km from home back on suburban Canberra roads.

[Jonno]

Get down as low as you can behind the screen and grip with your knees reasonably firm on the tank, basically reduce your contact area with the wind. I have found even leaning or sitting a little off the opposite side on the seat from the wind helps a little and even powering on through it covering brakes etc for emergency's. Expect the unexpected, mind you I have been scared at times and i haven't had the need to stop other than in torrential rain mainly because of cars diving to the side of the road to stop and wait it out.

As for when is it too dangerous to ride? that is a personal thing when feel unsafe you generally are in your own experience and skill, but if you are struggling to maintain your lane position then I would think it is unsafe.

Other than dropping the main sail that's all I can tell you!

[ducati_paul]

I had to stop for a bit over half an hour and sit beside my bike and cry like a little girl.

I find this the best technique too
about all you can do is go slower and slower so you are still in control of the bike, better to take twice as long and get home safe than risk a quick dash and get blown into the path of another vehicle or blown off the road!

[Naked Twin]

Practice, the more often you face something the more comfortable you will become in dealing with it (it doesn't mean you will be good at it just better mentally). I had the same issue a few years ago, hated riding in windy and wet conditions. Facing a trip around Tassie I knew that we would have to run into some bad weather over 8 days, I made the decision to go for ride anytime that the weather didn't look great especially in windy conditions. Since facing the fear I really don't mind it (unless we are talking about a hurricane) and just see it like any other day. It made a big difference to the trip, we had one day when the weather gods threw everything at us, freezing weather, rain, gale winds and sunshine, was probably one of the best days of the trip as the weather didn't detract from the enjoyment.

Riding is more mental then anything else, if you head is the right frame everything else will follow. Take the challenge and enjoy it.

Nick

[craig]

on no account drop the mainsail...just put a reef in it........... shitty ride home in melb' tonight cages get a bit cantanceruos (apply spell check here).. in the wet makes it even more difficult to deal with wind and water

[DaveGPz]

South of the Grampians in July - leaning over so far to keep a straight line that there wasn't much left to lean to go round a corner - then you start to think about pulling over. But I agree that you learn through pushing the envelope... without pushing too far. If it gets to the stage that mentally you can't do it, then that's a good time to take a breather, even if you just pull over for a few minutes, catch your breath, gird the loins and off you go again.

[photomike666]

I find it's about awareness. Yes, dropping down behind the screen and reducing wind resistance helps, as does a bit of speed to use the slip stream to guide the wind behind you. But what really helps is gauging the wind direction and seeing where gaps and wind breaks occur. Imagine if you're leaning into a wind coming from your left and you overtake a truck. The truck is going to break the wind; if you don't release the lean pressure you will ruen towards the truck! Gaps in hedges, bridges, hills, side roads and open fields all play a part in the wind strength. Be aware of what is around you and how it will affect the wind and what measures you will have to take.

I use these techniques a lot. Earlier in the year they were looking at closing the Westgate bridge due to wind, and trucks had already been stopped from crossing. This is my route home from work, so I rode over the bridge. I actually got to the point of wanting traffic to move a little quicker, as balance was earier once I got some speed up. This is not the time to be lane splitting

hth

[Mel]

Hey Bogan - Braidwood was a terrible place to stop on Saturday, I pulled up just past that cafe with all the GT's and stuff out the front to have a smoke and after trying unsuccessfully to light the damned thing and just catching my helmet as it was blown off the mirror I hopped on and went around the corner to the main street where it was a bit sheltered.

I think with the wind the best thing to do is get out there and do it... you do get used to it a bit eventually. I was getting blown around a lot on Saturday but it was more me noting how much lean angle I had to go in a straight line than actually being bothered by it. If the wind is coming from the left I tend to sit in the left hand side of the lane so if it does push me across the lane I've got a bit of time to counteract that before I'm on the wrong side of the road. I also find that picking up the speed helps a little (I never thought of why but yeah it just does) and tucking down as much as I can. When the wind is constantly strong, I'll tend to shift my weight on the bike to help counteract the push as well and so I'm not countersteering quite so much.

I can still feel it in my arms today from constantly pushing against the wind! It was pretty mental out there really looking back.