Just curious mostly but interested to see how far some would push the limit.

Today about an hour before I left work for home the weather alerts came in that a severe thunder storm was coming. I think the alert may have been a little on the late side. Severe thunderstorm rain lighting maybe small hail but the big worry at least in my mind was the 80 mph wind.
I checked the radar and I had a small window and decided to run home. Mostly because it would have been a sure thing to find the bike blown over in the lot.

Hit the road moving as fast as traffic allowed but about halfway there I more or less got pushed through a left turn at an intersection. I was caught
So I pulled into an orielly auto, pulled into the most down wind side and gently laid my bike on its side and waited it out for 20 mnutes. I could have tried to outrun it but I would have been in mostly residential without many options to get inside. Had I had more warning even just 5 more minutes and I could have made it home with time to spare.

So what do you think? Did I push it too far or would any try the same as me? Oddly enough on my way home I did see 3 or sport bikes heading toward the storm and 1 harley that was behind me and continued on at about 5 mph hazards flashing after the rain hit and he was only wearing shorts t-shirt and tennis shoes

 

What do you mean "laid the bike on it side"?

 

If you have to run your hazards, get the hell off the road. All you are doing is messing with someone else's ability to focus. If you're going to ride more than an hour from home, you get wet eventually. Sometimes your only boots get soaked on the first day of your eight day road trip. **** happens. Smile and ride.

 

Exactly a lot of people don't understand that Hazard Lights weren't designed for use while the vehicle is moving and in some places it is illegal to do so.

 

I pulled into a parking spot on the most wind protected side, shut down, got off and when the wind continued to pick up. Gently laid my ultra on the crash guards. Doesn't take a lot for wind to blow a bike over but 80 mph would like do it and I didn't want to think about seeing blown over and what it would have crunched then.

 

I gotcha.

 

He may have been in limp mode but I totally agree he should have pulled over. It a raining pretty hard at the time as well. Enough so that traffic slowed down to navigate.

 

If I can see, I'm riding.

Been through many storms on a bike, wind, hail, dust, rain, lightning, all of it many times.

If I'm in a nice warm dry place when the weather is about to hit, I'll probably let it go by, if travel time is flexible.

I would not have tipped the bike over to prepare for strong wind, but I would have parked it so that the wind would be pushing the bike harder onto the kick stand, if that were an option.

Not saying that what you did was wrong, just wouldn't have made some of the same choices.

All the best,

Shane

 

I get slowing down and trying to make it to an exit on the interstate, or whatever, but the hazards bug me to no end. There is nothing worse than trying to focus in a driving rain with flashing lights in front of you. It makes it harder to judge their distance away from you.

Either way, glad you made it in safely.

 

I think it comes down to your own comfort level, experience in said conditions and what's happening around you. If you're not comfortable with the situation, it's time to get off the road. As for setting the bike down like that, nope. The jiffy stand can hold a hell of a lot of weight up against it.