Ok...ok....maybe I wimped out today. Its going to be near 80 degrees here in KC.....but there's also a wind "advisory" in affect today....they expect wind gusts of more than 40 mph from the the South. So I'm thinking....most of my travel is east-west and a 40+ mpg cross wind did not sound to appealing.....but I've seen many other riders out this morning.....so what's the consensus....when does the wind become an issue with you??....did I wimp out....might have to take my lunch hour, go get my scoot to reclaim my "man" card

 

This is a great question. I was wondering this myself as it is going to be 75 in Indy the next two days but there are wind advisories of gusts up to 30mph. I suggested to my husband that was not safe. He somewhat disagreed. Any input would be great. Thanks!

 

I just went thru this last weekend when I picked up the mascot. My way out, I was with the wind, however coming back it was a bear. I think the wind was 25mph but I hit pockets that moved the bike. It was not fun for me. The real bad part was when a semi passed me from the other direction. The wind gusts are unbelievable.

 

I also found this on the net, hope it helps

Sooner or later you are going to wonder about how to handle severe crosswinds - probably while fighting them.

Surprise, surprise - you don't have to do anything and the motorcycle will handle most crosswinds just fine - with only normal responses from you.

There are a couple of things that you can do to make the experience less stressful, however. For example, you can quit white-knuckling your grips. When you hold on tight you also tend to stiff arm your controls. That, as we've talked about before, merely allows front-end instability to propagate into the rest of the motorcycle. Relax your grips and droop your elbows. Allow your bike to be a bit unstable. Drive in the CENTER OF YOUR LANE. Lean forward and down to reduce your profile, and snug up your jacket.

What about traction? You neither gain nor lose any significant traction when the wind blows from your side unless you are in a curve. While you are leaned into the wind all of the weight of the bike remains on your tires (fancy that) and there is very little lateral force scrubbing that traction away.

How much lean do you need? Whatever the bike dials in for you.

Should you anticipate those gusts? Should you just respond quickly to a gust in order to remain in control and traveling in a straight line? No, and no. Your bike will NOT travel in a straight line. That is, as long as you allow it to do its thing, your bike will be modestly blown off course with a gust and the result of that movement is EXACTLY the same as any other minor course change - you will need modest counter-steer input to correct it - the CG of your bike will then be on the side the wind came from and the result is that it will lean towards the wind.

[Anticipating wind-sheer IS important under a couple of scenarios: the approach of an oncoming large vehicle suggests that severe buffeting will occur when you pass it, and entering or exiting stretches protected from the wind such as tunnels or bridges with relatively high retaining walls. In these cases you will certainly want to position the bike away from the source of the wind-sheer and insure you maintain a firm grip.]

Is a heavier bike less likely to be blown around than a lighter bike? Not necessarily. What is primarily determinant of how great the effect of a crosswind is on your bike is its profile. A garage door (GoldWing) will typically be more harshly affected by crosswinds than a lighter low profile bike.

Can you mitigate some of that instability in any way? Yes. There are cowling additions that can be designed (some are available off the shelf - called 'belly pans') that streamline the airflow under your bike and help (modestly) to reduce crosswind handling problems.

Your side profile area is what determines how your motorcycle reacts to crosswinds. Just as there is a Center of Gravity, there is also a Center of wind resistance. If that center of wind resistance is in front of your Center of Gravity then crosswinds will tend to push you off course while if it is behind your Center of Gravity the motorcycle will try to steer INTO the wind. Thus, mounting a high profile LIGHT object (a stuffed animal, for example) onto your trunk lid or your pillion can have a dramatically corrective effect rather than worsen the bike's steering reaction to those crosswinds.

Crosswinds can be murder if you are leaned way over in a curve. Don't, if you can avoid it.

As a result of a crosswind your bike will move off course and normal modest counter-steer will lean it into the wind. A strong gust will blow you out of track. So, correct your steering, gently, and keep going.

I admit that sometimes a gust can be ferocious! I was on the Golden gate bridge once when a crosswind blew me into the adjacent lane! But the bike was in no danger of falling down and it was easy to get back in lane. Had the gust been a sustained blast I woul

 

As Heather mentioned, it's gonna be in the mid 70's here in Indiana, rare for November. I rode to work today. I'll deal with the wind on the way home. I've never had a problem with wind. I think you get a bigger blast as oncoming trucks pass by. As stated above, relax and enjoy the ride.

Chris

 

If you are out riding and your not having any fun because of fighting the wind, it is most likely too windy. For me that is 25mph gusting to 30. Results not typical and will vary depending on experience and machismo.

 

Personally, I don't think that you were wimping out. You made a decision based on your feelings and that should be good enough. Maybe the wind thing would depend on the experience of the rider and what he/she is willing to ride in. I noticed that you were talking about the direction that the wind would be coming in. You might think about this. When you are riding down the highway, doesn't the road change directions every so often? The wind is going to do the same thing. Sometimes you might have a side wind that's a bearcat to deal with, than other times, you might have a head or tail wind. The wind will change directions just like the highway does. I feel that it's just something, up to a ceretain point of course, that a person will have to get used to when they ride a motorcycle. God luck and enjoy the ride.

 

If I'm not having fun then I'm not riding! I would think it has alot to do with weight as well. A heavy rider on a heavy bike is gonna do better then a lightweight on a light bike.

 

The faster that you go the less lateral forces the wind will have on your bike. With a 40mph cross wind you will need to go........um, about 230mph without feeling any effects. Hehe.

It gets pretty gusty around here from time to time and my Fatboy is about as aerodynamic as say a UPS truck, but it's usually pretty manageable. I had more trouble with crosswinds on my Ninja.

Stay safe!

 

Weatherbug shows 73 right now here in Nasville. I just got back home from about a 40 mile trip........I got the crap beat outta me on Idiot-24...I guess winds were about 20-25 and gusting.....I took 2 lane twisty backroads home though...much nicer and better scenery with all the fall colors and such.

I will ride in the wind but I don't like getting slammed around.

You didn't wimp out...............I just could not pass up 73 in November......