Any trick when ride with high wind?
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 239
Likes: 4
From: Province of Ontario
Riding in High Cross Winds
There is no 'trick' to it. As a motorcycle instructor we always tell our students that in high cross winds you should follow the basics: maintain a constant throttle and keep the engine pulling; look as far down the road as you can to improve your overall balance; keep your knees pressed into the tank. You will automatically make minor corrections and you may have to lean into the wind a bit. If the wind gusts are blowing you out of your lane of travel you are travelling a bit too fast or you are not correcting enough by counter steering and leaning. The best teacher in this circumstance is the experience you gain from riding in various weather conditons.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: Monroe, GA
Last year the wife and I rode to the Grand Canyon from Atlanta.
On I-40, just outside Flagstaff we hit some of the highest winds ever recorded.
A direct crosswind from the right at 40mph, with gusts to 75mph. Riding 2-up, with a full load.
It even tore up the green highway signs and knocked over a few 18-wheelers.
I chose to ride between 30-35mph on the right shoulder, leaning to the right, flashers on.
The only 'trick' I could think of was to pull off at an exit, find a motel and wait it out until the next day. Had to ride about 30 miles through that stuff and it was no fun at all.
Downright scary, even.
On I-40, just outside Flagstaff we hit some of the highest winds ever recorded.
A direct crosswind from the right at 40mph, with gusts to 75mph. Riding 2-up, with a full load.
It even tore up the green highway signs and knocked over a few 18-wheelers.
I chose to ride between 30-35mph on the right shoulder, leaning to the right, flashers on.
The only 'trick' I could think of was to pull off at an exit, find a motel and wait it out until the next day. Had to ride about 30 miles through that stuff and it was no fun at all.
Downright scary, even.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,640
Likes: 8
From: Corpus Christi,Texas
Reside in Corpus Christi,Texas wind blows minimum of 25mph on a calm day we are known as the windiest city in Texas the bay is full of sail boats and those surfboards with the sails?? my issue is riding on those rare days when there is no wind--go figure
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 776
Likes: 2
From: Houston,tx
Here in Houston we have 3 tall bridges over the ship channel that get pretty windy and also along the coast. I find that if I drop a gear and get the rpm up and engine pulling harder plus also tucking in knees and tucking my head lower to lower my profile seems to help. Going to San antonio I hit 50 to 60 mph gusts and found that if I found a larger vehicle to run near would break the crosswind gusts to some extent but you have to be very careful that the other vehicle does not veer into your lane jmo
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 743
Likes: 0
From: Morris, Il
The wind I can deal with what gets me are the trucks blasting by on top of the gusts. that is when the pucker factor kicks in for me.
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