wind!

[i2kdave]

I was coming home from work on Friday and it was windy enough to make me slightly uncomfortable. I looked up the weather for that day and the wind gusts were supposed to have been around 12 - 13 mph. Tomorrow, they're calling for 20+ mph winds and I'm wondering if I should just drive the truck. Any advice?

[Easy Rider]

Tomorrow, they're calling for 20+ mph winds and I'm wondering if I should just drive the truck. Any advice?

That's about the cutoff for me.....except for puttering around town. If you're relatively new at this, I'd say yes, take the truck.

[Water Warrior 2]

Better to be safe than sorry if wind makes you uncomfortable. Save wind rides for your play time when you can return home at anytime. Work up to it at your own speed and comfort level.

[alanmcorcoran]

Dave,

If you are comfortable going 65 plus on the GZ, you are more likely to be able to handle the 20mph wind if you're commute is at 40-45mph. If you are not comfortable with the buffeting and battering that goes along with that level of speed, or you have to go 65 plus to do your commute, take the truck.

(If you happen to get the 20mph at your back, you can probably post some record speeds!!)

[i2kdave]

thanks for the responses!
now they're saying the wind could get up to 30 mph, so I'm definitely driving the truck :mad:

[mrlmd1]

It's not the wind in your face like Alan suggests, or on your back that's the problem - it's the strong gusts from the sides that can suddenly shift you laterally on the road, causing you to switch lanes, go into other car's paths, push you off to the apron, etc.
20-30mph winds can be a hazard and you are safer in the car at that level.

[adrianinflorida]

I cross this bridge going to and from work each day:
http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Melbourne_Causeway_1.jpg

It's about 60 some odd feet high at tne middle, with a pretty long causeway at each end. all of these stupid cold fronts we've had this winter have resulted in 2-3 days afterwards of 15-20 MPH winds out of the North-Northeast. Earlier this week had another front, the ususal 15-20 MPH winds, so an interesting run across the bridge in the morning. Coming home that evening, the wind must have picked up to 30 MPH or so, let's just say it was interesting, I felt like Valentino Rossi needing to hug the tank to get low enough to not get blown over. :)

I felt like an idiot, till I saw a guy on a big Harley doing the same thing after getting caught off guard by the crosswind.

[music man]

I had to ride about 80 or so highway miles in about 25-28mph winds with gusts up towards 40mph yesterday and it F@#$ING SUCKED, i had to go about 35-40 most of the way just to keep control of the bike, and sometimes when it would get real bad I just stopped the bike for a minute to relax my death grip on the handlebars.

If I would have been at home I wouldn't have rode at all, but I was at a friends house 80 miles away and had to be back yesterday, so I had no choice in the matter.

[alanmcorcoran]

You guys probably know this already, but you have to learn to countersteer as needed into the wind just like you are taking a curve. It works the same way - push the handlebar in the direction the wind is coming from. I live in a very windy area and 30 mph winds are not unusual. It's those sudden weird gusts that are unnerving. I've gotten so I kind of automatically compensate, but it's not fun. If I think the wind speed is going to be over 30, I won't ride more than the commute to work.

[music man]

It's those sudden weird gusts that are unnerving.


Exactly how are you supposed to countersteer into a sudden weird gust of wind, if its sudden there is no planning for it right? But yes for just the "wind" blowing, that will work fine, but not for those 10-15mph extra gusts.

[Water Warrior 2]

Picture this. Canadian prairies, 2 lane highway on a bright warm summer afternoon. Just farmers fields, no ushes or trees and no wind. The grass on the side of the road wasn't even moving. Instant gust moved me over 6 feet to the left into the oncoming lane. Pucker factor a 10 out of 10.

[Easy Rider]

But yes for just the "wind" blowing, that will work fine, but not for those 10-15mph extra gusts.

Not withstanding WW's story.............
The best way to deal with that is the same as it is when driving any vehicle that has a high profile and tends to catch the wind........like a commercial delivery van.......and that is to train yourself to ***NOT*** react to the gusts of wind so quickly.

Reason being that by the time your "slow" computer (the one between your ears!) reacts to the gust, it is already over and you overcompensate and steer in the wrong direction. The second reason is that the majority of gusts will FEEL like it is pushing you off course a lot more than it really IS. The best course, then, is to not correct until you are sure you really need to.

Took me years of van driving to really "learn" this and that helped a bit with the bike but, although the same principles are in play, dealing with the wind on the bike has a higher pucker factor.......and the skill required is slightly different.

[mr. softie]

Try to keep a relaxed grip on the bars and keep your upper body relaxed and loose in gusty conditions and let the bike compensate. Because of the gyroscopic action of the wheels the bike will tend to self steer and run straight with little rider input. The bike will lean in a gust, and straighten up by itself. A rigid grip contributes to the swerve in gusts.

Poindexter

[BusyWeb]

Hello, there.
Yesterday, I read a post about accident (fatal-down and more... not want to tell here) by the wind.
I got scared after read it, and made mind not to speed on the gust area; "Wind or Gust" road signs.
I had some bad experience with wind about couple of months ago here Los Angeles.
Santa Ana Wind........

But I got stange experience too.
The wind's pushing (sailing bike) power is reduced,
if I give just little more speed to the bike when wind gust comes from side.
(with slow wind speed, not with high power gust ha ha ha)

Sometimes the bike breaks rules of physics of nature ???
Anyone has similar experiences??

[patrick_777]

Try to keep a relaxed grip on the bars and keep your upper body relaxed and loose in gusty conditions and let the bike compensate. Because of the gyroscopic action of the wheels the bike will tend to self steer and run straight with little rider input. The bike will lean in a gust, and straighten up by itself. A rigid grip contributes to the swerve in gusts.

:plus1: :plus1: :plus1: :plus1: :plus1:

I can never stress this entire quoted post enough. It feels more dangerous that it is. But I barely touch my handlebars in a high crosswind...Thanks softie, great post there. :tup: :2tup:


Poindexter

:techy:

[patrick_777]

Hello, there.
Yesterday, I read a post about accident (fatal-down and more... not want to tell here) by the wind.
I got scared after read it, and made mind not to speed on the gust area; "Wind or Gust" road signs.
I had some bad experience with wind about couple of months ago here Los Angeles.
Santa Ana Wind........

But I got stange experience too.
The wind's pushing (sailing bike) power is reduced,
if I give just little more speed to the bike when wind gust comes from side.
(with slow wind speed, not with high power gust ha ha ha)

Sometimes the bike breaks rules of physics of nature ???
Anyone has similar experiences??

Sorry, I didn't understand some of that, but you have to take into account the gyroscopic effect when a motorcycle is at speed. The physics of it all cause the bike to react faster and want to stay standing straight up, against the wind changes than any human could with active steering.

Try to keep a relaxed grip on the bars and keep your upper body relaxed and loose in gusty conditions and let the bike compensate. Because of the gyroscopic action of the wheels the bike will tend to self steer and run straight with little rider input. The bike will lean in a gust, and straighten up by itself. A rigid grip contributes to the swerve in gusts.

Poindexter

It's funny - I read this post just after having had experience with what Mr. Softie is talking about. Picked up my bike from the shop (new tires, brake pads, fluid) yesterday and rode it the 20 miles home. Nice day for this time of year in Michigan, but gusty as hell. I found myself doing the death grip thing a couple of times and knew, partly from this site, that this was not what I wanted to be doing, even if such windy conditions. It turns out, especially in such windy conditions. I relaxed my grip and upper body, and lo and behold, things got better right away. The thing I kept telling myself was to trust the bike, it won't get blown over (15 - 20 mph wind gusts).

Keith

[Easy Rider]

new tires, ........and rode it the 20 miles home. Nice day for this time of year in Michigan, but gusty as hell.

Glad you made it home OK. :)
New tires and adverse riding conditions are often NOT a good combination. :skull:
Take it easy for another hundred miles or so and weave a bit as conditions permit. :tup:

[patrick_777]

Take it easy for another hundred miles or so and weave a bit as conditions permit. :tup:

...but only after your tires are warmed up from a few miles. :crutches:

[greenhorn]

Are some bikes less prone to being affected by wind & gusts? The heavier the bike the less you feel it?

GH

[mr. softie]

Weight is not the only factor of course. One of the worst bikes in gusty crosswinds is the GoldWing 1800. That huge expanse of plastic is a real wind catcher. Heavy long bikes with open cross sections are the best.

[alanmcorcoran]

Greenhorn,

I have a 800 pound bike to go with the GZ. It definitely handles the wind a lot better. If I understand Mr. Softie's physics lesson, it might be because the Strat has more angular momentum (and is basically, a more powerful/stable gyroscope.) No fairing, but I do have a windshield and footrests.

(Side note: My Suburban got hit with a nasty side gust on the way through Utah today that instantaneously moved me over a bit. Not enough to cause an accident, but I was real surprised. I was glad I was not on the bike when it hit.)

[music man]

(Side note: My Suburban got hit with a nasty side gust on the way through Utah today that instantaneously moved me over a bit. Not enough to cause an accident, but I was real surprised. I was glad I was not on the bike when it hit.)

Just think if you had been on the little GZ when you got hit with that wind gust, you would have been up in a tree somewhere.

[patrick_777]

Alan would have looked like a tumbleweed.

[alanmcorcoran]

It was just another powerful reminder that it's not the wind (which we were fighting all day) bu those weird little micro gusts that are scary. I've ridden the GZ in pretty windy conditions, and it's no fun, but the only times it feels dangerous is when the wind is intermittent, gusty or swiftly changes direction.

I had a second minor wind push later in the day when I came out from under a embankment type overpass, but I was kind of expecting it. I drove 943 miles yesterday and about 30 of them did not have some kind of wind. Kind of makes you loopy after the first 12 hours or so.

[mrlmd1]

943 miles on a motorcycle or in a car? 943 miles/60 mph ave. speed = >15 1/2 hrs., 943mi/70mph= 13 1/2 hrs. Take out time for gas fillups, pee breaks, food, rest, etc, the real average speed would be much less (like 45-50 mph) and probably take around 18 hrs. to accomplish with no down time for sleep. That's alot of time to spend on a bike in one day and probably a recipe for disaster. :??: :??:

[mr. softie]

The gyroscope effect I was speaking of is produced by the bikes rotating wheels. A bigger heavier bike has bigger heavier wheels, the effect is stronger. Take the front wheel off your bicycle and give it a spin while holding the axle. Now try to move the axle around at different angles and note what the spinning wheel does. Play around with it to give yourself an understanding of the forces involved with even a light wheel rotating at a fairly low rpm, and you will see what a powerful stabilizing force this effect is.

[music man]

943 miles on a motorcycle or in a car? 943 miles/60 mph ave. speed = >15 1/2 hrs., 943mi/70mph= 13 1/2 hrs. Take out time for gas fillups, pee breaks, food, rest, etc, the real average speed would be much less (like 45-50 mph) and probably take around 18 hrs. to accomplish with no down time for sleep. That's alot of time to spend on a bike in one day and probably a recipe for disaster. :??: :??:


He said he was driving his suburban, 943 miles on a bike in one day would put you in the Iron Butt record book for sure.

[BusyWeb]

The gyroscope effect
Thanks for the info, Mr. Softie.
I found some good example video from YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H98BgRzpOM
Amazing physics....
Actually, I remember one of the FREE MIT class lectures...um.
Found it..(or other one ???)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLy0IQT8ssk
In this lecture, about end of the class??, professor shows some interesting demonstration.

[alanmcorcoran]

943 miles on a motorcycle or in a car? 943 miles/60 mph ave. speed = >15 1/2 hrs., 943mi/70mph= 13 1/2 hrs.

We left Breckenridge in the Suburban at 11:30am local time and pulled into the driveway at 12:15 (am again? quarter after midnight.) That looks like 12 hrs and 45 minutes, but we crossed one time zone and picked up an hour. I could have done it least an hour better but I have two speeding tickets in less than 14 months already and rarely went more than 4 or 5 miles over the limit. (Thank God fo 75 mph speed in CO and UT!) And yes, as noted above, in the Suburban. Had to stop a half hour or so past Beaver Creek and install a gallon 'o windshield wiper fluid (there was a lot of snow, traffic and accidents for the first two hours of the trip) and my wife insisted on two additional ciggie breaks - one in Richfield, one in Baker. The Suburban holds 44 gals of regular, so gas breaks are optional - I've done 350 miles on half a tank - could probably go close to 800 between fillups.

It was very windy (headwindy!) the whole way. Some kind of change in weather systems going on. I was pretty fried when I got home.

I am sorry Patrick. I have violated Etiquette Rule 7.4 Sections a-d. But mrlmd1 was part of the conspiracy!

[mrlmd1]

"I am sorry Patrick. I have violated Etiquette Rule 7.4 Sections a-d. But mrlmd1 was part of the conspiracy!"

I was, I was, sorry, couldn't resist, had to put in my 0.02 about 943 mi on a bike, didn't realize he was talking about the truck.
And to digress a little further - what's snow? Haven't seen that for 7 years.
But we do have wind in the panhandle, sometimes so bad I stay off the bike even if it looks nice outside.

Put the bike in the back of the suburban and sit on it, let the wife drive the truck.

[5th_bike]

I was wondering what the fuss is all about, because the wind never bothered me on the GZ250. It must have been riding the bicycles and little mopeds when growing up in stormy Northern Europe. Now, I'm rather enjoying the stability of the much heavier motorcycle. When you drive 60 mph and there is a 40 mph gust blowing straight at you - your speed through air is then 100 mph ! Wow ! :rawk:

It's just what Easy Rider and mr. softie are saying - when it's gusty, just relax and ignore the wind. Lean over a bit. You will need two feet width of road instead of 6 inches.

Today was nice and gusty in Maryland, so I took the bike out for a ride. No problems whatsoever. :ride:

(edit) ...except, the next day I found the rear tire almost flat because of a big nail it picked up... sigh...

[mamahemp]

I was beginning to feel like a chicken poop. I have YET to get the bike up to 55, I have gone to 50, but I am still getting my "legs" back into biking and well, the Wind was wicked the other day.

I was working in the garden today and looking on as bike after bike went by and I waited till the wind died down at 7 pm and then went riding. I was glad I did as there was no wind and it was quiet. Let a few people pass me, but the ride was nice...

So is there anyone else out there who is a chicken when it comes to speed??? Is it just me, or it is a combo of April winds and the lightness of the GZ?

[JWR]

I don't mind the wind and like to ride in a light rain.

Rode last week in a thundershower and strong winds for about 20 miles, then the sun came out, perfect day.
The GZ handles much better than the Pacific Coast in a strong side wind.

As far as speed goes, you will have to talk to some one else.

Jerry

[adrianinflorida]

I don't mind the wind and like to ride in a light rain.

Rode last week in a thundershower and strong winds for about 20 miles, then the sun came out, perfect day.
The GZ handles much better than the Pacific Coast in a strong side wind.


The Pacific Coast's weight would help it in windy situations, if it's side area werent so huge, I guess. Kind of long and slab sided, making it more likely to act like a sail, I guess..

[spuriousgrowth]

I was thinking a lot about a particular design I had seen and how you had mentioned feeling silly about tank hugging.

Take a look at this:

http://www.bikeexif.com/falcon-motorcycles

Not so different from the GZ, and with those handlebars, there's no choice but to hug the tank. This is the only cafe racer I've seen with a teardrop tank and low seat.

SG

[alantf]

o.k............ two questions from this "foreigner"

1) what is a "suburban"?
2) what is a "panhandle"?

the only American I know is "White man speak with forked tongue", picked up from John Wayne movies (LOL) Oh, sheeeeeeeeeeeeeet, I suppose that's not PC anymore!

[5th_bike]

o.k............ two questions from this "foreigner"

1) what is a "suburban"?
2) what is a "panhandle"?

the only American I know is "White man speak with forked tongue", picked up from John Wayne movies (LOL) Oh, sheeeeeeeeeeeeeet, I suppose that's not PC anymore!

1) A Chevrolet Suburban, a truck with its back covered

1995:
http://www.postimage.org/Pqk8yMi.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

2007:
http://www.postimage.org/Pqk8SJr.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

Typical American humongeous 8 cylinder gas guzzlers. Also Suburbans galore on Craigslist, and much cheaper than the Harleys. In Germany they would be called "Soob-Oorbahn".

2) A part of a state that is narrow and sticks out at the northwestern side. Look at a US map, Florida and Oklahoma each have a panhandle. It may have something to do with political districts, I'm not sure.