High winds made me tap out...

If anyone was out riding in Northern Cal yesterday, you know how hellacious the winds were blowing. I was coming from San Francisco to the 916 and had to get off the freeway half way home because it was too dangerous to continue on I80. The final deciding factor was when I literally got blown into the next lane.:eek1 I ended up taking secondary/farm roads the rest of the way home. After watching the news that evening it turned out to be the right call. A pickup truck pulling a trailer with farm equipment overturned on the Yolo Causeway from the high winds. Come on, chime in here, don't make me feel like the only one whose ever wussed out from high wind riding.

p.s. if I wasn't such a technotard I would post pics...

Yeah man, pretty gnarly yesterday on the Goldwing. One gust near Dixon had me crapping my pants, but I go to work to pay for the bike...hammered on to Berkeley. I was definitely choking the bars and puckered until that last good turn to the south at Fairfield.

I drove my truck to work rather than ride yesterday. High wind advisory in PHX yesterday afternoon. It was dang-strong wind, too. Blew my truck sideways a foot or two a couple times. Probably would've played hell on me on my little XR.

I definitely wouldn't call it wussing out. I'd say you exercised an uncommon degree of wisdom and awareness, and acted in a manner that got you home safely. If that's wussing out I'd take that any day. Congrats on getting home safely.

Even here in SoCal it was pretty windy yesterday. There were times when I got hit by gusts that pushed my GSA a couple feet sideways, so I slowed down to make it a bit safer. I spend less than 3 minutes on a freeway that is mostly elevated, so it is subject to gusts that seem to come out of nowhere.

High winds don't blow, they suck.

It was windier than shit here yesterday, Santa Barbara County. I was doing a 3 gear wheelie going to work by the airport and it almost pushed me over.

I really noticed it over the San Mateo Bridge highrise. I had to slow from splitting at 70 to only splitting at 50mph.

Oh man. The last time I rode the Causeway into Sacramento I had the bike heeled over 15 degrees the whole way! Pure terror.

And Sunday afternoon about 5, heading west across the San Mateo Bridge, I had my heels on the passenger pegs and my noggin ducked down behind the windscreen, humping the Vulcan like it was a crotch rocket just so I could see with all the buffeting. No thanks!

I have had the unpleasant experience of being pushed into another lane by the wind. I was just about to overtake an 18-wheeler when it happened, and had to get on the brakes really hard to avoid rear ending the guy. :eek1 This was near the top of Pacheco Pass on my way to MopoGP, so I pressed on, though at a much slower pace.

Good call getting off the freeway.

You are not alone! I bailed on Saturday. Windy out today (Central Coast) but the pass at the 46 from Cambria was ok.

It was a little breezy yesterday, yes. In fact I just took the car.
But it was really nothing to what they have nearly every day on the 62 to the north of the 10, north of Palm Springs.
And that is nothing to what I had last year on the way down to Cabo San Lucas.
When I got to Cabo there was a famous racing boat which won races world wide. They had come down from So Cal and lost their boom, and said it was the worst wind they ever had, Tahiti, Hawaii, anywhere. And on the road it was worse than anything I ever saw here.
But I didn't let it bother me, and I stayed on my own side of the road almost 100% of the time.
dc

I did a west coast to east coast cross-country business run last year on a company Gold Wing (there are a few benefits to being an OEM demo rider...) and the winds were howling out in NV/UT/CO. Cross-winds to boot. At one point I had the Wing healed over about 20 degrees just to stay in the lane and the winds still pushed me from one side of the lane to the other on occasion. I came through the San Rafael Canyon on I-70 (west of Green River) and the wind was blowing up the canyon so hard, I had to keep the throttle almost pinned just to stay at speed, going downhill. That's saying something on a Gold Wing. At least it was a headwind coming up the canyon.

Yep, happened to me too. All thw way across Utah the big GS and I heeled over. It was a lot of work, but the wind was pretty constant with some gusting, so I was ok.

Not on a bike, but years ago when I was a young beast and new to driving, I was driving the family VW van with two empty Sears X-Cargo top carriers on it. It was windy, and I had to actively steer into the wind pretty hard, and then- whump!- a gust, and I was completely in the oncoming lane just fast as you can blink! Before I could react- whump!- another gust, and I was back in my lane.

Worst wind driving experience ever.

Sounds like every state from CA to OK got nailed by extreme winds yesterday. DRiving home yesterday was like being in a giant sandblaster for 30 minutes. Gusts were peaking 60+mph most of the day. We have quite a few days like that during "Spring" in NM. I just won't ride in it -- absolutely no fun and dangerous to boot. I will never make fun of anyone who chooses not to ride in crazy winds, especially in the SW and midwest.

Even my ride on Sunday wasn't too calm since the winds were already ramping up. I had a 7 mile stretch of dead straight road with 30-40MPH crosswinds -- I think the bike was probably 10-15* leaned over the entire 7 miles. Sticking your windside knee out helps, but I don't mind being leaned over as long as the wind is not gusting, which it wasn't yet.

When i first started riding out here it scared me but now i just crank up the stabilizer and call it good. Even fully loaded with pillion and all i dont have a real issue with it until the gusts are 70+.

The only slight issue i have is the girl trying to break my ribs holding on.

Definitely not a wuss for playing it smart. Crazy wind like that and you kept yourself alive. Its another factor in trying to ride safe. It's hard to keep the fewest possible.

Yeh, I spend a lot of time on bikes in the midwest and west with the job, and have come to the conclusion that wind sucks (and blows). What is it about Kansas anyway? I've never ridden thru there, either back roads or interstates, and not had that bloody north cross-wind howling. Don't people in Nebraska know how to shut a door?

As an all season rider in the NE I have to say that high winds are my least favorite condition to ride in. High wind gusts are scary!

dwestly,
How do you get a job as a "there are a few benefits to being an OEM demo rider..." ?