Side Winds

Just returned from a 2000 mile trip from Utah to the California coast and ran into just about every weather element possible; snow, heavy rain, 100+ heat, and wind. And did I mention wind? I've owned a lot of bikes and I feel that my 990R handles side winds pretty well but things got pretty sketchy at moments when the side gusts had to be over 40-45 mph. I was using the whole lane for sure and hoping not to get sucked into a guard rail.

So the question is, is there a technique to ride in these hard hitting side winds? I was going about 60mph most of the time then a couple of guys on Harley's two up passed me at 75mph, as if there was no wind at all. Is there a trick?

yeh, ride a 900lb bike made of iron thats 20 inches lower than yours...

best thing ove found is be aware and ready to lean into the wind to counter it, slow down if necessary...

i just got my 990 ADV and find it better than a lot of bikes in the cross winds..

There is no trick. Except maybe make a turn so the wind becomes dead-on head or tail. But then you get to where you're trying to go!

It's not as bad two up, duh, way better than the former KLR and better than my airhead. Side winds suck, err blows no matter what.

With so much windage, the only solution is to slow down.

It helps to be slightly mentally ill. I have done 60mph crosswinds and it's downright suicidal. There's no technique, they're just high and solid. They're going to be pushed over by crosswinds.

Living in the Bay area and having to cross three pretty windy bridges to get anywhere (Golden Gate, Oakland Bay & Richmond San Rafael), I see some serious side winds. During the daytime or in the dry it's ok, but try it at night, in the rain/heavy fog....:eek1

What works for me is to use the bike to counter the wind gusts, rather than leaning my body weight...i.e. - ride it like a dirt bike. I keep my weight centered and lean the bike into the prevailing winds. This allows me to compensate for changes in direction or intensity really quickly (much quicker than trying to shift my body back and forth). If it get's really bad I add body weight as needed. Unfortunately I've got plenty to spare these days.

Funny you made this thread, from day one on the 990, ive noticed and hated this. Probably the only thing i hate about the bike. I live near the outerbanks and its always windy here! guess why the wright brothers took first flight here. Sometimes i feel like i will take flight on my KTM!

I just lean into it and ride sideways and hold on for the ride!

:ddd

I rode 1000km through a storm in one day - I did a write up on it saying (about the wind) if biking was always like that I'd give it up in a heartbeat.

I found that narrower rear saddlebags help reduce side movement . . . Gobi's are very wide and boxy . . . Catch alot of wind.

I just experienced some major winds too in the last week. Traveled to Arizona for the Overland Expo. Had 50+southwest crosswinds for over 200 miles. Thought I was going to die. It literally threw my bike an entire lane. Glad there wasn't a semi there. Not much I could do but hold all my weight into it and barrel through. It was very scary at times. Was loaded with all my Wolfman luggage. Not sure if this helped or hurt.
On way back home through Texas had the same thing, southeast crosswinds, storm front winds. Booger- bear alright. At least both of the sidewalls got equall wear!

Maybe it's a Bay Area thing, but like srad600, I've found riding the Oakland Bay Bridge in high winds year after year that the dirt bike approach is the best. Use your hips to push the bike out towards the wind, keep your center loose and upright and be prepared for the direction and intensity of the wind to vary.

Also, definitely _don't_ slow down. Speed is your friend in high winds. A fast moving bike wants to stay upright because of the rotation of the wheels.

+1
On one of my trips from the Bay Area to Death Valley, I got lucky and left on the biggest storm of the decade. The wind was so strong that it was pushing me from one lane to another. Riding sideways for a few hundred miles. Combine that with a wall of water falling down from the sky... It was a blast.
The faster I rode, the easier it was.

Exactly....also keep a gear or two down so you can steer with throttle.

Hmmm, while the SE has a finer figure always and in the wind, I remember a day in Patagonia where we couldn't keep them on the road. In the dirt, with knobbies, it didn't matter how far you leaned it over, there wasn't enough traction and we just slipped sideways. That was some wind.

+1!!

Just because you are upright doesn't mean that you aren't being blown off the road.

The reason you need slow down is so that you have more reaction time to deal with the gusts. I'm not talking about slowing down to a walking pace, but travelling at high speeds with heavy side winds is crazy.

I just did 8k miles coast to coast and back, and was passing through Illinois the day of the OK tornado, much further north, but very windy out there - thousands of miles of 30-45mph cross winds.

I'll echo the earlier comment about using the dirt technique to let the bike move under you - I ended up with the bike at a pretty good angle leaning into the wind but with my body more or less upright, and angling my head into the wind to help with the neck cramping. This led me to actually be able to hold a line much better, even though the wheels of the bike would move a good foot in the gusts, the top of the bike basically stayed in the same place.

I've got a crazy wear pattern on the front tire though (severe scalloping)

Getting passed by triple-trailer semis in New Mexico at night in a high wind advisory was just not cool though.

(990 adventure S-Spec suspension BTW)