Got blown off the highway today in KC. Went into the median, which wasn't so bad until I hit the crossover for emergency vehicles, then things just tumbled forward in the air. Was doing about 60 in a 70 zone. Walked away, but the windshield / cockpit was gone and the aluminum cases were crumbled messes. Undoubtedly a write off. Since it's my only vehicle, I'm crossing my fingers I can get settled with insurance and take delivery on an identical bike with a week or two. I loved that thing.
In this particular stretch of open highway, you cross over a bridge. Wind was against me all the way over the bridge, pretty hard lean into it. The wind let up as leaving bridge way, and I'm readjusting myself. Wind hits again with same force; that one knocks me off the road. Weather service had issued wind advisories today. I should have picked a different route. I was expecting high winds but never really expected to be tossed around so easily. I'm thinking I've got a 500 lb bike here, it can't blow me off the f'ing road. Mother nature takes no prisoners.
I was riding in Vt a few years ago early winter on my F-bike and a gust came along so strong that even though I leaned against it as far as I could (on to my chicken strips) , the bike slid(skidded) about two feet (front and back) toward the centerline and an oncoming truck. suddenly as quick as it hit the wind stopped .. the bike stood up and I continued on, shaking and scared I pulled off and camped nearby. I can still see the look in the truck drivers Eyes and hear my friend yelling in my com.. they knew. Until then I thought that I had seen every hazard out there.. Live and learn Glad you are OK
I know what you mean. A couple of summers back, I went around the US on my 1200GS. The single worst day of riding I had was going through the crosswinds in Kansas - full on white knuckle. The big GS is a great bike, but it does not handle well in wind.
Glad your okay and hope you have some good insurance - they seem to love applying the "Act of God" clause.
On a ride between Midland, Texas and Ruidoso, NM a couple of years ago. On my 08 GSA. Worst wind I've ever seen for a ride. It was bad just standing in the lot of my hotel in Midland. Knew it was going to be a long day. I was on a stretch of 4-lane divided highway between Roswell and Ruidoso, in the far right side of the right lane west bound with a strong wind out of the NW. Bowing into gusts pounding my right flank, one hit me and steadily pushed me across both of the westbound lanes, into the left shoulder and just as I was preparing to take a little joy ride on a very unforgiving looking stretch of median the wind turned me loose. A pucker factor of about 9.5. Lucky that day! Lucky there was no traffic. Got to my hotel in Ruidoso and the desk clerk relayed a story of a driver of a pickup hauling a horse trailer that was killed when his rig was blown off the same stretch of road a week earlier! Experience gave me a whole new respect for wind. Sure glad your are well. Sorry about your rig. Thanks for posting your story.
Glad you came out of it ok.......we most definitely were having some serious gusts here in Topeka today.
Saturday was a very nasty day here in west Texas. The sky was brown with blowing dust, visibility was under 1 mile.
Man that Blows. Sorry couldn't resist. Glad you were able to walk away from it. Hope the insurance company does you right.