Riding in badass wind conditions - Page 3

Hoppy · 02-01-2003, 10:00 PM

I might be there on Weds, after all. Seems that one meeting got postponed, and it's not worth me flying to Boston for one measly meeting. Economy is bad, but NOT that bad.

-Hopster

dogdoc · 02-01-2003, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Said arethustra:
Road up to Laramie, WY. weekend before last and the winds were gusting up around 90 mph...the scariest things was going into a sweeping right hander leaning to the left due to the wind conditions...Watching my buddy on his LT was just freaking wild...the damed thing spent most of ride looking like he was trying to carve into a turn hard left turn...this was of course on the straights...Definitely, not the most pleasent segment of the ride!

Did you take US 287 north from Fort Collins? That road can have nastyass weather of all kinds and can be pretty desolate as well.

93 south out of Boulder can also be dangerous with the downslope winds and traffic.

We have certainly been getting plenty of "wind work" here abouts lately.

I have gotten more comfortable with the wind but it got pretty hairy Friday around Loveland with the dust blowing off the fields causing a sudden loss of ALL visibility.

Be careful out there.

txhardcore · 02-02-2003, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Said Stephen:
Oh yeah, mass is your friend, too, when it's windy. KLR is big fun in the gusties.

Caught a Goldwing from behind once on my KLR in Mexico with a 40 or so mph crosswind. Seems the solid plastic sides of the Goldwing were acting like a sail.

Unleaded · 02-03-2003, 05:13 PM

Worst wind experience? Monday through Friday, plus Saturdays and Sundays for the entire duration of my motorcycling career here in Southeast Nebraska.

It sucks here.............help me get out..........

Andrew · 02-05-2003, 05:23 PM

The very first time I rode across the Bay Bridge, I decided to head out in gale force winds. I was a few months experienced on my first motorcycle, the R80. Thankfully it was a saturday morning with light traffic. I do believe I was praying, asking god to just help me get across and I would promise to practice counter-steering.

Last year coming home from Death Valley in February, the winds were from the sides, constant pulsing winds, we were taking left turns leaning to the right. I was ready to have the bike fall over any of a dozen times, but somehow managed to keep it together. Neither time was any fun at all, hellish misery more like it.

The only advice I have (with my three seasoned years on two wheels) is to relax your arms, grip the tank with your knees, and keep steady pressure on the upwind bar. Light, but not too light, on the bars. A full tank of gas and loaded saddlebags help, too.

I have never seen a motorcyclist blown off the road, nor met anyone who has been knocked over while riding in gusty winds.

zigyphoto · 02-07-2003, 04:12 PM

parked my R11GS on sidestand on windy day while my wife practiced her tight uphill twisties. along came a gust, from the right side--the sidestand side--and simply flipped the bike over on it's left side!

the striking lesson here is that the wind was hardly noticeable when i parked the bike, tho I was aware of it. seemed inconsequential, that bit of wind from the right, and so i did not worry about it, figuring the weight of the bike would keep it on its side stand...

not so.

lesson learned: always park the bike so wind is coming from non-sidestand direction.....

zigy kaluzny

Sniper #1 · 02-10-2003, 06:19 PM

8 Hrs across the Wyoming desert from Colorado to jackson Hole. I leaned into the crosswind (30 Knots) the whole way.:mad:

Slaniac · 02-24-2003, 01:02 AM

Going to Laughlin out in the Mojave...can't remember exactly where. It wasn't all that windy, just steady and a few gusts to keep things interesting. On the horizon I see this fucking big dust devil. Hell, it looked more like a tornado. This thing was a long way off, but coming my way. I kept a steady hand and watched this thing getting closer and closer. Now most intelligent folks would have slowed down to let that thing cross the roadway...not me. Well actuall not me and not about ten other riders. You all know what happened next. I crossed the same part of road as that dust devil at the same time.
Shit was flying everywhere. Sand, twigs, sage brush...I started to clamp on the brakes but worried about the sand on the road. It was swirling in a clock-wise pattern all around the bike and on the road way. We all came out the other side spitting sand and wondering where the skin on our arms went. Those were my Harley days and I was wearing the standard t -shirt, vest and levis.

slaniac

02-01-2003, 10:00 PM	#31
Hoppy Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2001 Location: SF, CA, USA Oddometer: 164	Second Thought I might be there on Weds, after all. Seems that one meeting got postponed, and it's not worth me flying to Boston for one measly meeting. Economy is bad, but NOT that bad. -Hopster

02-03-2003, 05:13 PM	#34
Unleaded Unit Train Joined: Jan 2003 Location: Hellinois Oddometer: 675	worst wind.... Worst wind experience? Monday through Friday, plus Saturdays and Sundays for the entire duration of my motorcycling career here in Southeast Nebraska. It sucks here.............help me get out.......... __________________ "A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning - that all glory is fleeting."

02-05-2003, 05:23 PM	#35
Andrew Optimus Primer Joined: Sep 2001 Location: Eastbania Oddometer: 13,981	Bay Bridge & Trona The very first time I rode across the Bay Bridge, I decided to head out in gale force winds. I was a few months experienced on my first motorcycle, the R80. Thankfully it was a saturday morning with light traffic. I do believe I was praying, asking god to just help me get across and I would promise to practice counter-steering. Last year coming home from Death Valley in February, the winds were from the sides, constant pulsing winds, we were taking left turns leaning to the right. I was ready to have the bike fall over any of a dozen times, but somehow managed to keep it together. Neither time was any fun at all, hellish misery more like it. The only advice I have (with my three seasoned years on two wheels) is to relax your arms, grip the tank with your knees, and keep steady pressure on the upwind bar. Light, but not too light, on the bars. A full tank of gas and loaded saddlebags help, too. I have never seen a motorcyclist blown off the road, nor met anyone who has been knocked over while riding in gusty winds. __________________ Splitting lanes, and splitting hairs.

02-07-2003, 04:12 PM	#36
zigyphoto Pay attention Joined: Jul 2002 Location: Boulder CO Oddometer: 804	wind warning parked my R11GS on sidestand on windy day while my wife practiced her tight uphill twisties. along came a gust, from the right side--the sidestand side--and simply flipped the bike over on it's left side! the striking lesson here is that the wind was hardly noticeable when i parked the bike, tho I was aware of it. seemed inconsequential, that bit of wind from the right, and so i did not worry about it, figuring the weight of the bike would keep it on its side stand... not so. lesson learned: always park the bike so wind is coming from non-sidestand direction..... zigy kaluzny

02-10-2003, 06:19 PM	#37
Sniper #1 n00b Joined: Feb 2003 Location: Orlando,fla Oddometer: 5	wind and Wyoming 8 Hrs across the Wyoming desert from Colorado to jackson Hole. I leaned into the crosswind (30 Knots) the whole way.:mad: __________________ "Satis Verborem" Orlando S.W.A.T.

02-24-2003, 01:02 AM	#38
Slaniac Martini elbow Joined: Feb 2003 Location: Auburn, CA. Oddometer: 10,403	Going to Laughlin out in the Mojave...can't remember exactly where. It wasn't all that windy, just steady and a few gusts to keep things interesting. On the horizon I see this fucking big dust devil. Hell, it looked more like a tornado. This thing was a long way off, but coming my way. I kept a steady hand and watched this thing getting closer and closer. Now most intelligent folks would have slowed down to let that thing cross the roadway...not me. Well actuall not me and not about ten other riders. You all know what happened next. I crossed the same part of road as that dust devil at the same time. Shit was flying everywhere. Sand, twigs, sage brush...I started to clamp on the brakes but worried about the sand on the road. It was swirling in a clock-wise pattern all around the bike and on the road way. We all came out the other side spitting sand and wondering where the skin on our arms went. Those were my Harley days and I was wearing the standard t -shirt, vest and levis. slaniac

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