blown off the road?

[srt8-in-largo]

Has anybody been literally blown off the road by a strong crosswind?

It's been more than 10 years since I've ridden regularly but I don't ever recall having to "battle the wind". Granted that Oregon had much milder weather than Florida where I'm at now, but the amount of steering correction and lean that I needed today surprised me. There wasn't even a storm... it was just a blistery day with enough wind to move my bike around.

It made me wonder how much of a safety risk there is in riding when it's windy. Can the experienced riders chime in?

[dickiedeals]

Adding the belly pan helped greatly with cross wind control.................Dickie

[srt8-in-largo]

I think I saw someone else say that but I don't understand how that works... I guess it smooths the airflow under the bike??

Does it matter which belly pan? Some of them are "vented" I think.

[Steve 0080]

Many years ago I was headed to Tampa on I 75 out of Wildwood, my wife was with me...the wind was soooooo strong that I/we were sitting on the side of the bike to fight the wind and when we came by a section of the road lined with trees the bike stood up and we had to get back on top...did that for about 20 miles...strangest thing as far as the wind goes for me....

FL is a different place...it is not uncommon to have 100 mph winds in a rain storm, not unusual to rain on one side of the street and not the other, not uncommon to have the temperature change 40 degrees in one day...welcome to FL

[srt8-in-largo]

Idk why I'm so surprised at how much crosswinds affect riding... but I am. These bikes are HEAVY and I was expecting that nothing but the rear tire could move it around.

I weigh 190lbs and at highway speeds even a moderate crosswind (~40 mph gusts) easily pushed the bike from one side of the lane to the other; it really felt like the tires were sliding but I know they weren't.

[Darkknight]

I've had some wind push me around on this bike but only once did it get scary bad. I thought I was going to be blown off the bike. The bike handled it as long as I held on, and I WAS holding on!
I also noticed that the winds seemed to have more influence on the bike when I put a larger windshield on it. I am also running a bellypan.

[SmallPasture]

Idk why I'm so surprised at how much crosswinds affect riding... but I am. These bikes are HEAVY and I was expecting that nothing but the rear tire could move it around.

I weigh 190lbs and at highway speeds even a moderate crosswind (~40 mph gusts) easily pushed the bike from one side of the lane to the other; it really felt like the tires were sliding but I know they weren't.

True, they are heavy butt have a but load of surface area to grab every bit of that cross wind!

Hell, in North texas where a cross BREEZE is 45 mph'windy' you do just that, you ride at a 45 degree angle most of the time leaning into the wind. And just like Steve 0080 stated, when ya hit a tree line or bridge ya better be ready cuz your standing up and if your not careful you'll go over to the other shoulder just as the bridge ends thus throwing ya back over and into that 45 degree position. Throw in a bunch of trucks on I-40 between McLean and Amarillo and it's a freakin' rodeo!!! :2gwb921:

[Scotrod]

Depends on location,,,

Worst I ever encountered was in the hills of PA,,, in a mini-van,,,

Wife used to pizz and moan all the time about 'almost got blown off the road!!!' with her Vulcan 900. :shrug:

She says the 6 is better,,,

[bob109]

Depends on location,,,

Worst I ever encountered was in the hills of PA,,, in a mini-van,,,

Wife used to pizz and moan all the time about 'almost got blown off the road!!!' with her Vulcan 900. :shrug:

She says the 6 is better,,,

The hills of Northeastern Pa. can be a challenge. Most roads, being built on hill tops and mountain sides, require your undivided attention when windy conditions prevail. The occasional wind gust will make you "pucker" requiring riding at a 45 degree angle:yikes:

As has already been mentioned, there is plenty of tupperware to catch the wind and turn the F6B into a "sail":shock:

[shooter]

Worst I've been in was Illinois summer2012. Met my son halfway from Cincy at Vincennes IN. 4th of July week. Temp right at 100 on the way back home and crosswinds in excess of 40 mph gusts. I was on my 109 and he was riding a Ninja ,650. I was watching him in the mirror and when the gust would hit him it would move him from the center line to the shoulder. I had ridiculous lean angle going on. Took almost three hours to cross the state. We were wore out. 420 miles that day fighting the wind and temps.

[Fla_rider]

I know I don't have to say this as we are all seasoned bike riders.:wheelchair wheelie: We are all driving bikes that takes our full attention. We aren't sitting in a cage protected from the elements. Paying attention to the road the the conditions and the what if's makes us prepare for the worse. Anticipating wind gust or crosswinds is what we do. The more stuff we have vertical on the bike the more it will be affected by winds, like a sail. Knowing this helps us prepare. On a bridge you know there is going to be a cross wind, try to cross with another vehicle next to you this will help. On the highway after and before overpasses crosswinds, passing semi's- crosswinds, breaks in landscape either man made or mother nature create crosswinds. Anticipate, position yourself and drive through it without making sudden changes to direction or speed. Good Luck all.

'windy'

[GNW]

Worst my wife and I ever rode in was around Anaconda, Montana. This was in 1986 and we rode a Kawasaki Voyager 1300. I could hardly hold the bike on the road for miles and miles. The result of that episode on me physically was tennis elbow for over a year from hanging in there !

[gray rider]

Highway 212 headed west through South Dakota in 1975 on my BMW R90S there was a tremendous and relentless wind coming out of the northwest. The wind blew me across the oncoming lane hundreds of times. I finally made it to my camp site in the Black Hills and lay on the ground for hours before I was able to set up camp. I discovered the next day that my very new tires were worn down to the casings on the right side. I stayed in the Hills two unscheduled days to recover. My rib cage was very very sore. I aborted the rest of my trip as I had no extra money to replace the tires and limped back on the interstate so as to not have a total tire failure in a more remote area. When I look back on that trip it is surprising those roached tires got me home because the temperature was around a hundred degrees at the time.

[Sorcerer]

This spring from Desmon Iowa to Minnespolis on the 6 before the install of a belly pan. Every tree, over pass, under pass I had to be ready for the wind to start or stop. A motor home looked like a bucking bronco going down the road. In 1985 on my 1200 Wing, 3/4 of the way across Nebraska at 75 mph pushed over on the right, I was shot at the end of the day.

[grendl]

My first time on this bike ,I was going at highway speed and took a third level overpass which fortunately was a double lane. I hadnt slowed down and was looking forward to the thrill of the long sweeper at speed. I was completely off gaurd when the wind pushed me ,at lean, into the left hand lane. Fortunately no one was there and I got it corrected, but while it was happening it confused me for a split second as to what was happening. My first thought was I had over corrected my path in the curve, then I starighted out, and figured later that it was the wind. PUCKER moment !...got the wind again on my trip to wisconsin, but was better prepared then. Belly pan is the next purchase,,,,:shock:

[Drive Jehu]

srt8-in-largo,

I'm just in from a 10 day 5,380 mile ride in 13 states. Been in long enough to change my oil/filter on this marvelous machine, put her in the stable and give her a good rub down. NOW I can say hello to the wife and eat.

My 3 wind stories... I was in heavy wind for an afternoon in Wyoming a few days ago and the wind and sun left me with a nose burn and skin cracks that I wont forget anytime soon. Note to self to paint my nose with Coppertone 50...

I was camped at the KOA near Devils Tower in S.D., must have been last Th. night and the wind kept getting stronger until I found myself inside a tent that had been flattened by the wind. The good news was it was not raining and I had use of a heavy picnic table to help prop it up.

Now to answer your question, riding south late last Friday evening in Nebraska the 6 and I rode a couple of hours through a sure enough storm on a 2 lane highway (HY83 I think). Rain in sheets, lightning and wind that would blow mostly from the west and at times from the east. Leaning into the wind I could get up to about 55 which turned out to be too fast for conditions - before I could slow down a gust of wind pushed me into the middle of the other lane. Helpless. I could not slow down fast enough. In other words I was moved into the other lane before I could react and thankfully there was no oncoming traffic. I think my mistakes were going too fast and not being prepared for a gust of wind on top of what was already very strong winds.

[srt8-in-largo]

This has convinced me to work harder at removing yet one more bad riding habit; the occasional one-handed riding.

These stories are downright scary. From what I gather here even in inclement weather where you KNOW the wind is bad, a good rider can still be caught off guard and put into a potentially deadly situation.

Riding around tractor trailers, bridges, between tall buildings, etc you MAY be able to anticipate strong gusts and be prepared for a riding correction. Some road structures,however, may create a completely unanticipated gust that will again put you in a potentially deadly situation.

[racer]

High winds suck.

Look at the side view of any big motorcycle. Not a lot of spaces for wind to pass thru, add a trunk or gear stcked on high and it is even worse. Just be thankful you are on a motorcycle with a very low center of gravity and a fairing that is attached to the frame- NOT the forks!

Could be worse...

[Drive Jehu]

[QUOTE=Drive Jehu;39433]srt8-in-largo,

I'm just in from a 10 day 5,380 mile ride in 13 states. Been in long enough to change my oil/filter on this marvelous machine, put her in the stable and give her a good rub down. NOW I can say hello to the wife and eat.

My 3 wind stories... I was in heavy wind for an afternoon in Wyoming a few days ago and the wind and sun left me with a nose burn and skin cracks that I wont forget anytime soon. Note to self to paint my nose with Coppertone 50...

I re-read my post...correction:
I was camped at the KOA near Devils Tower in Wyoming (not S.D.) must have been last Th. night and the wind kept getting stronger until I found myself inside a tent that had been flattened by the wind. The good news was it was not raining and I had use of a heavy picnic table to help prop it up.