blown off the road?

[Fla_rider]

I know I don't have to say this as we are all seasoned bike riders. 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.

[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,,,,

[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.