Crosswinds

[wever411]

I've already done a search on this and I understand the advice about leaning into the wind and being prepared for gusts. However, this morning on the way to work, it felt like the wind was trying to sweep the bike out from under me. So the bike was already leaning, but I was still being pushed to the side. What should I do, lean some more? It was a little unnerving feeling like I'm about to lowside at 55mph. I've felt this a few times before but it just seemed to be a lot worse today since the winds were stronger.

[WildBlue]

I've found that getting low by leaning my upper body forward on the bike helps.  It reduces your cross section a little bit and also brings the force pushing you sideways down closer to the center of mass so that the tendency to tip over isn't as large, which means that you don't have to lean into the wind so much in the first place.

[wever411]

What you are saying also makes sense but that's not really what my problem is. It feels like the wind is just pushing on the bike. I figure that the bike and myself would get pushed as one object but the bike is getting all the force (imagine standing on a carpet and someone pulling it out from under you). I just felt a little force from the wind...and I don't think I'm very aerodynamically shaped. I'm guessing the fairings are the problem. They don't help protect from the wind unless it's a head-wind.

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Do you have an E or an F?

If it's an F... drop the 'F'ugly fairing... bam, your bike is no longer a sail! just kidding... but after having ridden both, I've noticed that the crosswinds are MUCH more noticeable on the F...

[wever411]

That's what I figured but I've never ridden an E model or any other bike so I didn't have anything to compare to. Do other "faired" bikes react the same to crosswinds or is the GS just worse than others?

[blue05twin]

it's not the F model it's because NGFL only weighs 100 pounds with all his gear on. 

I weight more than twice what he does about 240 and have never really had a problem with crosswinds.  it did take me a few rides to get used to / comfortable with the cross winds tho.

[DerekNC]

It really helps to know how to countersteer for crosswinds. If the wind is coming from your left add pressure to the left handlebar to lean into it. Vice versa the other way. It's a little trickier with gusty winds as you have to guess what it's going to do.

[css4608]

I second the countersteering rather than leaning, works much better and you don't get that feeling you described. But it is not often we get 50mph gusts so you wont have to worry about it to often. 

Also if you want to go riding on Saturday afternoon, down 149 or something. Hit me up if you do.

[CO_GS500]

Hear ye, hear ye, The motion for countersteering passes.   

WildBlue's sugg to get down and low on the bike to cut your profile to the wind. 

I've found huge benefit scanning for any hint of where the crosswind will pop up - a gap in trees, a low spot between two roadside hills, whatever.  Watching trees, grass, dust, (whatever) to give you a hint about where the crosswinds are and then preparing for them seems to be 90% of the game.  Play the same game when passing, getting passed, or dealing with oncoming traffic.

My gut says that my Avons reduce all or most of that hideous sliding sensation in crosswinds I felt with the stock ties.

[Cal Price]

I would not deliberatly lean the bike against the wind, shift your own weight, your arse that is, to the windward side. The bike will tend to "crab" a little and you may find yourself gripping too tight, this achieves nothing and is very uncomfortable on your arms and wrists. Let it crab and stay as loose as you can. This worked for me riding through a long and very exposed section of road in Northern France last spring.

The wind was so strong it dislodged my tank-bag, this can be fairly unnerving at an indicated 90mph. If you use a magnetic tank bag run an extra nylon strap "through-the-gap" by the carbs and all should be well.

[Caffeine]

All of the above, and keep yourself to the windward side of the lane you are in.  That is, if the wind is coming from your right side, keep the bike to the right side of the lane, that way the gusts will only blow you to the other side of the same lane, instead of blowing you into ANOTHER lane.

Slowing down a few MPH will also help.

Just keep practicing, you WILL get used to it!    

[wever411]

Now I'm not trying to bash anyone or put anyone down but I'm reading a little bit of contradiction here. You guys are saying to countersteer instead of lean. But doesn't countersteering cause the bike to lean? 

Anyways, in my original post I said "

the wind was trying to sweep the bike out from under me...the bike was already leaning, but I was still being pushed to the side.

" I wasn't intentionally leaning the bike except to make turns.

it is not often we get 50mph gusts so you wont have to worry about it to often.

This is true but I just want to be better prepared for when we have another day like Wed. or Thurs.

Also if you want to go riding on Saturday afternoon, down 149 or something. Hit me up if you do.

I'll let you know if I do.

[pandy]

Now I'm not trying to bash anyone or put anyone down but I'm reading a little bit of contradiction here. You guys are saying to countersteer instead of lean. But doesn't countersteering cause the bike to lean? 

Probably because there aren't any exactly right or exactly wrong answers. Use the ideas to experiment and practice, and find out what works for you through trial and error.....trial and trial.  Wind is something I really don't care for riding in, but it's hard to avoid on the freeways around here, so I just worked with it and practiced 'til I was more comfortable.

[wever411]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm just trying to figure everything out. I definitely still need lots of practice but wind is not exactly something you can plan for.

[pandy]

It's never going to be something you can plan for exactly. It's always going to be something that might take you by surprise.....so....expect the unexpected... And practice, practice, practice. What you CAN do is practice being ready to *respond* to the unexpected. Train your body to respond on its own. When we first start riding, we need to learn the controls, learn how much we can lean, learn what sort of input is needed for each move. Our bodies eventually learn the controls, and we respond automatically. While the wind is always going to gust suddenly, what we CAN do is teach our bodies to respond automatically by practicing. The wind used to scare the crap out of me when I was first riding, but as I gained experience and my body learned how to react, I became more comfortable and more confident that I could handle the gusts. I still don't like the wind, but I'm confident that I can deal with the gusts. When I know it's windy out, I'm on even higher alert than usual, I tuck, and I let my body and the bike work together to move through the gusts. You really will find that over time, your body and bike will learn how to deal with the wind together. 

[pandy]

Here's s'more wind readin' for ya':

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=27748.0

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=8218.0

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=8542.0

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=27186.0

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=30152.0

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=18270.0

[indywar360]

it's not the F model it's because NGFL only weighs 100 pounds with all his gear on. 

ha ha... there are some strong winds in PDX here, I think if your handling is instinctive enough then the F fairing alone doesn't present a huge problem... or maybe I just havent felt real wind. The fairing isnt that ugly, I think its nice, especially with the decals off (or never put on in the first place) and just the bolt holes showing... looks kind of bird/armor-ish...

Seems like the naked bikes would be more susceptible to wind but after reading some other posts here I am confused.

[gsJack]

After a while you will instinctively learn to handle cross winds on the GS or on any bike.  Gotta put in the miles to get the experience.  Go ride, ride, and then go ride.   

I've never tried a F model but think it's reaction to cross winds would be similar to my 02 GS with the smaller front shield I use in the summer.  The big Plexi 2 definetly catches more wind than the smaller Spitfire does on my 02.  That's why I started putting the Spitfire on for summer travel even though it provides far less protection from the rain than the Plexi 2 does.

If I need to ride when winds are going to be above 30-40 mph, I just skip the freeways and stick to the backroads if possible.  If traveling, I ride it out on the superslabs but it isn't always fun.   

[CO_GS500]

Reacting well when it hits is one thing, but man-o-man, I've learned to keep my pants clean by scoping the landscape ahead for gaps between trees, buildings, small hills, etc., through which the wind can get focused and really give you a push. 

Watching out for these features and then doing all or most of the above (take the upwind side of the lane, countersteer, lean, curse, whatever) are both required.

Anybody else lamely blame the tires like me?  The stock tread + crosswind = sensation of riding on ice.  My Avon 54/52's are much much better, at least subjectively.