Today was pretty windy and  coupled with my almost worn rear tire on the bike ,was pushed to left side drastically when I overtook trucks  at ( speedo indicated 80mph).More than once felt like almost lost control,what are your experience on overtaking trucks on freeway and suggest safest way to do so.
Manoj

get as far from the truck when you pass it, I stay back, then accelerate, so that I can be going faster when I pass it, so that I spend less time next to it

Yeah, what Jeremy said.  And HAUL ass and expect the "bow wave" and be ready for it as you get closer to the front of the truck.

make sure you press the gas tank with your legs hard.

I've never experienced any wind changes while on the SIDE of a truck...  it's always in the back of the truck for me.

I know I shouldn't be doing this, but drafting a truck is AWESOME!

how far from the shoulder would the 'bow wave" have effect,I usually ride on center when overtaking. Real scared to ride too wide ,don't want to run out out of road to the left.
Manoj

Quote from: manoj on October 31, 2009, 06:39:17 PM

Today was pretty windy and  coupled with my almost worn rear tire on the bike ,was pushed to left side drastically when I overtook trucks  at ( speedo indicated 80mph).More than once felt like almost lost control,what are your experience on overtaking trucks on freeway and suggest safest way to do so.
Manoj

TUCK and twist. don't fight the wind, but expect it. safest way... oh, you want safest - DO NOT OVERTAKE.

I sit low and tuck in behind my windscreen, so I never really feel any resistance or wind.

Ah... trucks. Specially lo-o-o-o-ong trucks like B Doubles carrying cows - watch out for their excrement when passing, just another hazard.

So, hang back a tad. As you see your break in the oncoming traffic, twist the throttle so you are accelerating towards the truck Before you pull out. Keep throttle twisted (and accelerating) as you go past. You should not need to be any wider then the outside wheel rut - where a car's wheel would be near the road edge. Pull back in and if nothing was overtaking with you, come off the throttle Slowly.

On multi-lane Freeways... give a wide berth, again where a car's outside wheel would be. That will minimize the truck's air bow wave.

And when trucks are coming towards you on one lane each way roads... also stay to the outside to minimise the air bow wave effect.

If you feel uncomfortable riding in that position, then practice some more. Because you may be called to sit there while on a group ride.

Michael

Quote from: annguyen1981 on October 31, 2009, 07:34:39 PM
I know I shouldn't be doing this, but drafting a truck is AWESOME!

Don't forget the GS is air cooled, and drafting a truck means no air for the engine. I used to do it occasionally when I was super cold since it would give me a chance to warm up, but it wasn't on the GS, so i could see the temperature gauge going up pretty quick.

A long-haul trucker and rider fellow I know of, Yellow Wolf,  tells what he, from a truck driver's point of view, likes bikers to do so that the pucker factor is reduced for all concerned.  WOlf suggests that as you approach from the rear that you position yourself just to the left of the truck mirror so that you are directly imaged upon the drivers view of the mirror and his face is seen by you in that same mirror.  As you get to within a couple of seconds worth of distance from the rear of the truck, you should go the outer path of the left lane and pass briskly.  Once you are two or more seconds worth of distance ahead of the truck and clearly in view of his forward vision, go ahead and take your path in which ever lane you want.

The fareing equiped bikes are more affected by buffeting than non fareing, but some touring bikes like new Goldwings are even worse since there is no opening in those to allow side winds to pass though -- they are like riding sails in high cross winds and buffeting.

Wolf has a couple of videos over on YouTube where he is seems to be in some kind of hurry to get across the Dragon.

http://video.google.com/videosearch?
q=yellow+wolf+deals+gap&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=eZztSr7RMoHRlAfQkaj_BA&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQqwQwAA#

prs

I agree with most, but as I pass the trailer I am very close (right hand side of my lane) as I approach the tractor portion of the rig, I move to the left side of my lane to push through the wake of air coming off the nose of the tractor. Make since.. Maybe I should do a video....

Links I found on motorcycle accidents

http://bettermotorcycling.wordpress.com/

the thing i have found most useful is when i get the point that i am about to accelerate to try and over take i drop a gear so im in the higher revs thus making the accelration quicker and from there haul ass.

+1  on platinum. drop gear and haul ass. 

when you concentrating on hauling ass... you wont need to worry about the wind or blind area or anything of that sort.. cause when you haul ass.. max time you are next to the truck is maybe 3 sec  maximum.

i was behind a truck for a long time in a 110km/h zone, and this was a fuel laden truck with the tank on the back so it was blowing me around for a bit. I saw no need to overtake it and speed past.. so i just backed up about 60 meters behind it and i was fine. but the fairing works as a sail when too close and that side wind throws you around like a ping pong ball on a hairdryer.

but when i over take trucks now i just drop and fly past.. making sure they know i am coming past.