|
Having spend some time in Cheyenne WY with a motorcycle as my only vehicle, I learned how to deal with strong as well as gusting winds. By staying relaxed while riding, you are able to feel how the gusts affect your helmet, giving you a moment to react to it before it pushes the bike (which is heavier than your head) offline. With experience you learn to set the appropriate lean angle as you feel the gust hit, keeping the bike on your intended line.
When meeting or overtaking certain types of vehicles, you can anticipate changes in the wind, such as when a semi temporarily blocks the crosswind that you have been leaning into, or a blast from its bow wake. While I am not able to always predict exactly what the change in wind will be, I am pretty good at predicting when there will be a change and staying relaxed so I can adjust to it.
Unfortunately there is no real substitute for experience, and hopefully you are able to build your comfort level in progressively stronger conditions. While riding faster does increase the stability of the bike, it also means you need to be more assertive in your corrections if you do get blown off course. Stay relaxed, ride within your abilities, and stay safe.
Chocula
|