First time riding in high winds!

MustangGuy · February 12th, 2012, 11:10 AM

Yesterday I got a chance to experience what it's like to ride in very high winds. Here in the So Cal desert we sometimes get extremely high winds - much stronger than what we usually got in NY. I couldn't tell you what the actual windspeed was, but it was enough to knock down some trees and blow lawn furniture into the pool. I was headed to a friend's place about 3 miles from my house and had to get off the main route and take side streets because I couldn't keep my bike in one lane. It was a hundred times worse than wind gusts from tractor trailers on the freeway. My friend lives in a very open area, so I spent the last half mile of the ride going 25 mph fully tucked. I must have looked ridiculous. I'm sure I was very close to being blown off the road. Fortunately, the wind let up a little by the time I left otherwise I was going to leave the bike there and have him drive me home. I must have been really straining to keep the bike under control because today I feel like I had a really intense workout but I haven't been to the gym in a few days. At least I didn't have any mishaps and now I know not to take the bike out when we're having a wind storm!

Scattcatt · February 12th, 2012, 01:26 PM

Glad to hear you made it safe

with winds like that, take a cager next time if you have access to one would be my advice

interesting to experience at least, almost kind of cool if your riding down a straight road at a good lean angle though

austexjg · February 12th, 2012, 03:51 PM

Riding in high winds is quite an experience - crosswinds will make a "body part" pucker a time or two. After get off the bike, both me and my brother were laughing from ear to ear - still not sure if it was from fear or excitement. It is weird to be in the left lane and then all of a sudden the guardrail on the right side of the highway to be next to you. It must have happened at least 10 times on our ride home as a storm was blowing in.

greenaero · February 12th, 2012, 05:32 PM

Riding my bike with its streamlining panels in windy conditions can be quite exciting at times. I live in a windy area and often find myself having to lean the bike over to keep going in a straight line. Most of the time its a matter of staying relaxed and just making the needed steering adjustments. In more severe winds you need to slow down until you regain control or in very extreme conditions, get off the roadway until the winds weaken.

ManyCavies · February 13th, 2012, 10:53 PM

hey Roy. Yes it has been windy here lately, 3 weeks in a row!! I think the worse part is the sand in the helmet, and eyes. there are certian areas that I like to avoid , but I think you went there. DHS? Its always bad there. Becareful of I10 between Indian and Ramon, and stay the hell off Indian in wind, the sand fills the street and we get brown outs there often. Also I10 between Cook and Washington. Also almost every intersection has the potentional to be gusty, got a blast today myself. Check out this link, you may find it helpful

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...highlight=wind

hope this helps and we will ride together soon, I promise.

Crissy

MustangGuy · February 17th, 2012, 01:17 PM

Hey Crissy - Thanks for the link... yeah, I got a little more in control when I stopped fighting it and just concentrated on balance. At least I know now! As far as Indian Canyon goes, I don't even take my car on it... well, maybe if I decide to get it repainted I might want to get it sandblasted first! Yes, we'll go on a ride one of these days before it gets over 100 here!

massacremasses · February 17th, 2012, 02:08 PM

wait what are you sandblasting?

MustangGuy · February 17th, 2012, 10:51 PM

LOL - I meant if I wanted to get my car sandblasted I'd drive it on that road.... I really don't want it sandblasted though!

MikeBudd · March 2nd, 2012, 02:12 AM

Reviving this a bit, but riding in high winds across bridges is going to be the death of me! With all of our bridges here in vancouver that go over water, and our high winds that we seem to be getting more frequent, it is super scary. The worst part is I have yet to actually notice it is windy until I get on said bridges and then get practically blown over :O

250rr · March 2nd, 2012, 10:30 AM

I live in Portland. We also have high winds across many bridges over water. I have yet to ride on these. I ain't sceered.

lolibater · September 13th, 2012, 11:25 PM

Riding back on I-5 over in CA for the first time the other day with winds so strong I was literally screaming expletives at it. NOT FUN. Then you get all those weird looks for full tucking harder than you ever have in your life, going 50 mph lol. Good thing I have a comfy tank bag.

February 12th, 2012, 11:10 AM	#1
MustangGuy ninjette.org member Name: Roy Location: Cathedral City, CA Join Date: Nov 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 650 Posts: 164	First time riding in high winds! Yesterday I got a chance to experience what it's like to ride in very high winds. Here in the So Cal desert we sometimes get extremely high winds - much stronger than what we usually got in NY. I couldn't tell you what the actual windspeed was, but it was enough to knock down some trees and blow lawn furniture into the pool. I was headed to a friend's place about 3 miles from my house and had to get off the main route and take side streets because I couldn't keep my bike in one lane. It was a hundred times worse than wind gusts from tractor trailers on the freeway. My friend lives in a very open area, so I spent the last half mile of the ride going 25 mph fully tucked. I must have looked ridiculous. I'm sure I was very close to being blown off the road. Fortunately, the wind let up a little by the time I left otherwise I was going to leave the bike there and have him drive me home. I must have been really straining to keep the bike under control because today I feel like I had a really intense workout but I haven't been to the gym in a few days. At least I didn't have any mishaps and now I know not to take the bike out when we're having a wind storm!

February 12th, 2012, 01:26 PM	#2
Scattcatt ninjette.org sage Name: Zach Location: Michigan Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2003 Honda CBR600RR Posts: 721 Blog Entries: 1	Glad to hear you made it safe with winds like that, take a cager next time if you have access to one would be my advice interesting to experience at least, almost kind of cool if your riding down a straight road at a good lean angle though __________________________________________________ ATGATT

February 12th, 2012, 03:51 PM	#3
austexjg ninjette.org sage Name: J.G. Location: Austin Join Date: Oct 2009 Motorcycle(s): '09 zx6r Green/Black, (ex-)Diablo Black '09 Ninja 250r Posts: 959	Riding in high winds is quite an experience - crosswinds will make a "body part" pucker a time or two. After get off the bike, both me and my brother were laughing from ear to ear - still not sure if it was from fear or excitement. It is weird to be in the left lane and then all of a sudden the guardrail on the right side of the highway to be next to you. It must have happened at least 10 times on our ride home as a storm was blowing in. __________________________________________________ Anyone can go fast in a straight line.... Once you go track, you never go back....

February 12th, 2012, 05:32 PM	#4
greenaero Motorcycle Hypermiler Name: Vic Location: Livermore CA Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 1999 & 2005 Kawasaki Ninja 250R's Posts: A lot.	Riding my bike with its streamlining panels in windy conditions can be quite exciting at times. I live in a windy area and often find myself having to lean the bike over to keep going in a straight line. Most of the time its a matter of staying relaxed and just making the needed steering adjustments. In more severe winds you need to slow down until you regain control or in very extreme conditions, get off the roadway until the winds weaken. Last futzed with by greenaero; March 2nd, 2012 at 03:19 PM.

February 13th, 2012, 10:53 PM	#5
ManyCavies ninjette.org sage Name: Crissy Location: Indio, CA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): . . . . . . . 2000 Suzuki Intruder VS800 "Suzi", 2008 Kawasaki Ninja EX250 "Yoshi" Posts: 507	hey Roy. Yes it has been windy here lately, 3 weeks in a row!! I think the worse part is the sand in the helmet, and eyes. there are certian areas that I like to avoid , but I think you went there. DHS? Its always bad there. Becareful of I10 between Indian and Ramon, and stay the hell off Indian in wind, the sand fills the street and we get brown outs there often. Also I10 between Cook and Washington. Also almost every intersection has the potentional to be gusty, got a blast today myself. Check out this link, you may find it helpful http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...highlight=wind hope this helps and we will ride together soon, I promise. Crissy __________________________________________________ GO GREEN!! GOT MY PINK ON!!

February 17th, 2012, 01:17 PM	#6
MustangGuy ninjette.org member Name: Roy Location: Cathedral City, CA Join Date: Nov 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 650 Posts: 164	Hey Crissy - Thanks for the link... yeah, I got a little more in control when I stopped fighting it and just concentrated on balance. At least I know now! As far as Indian Canyon goes, I don't even take my car on it... well, maybe if I decide to get it repainted I might want to get it sandblasted first! Yes, we'll go on a ride one of these days before it gets over 100 here!

February 17th, 2012, 02:08 PM	#7
massacremasses Avid Kitteh Poster Name: Justin Location: Norcal Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Yamaha TTR 50 SUCK IT Posts: A lot.	wait what are you sandblasting? __________________________________________________ I powdercoat stuff Help me pay for my addiction I say funny stuff. http://twitter.com/JustinPWNSyou sometimes... I write like a 12 year old too, http://justinpwnsyou.wordpress.com/

February 17th, 2012, 10:51 PM	#8
MustangGuy ninjette.org member Name: Roy Location: Cathedral City, CA Join Date: Nov 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 650 Posts: 164	LOL - I meant if I wanted to get my car sandblasted I'd drive it on that road.... I really don't want it sandblasted though!

March 2nd, 2012, 02:12 AM	#9
MikeBudd ninjette.org guru Name: Mike Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): RED 2010 Ninja 250r Posts: 304	Reviving this a bit, but riding in high winds across bridges is going to be the death of me! With all of our bridges here in vancouver that go over water, and our high winds that we seem to be getting more frequent, it is super scary. The worst part is I have yet to actually notice it is windy until I get on said bridges and then get practically blown over :O

March 2nd, 2012, 10:30 AM	#10
250rr ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Mark Location: Portland Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): Cheap Italian Suit. Otherwise known as Dew Kitty Posts: A lot.	I live in Portland. We also have high winds across many bridges over water. I have yet to ride on these. I ain't sceered.

September 13th, 2012, 11:25 PM	#11
lolibater ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Napa, CA Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2005 ZX6R, 2011 Sprint GT Posts: A lot.	Riding back on I-5 over in CA for the first time the other day with winds so strong I was literally screaming expletives at it. NOT FUN. Then you get all those weird looks for full tucking harder than you ever have in your life, going 50 mph lol. Good thing I have a comfy tank bag. __________________________________________________ "The enemy is fear. We think it is hate, but it is fear." - Gandhi

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