Muppet biker back again, with motorway problem

[vangelis]

You were all very helpful as I whined my through DAS, now I need a little more help.
I brought a bike, a tiny, lovely ZXR 400, in great condition. Uncool as I may be its perfect and cost £450 so I can drop it as much as I like without panicking about devaluing it. You can also really chuck it around corners and am hoping its excellent practice for buying a sports bike with a feck-off-big-silly-engine in a few years time.
I am however struggling with a cross wind problem. I do quite a lot of miles to work and back some of it on exposed straight roads and a short blat on the motorway. On windy days, or passing big lorries I occasionally feel that luck and the grace of God stop us from being squished and spend these stretches with the poor bike whipping around while I try desperately to keep it in my lane. The Zxr is fine, my bike mechanic mate looked it over so can anyone give me any tips? Or tell me if I’m doing something wrong?
Much appreciated.

[trikeschick]

I was told to ride faster in the wind . I had a 600 Hornet, which as a naked bike meant I got flung about in the crosswinds. I just let off the throttle a bit and took my time on the motorways. It was hardwork otherwise and a tad scary.

Oh and 400s are exceptionally good fun - fast on the corners
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"Light travels faster than the speed of sound, which is why some people appear bright until they speak"

[Bendy]

You get used to it.

You're probably nowhere near being whipped about, thrown across lanes or sucked under lorries, you're just scared cos you're new to it all.

Relax, anticipate, compensate.

- The more tense you are, the worse you will make it. If your body is tense and the wind is hitting *you*, you'll transmit movement down your tense arms and through your tense legs and onto the bike.

- You know lorries 'suck' so you can be prepared for it. Choose your lane position appropriately. Likewise, you know if you're on an open section of road, or a sheltered one (but maybe with gaps that'll make wind funnels). All the info about what the wind will do is there, you just have to interpret it.

- Steer into the wind a bit. If the wind is blowing left to right, sit over to the left of the lane so you've got more room to be blown into.

[J.M.]

I agree with bendy completely. Looseness, anticipation and compensation.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Matt B]

[defblade]

Well, I find that riding faster often makes me happier when it's windy - I think the headwind you create comes to have more effect than the crosswind... but not every time, so be prepared to do what feels right at the time, not just have the one plan in mind and stick to it no matter what.

Otherwise, as said, loose arms, but gripping the tank with your knees more can help stabilise things.
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Honda Varadero 125cc => Suzuki Bandit 650 33bhp => 77bhp =>
BMW K1200R Sport 163bhp => Aprilia Shiver GT 750 95bhp

[esullivan]

Cross winds used to bother me much more than they do now, and I'm still on a very light 125cc (at least until this weekend). You get used to it. A couple of things helped me:

- Grip the tank with your knees, which leads to me holding the handlebars looser. You want your arms and hands nice and relaxed, loosey-goosey. This is hard to do when you're scared shitless, so that's why I concentrate on squeezing the legs. The arms just naturally relax when I do that.
- Press down on the foot peg on the windward side. This gives the bike a bit of a lean toward the wind without having to think about it too much.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[anthony_r6]

On a 125 I was blown across a few lanes in high-wind. Not had that problem on my Hornet. Could be that I anticipate it better now and know to lean into it to compensate. It becomes second nature once you get caught in it a few times.
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Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[Cadbury]

[Rogerborg]

High, gusty winds make me inclined to take the car.

Having to constantly correct and fight the bike is physically and mentally tiring. If you're not enjoying it, and you have an alternative method of transport, I'd just go ahead and use it.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[mysterious_rider]

High winds make it exciting.

Nout like hitting a ton when there's stupid winds trying to throw you off.

Seriously though, you do get used to it. Just RELAX. If you tense up you'll be all over the place.

[DrSnoosnoo]

I had a similar experience not long after getting my bike on the M62, it got quite windy but you just have to slightly lean into the wind and don't panic
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[Rab1985]

I’m new to biking and commute every day into work, and living in Scotland I’ve had to get used to riding in high winds.

One thing i would say; when leaning into a gust to fight for your position, is be prepared for when the gust stops and you need to re-right the bike! I had a couple of scary moments like this.

[vangelis]

Dammit guys, 'you'll get used to it' is not a magical quick fix! Arrggh!

[Benno]

My god, I went out earlier today and there were some fucking GALE FORCE winds about. Strong enough to nearly knock me over while standing. Riding was fucking terrifying and I rode like a little bitch all the way. At one point it nearly blew me into the curb and I struggled to steer away, the bike started wobbling and I had to pull into a driveway to compose myself for a moment and let traffic past before continuing.

I fucking hate wind with a passion now.

How do you people deal with it?
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I'm autistic. That means I'm smarter than you.

[GLove]

[FireStorm-X]

Hi there

I have fund that riding the same route that I have driven my car on for the last 2 1/2 years to work and back. I am less likely to be blown around in high winds on my bike. I have had more scares with my car then on my bike, I know strange but true lol. Side winds are easy to anticipate once you know a route well, the only thing that slows me down is head winds lol

But another biker at work hates high winds with his blade as it knocks him all over the place. Something to say about naked bikes and big (fat) riders lol.
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Lexmoto Street 125 (sold) - Kawasaki ZR7S

[trikeschick]

[Bendy]

[Polarbear]

It is just 'one of those things' that you get used to. Some bikes are much worse for being affected by wind than others and it's not always the bikes you would expect to be. My barge of an 1800 Goldwing was a bugger for side winds despite weighing about 400kg.

Obviously light fully faired bikes are going to catch the wind and be affected quite easily so you are going to get buffeted quite a lot.

Anticipation can be key.....

Watch out when you are passing large vehicles, watch out for breaks in tree lines, buildings etc. They can have a huge effect on the wind.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Rogerborg]

[Kradmelder]

Strong cross winds are a pain in the arse. Helmet noise increases. you have to lean into it. The easisest way for me is pressure on the foot pegs
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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

[vangelis]