Riding in crosswinds?

[NJD]

Hi all,

So I'm interested in the advice that people have as to riding in heavy crosswinds, i'm on a small naked 125 that basically wants to throw me on the ground every time there's a little gust.. and probably could have today in heavy crosswinds.

- Making my way towards the exit of a mini-roundabout and had to straighten the bike out and put my right foot down for balance due to being blown all over the place.

- Position 2 in two way traffic and the wind was blowing me towards the centre line towards on coming traffic until I moved on into position 1 closer to the kerb.

- Had to stop two times on the same stretch of exposed road due to the wind blowing me towards the kerb and couldn't maintain a constant speed, bailed out instead of going over.

And yet.. their was sikh riding a sports bike without a helmet (an observation, i'm aware they don't have to by law) and a few sports tourers non of which showed signs of struggling to ride.

So.. does being on a naked, lightweight, 125cc make me more vulnerable to being blown around, and if so.. how do I not constantly feel like I'm about to fall off, god knows what the cagers behind must think.

I've tried weighting the pegs in the direction of the wind but doesn't seem to make much difference.

Thanks in advance.

[andyscooter]

Only way is buy a heavy bike

You 125 weighs about 100kg at most

A 600 is about 170

My 400 burgman is 247kg


Its ace in the wind

DISCLAIMER These are made up numbers
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[Pol Anorl]

lean with the wind itl stop pushing you
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[chickenstrip]

Only ride in slightly annoyed winds


I think it's time I logged off
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[SectorC]

I'm sure the chaps on here will give a much better response than me, being that I've not even completed my Mod2 yet but...

Yes, a 125 is going to suffer that more simply because it's a much lighter bike, and this means that the rider on top of it has more of an effect in terms of where the centre of gravity is for the both of you combined (CoG height off the ground).

On a bigger heavier bike, the effect of the rider raising your combined CoG above that of the bikes initially low value is much reduced. The higher your CoG the easier the wind will be able to push you and your bike over in the same way it's easier to turn a lever further away from the pivot point.

As for riding tips to overcome any of this I've no idea, but with a big helmet and hence surface area for the wind to push against and higher CoG it's something that you'd have to watch on a smaller 125 I'd imagine.

[Albigularis]

When you feel a gust coming, put some weight on the peg from which side the wind is coming - don't need to lean as such. Bike stays pointing perfectly straight.

Bigger (heavier) the bike, the easier it is.
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Biking history so far-
Aprilia RS125 - Kawasaki ZXR400 - Triumph Street Triple R - Suzuki GSXR1000 L3 - BMW R1200GS - Kawasaki Z1000 - Kawasaki ZX10R C1H - Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Touring - Suzuki Hayabusa

[NJD]

Weight: 129kg.. well so the specs say anyhow, I imagine that's a feather compared to some of the bigger bikes.

*sticks gym weights with strong tape all around the bike*

Just felt like the front wheel wanted to go from underneath me most of the time, and having no control over it well.. wasn't enjoyable.

As long as it's just part of the parcel of owning a naked lightweight 125 then all is well.. just sucks having to bail out of a bend and sit on the pavement to regain composure for a moment before attempting again.. needless to say trying to stay in position 2 instead of being blown all over the place.

More power wouldn't go a miss either if I may add, made getting upto speed a little more difficult.

Onwards and upwards

[CaNsA]

[NJD]

[Beehive Bedlam]

Thinking too much like a typical beta fag just get on with it.

[CaNsA]

[NJD]

[Clanger]

[CaNsA]

[NJD]

[Rogerborg]

It is a sod, and no bike is immune.

Do grip with your legs and try to keep your hands light though, because:

The wind pushes you, let's say to the right.
You instinctively lean on the right bar to hold yourself up.
By the dark sorcery of counter-steering, the bike then veers right.
Wee comes out and you smell like a tramp.
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[finniee]

Swear a bit - ooh ya fucker should suffice. ( I do this one a lot)

If it has gave you a little fright, pull over somewhere same, compose yourself and get back on, just ride a little bit more cautiously.

[talkToTheHat]

Grip with your knees, like rogerborg says. Holding tight to the bars will make the problem worse not better.

Try not to piss yourself, particularly if your trousers are tucked onto your boots.

20mph gusting to 40 is pretty horrible on any bike. It's better in smooth leather than baggy textiles.

Pay attention to where buildings and walls stop and when passing large vehicles that temporarily shield you from the wind. If you can anticipate being blown about you can put yourself in a position where you have more room to move.
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[monkeybiker]

The problem is most likely you steering the bike across the road rather than the wind blowing you. Like has been said grip tank with legs and loose grip on bars.

If you try and relax it's not too bad. Your probably stressed and got tight arms so when the wind hits you you turn the bars.

You need loose floppy arms and when the wind hits you allow your body to move around with the wind slightly using your legs for support.

[Taught2BCauti...]

I don't have too much trouble with crosswinds on my Varadero 125, but it's probably a bit bigger and heavier than your bike. It takes some getting used to, but we get quite a few strong winds where I live, so there's plenty of opportunity to practice.

Even so, try to dominate your lane and maintain a good speed, because if someone overtakes you whilst you are compensating for a side wind, the airflow will suddenly change.

Check your tyre pressures too - over or under inflated tyres make a big difference in crosswinds.

If you feel unsafe though, consider pulling over and taking a break until the wind dies down, or you can plan an alternative, less exposed route.
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[esullivan]

As Rogerborg says, crosswinds affect the bike mostly because they affect you. The trick is to avoid inadvertent inputs by keeping your arms loose and your grip light. Easier said than done. Holding tightly with your legs against the tank worked for me, giving me the confidence to lift up a bit on the stiff-armed death grip.

It's very counter intuitive and I didn't believe it either, the first several times someone tried to tell me, but I took a course once where they had us stand up on the pegs, holding our arms in the air to the side, while riding down a windy airfield. The bike rode straight as an arrow. When we sat back down and put our hands back on the grips, it started weaving with the wind again.
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Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[orangepeeleo]

Had the same problem yesterday, basically I just shat myself all the way home and hoped for the best! I'm still alive so it worked

Seriously though, grip the tank with your legs and relax your upper body, its hard because your bricking it but it does help.
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Bikes : HN125 (sold) - Lexmoto ZSX 125 (Stolen!) - Currently bimbling on : '10 YBR

[Eddie Hitler]

Crosswinds are fooking terrible. It's the randomness in which you can get gusted into the wrong lane, the way in which is affects the bike, etc. Nothing worse on the roads IMO. Only thing you can do is not ride in hurricane conditions, and when you do have to, ride slowly.

[FretGrinder]

Ride faster.

No, really, it does work.
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[Loui5D]

Relax with your arms, grip the tank with your knees.