Riding in the Wind:

[VFRGuy008]

'Busa riders should be experts on this one. I live in Fontana, CA, and the winds whip up something awful out there, owing to the geography (big, flat river plain backed up against the San Gabriel mountains).

So, what do YOU guys do in a windstorm. My VFR is not lightweight, but I need to keep 210 pounds of my 230 lb. frame (hey, I'm 6'5"...not a fattie) on the windward side just to keep the bike in the lane (freeway riding, of course: welcome to southern California). I get TOSSED all over the lane in gusts, and I'm talking the kind of gusts that make the tractor-trailers pull over to the side of I-15 on their way to Las Vegas, no some little wind-fart. I like to ride everyday, but I can't on those days; it's too dangerous. Does anyone have any serious advice or experience in heavy, gusty wind?

Mainly, I stay low on the tank and ssssslow it down a lot. Anything more I can do? My bike is already the most aerodynamic color, red -=laughing=-

Ride safe!

 

[LCW]

I've yet to ride in high winds on the busa, but I've done it on my Harley a few times - Banning CA, and once in Wyoming passing some lake on the way back from Sturgis we could actually see mini tornado-looking spirals out on the lake, which was really creepy, plus passing thru zero-visibility dust clouds. Had to lean into the crosswind to keep the bike straight - kinda just happens naturally. At one point my buddy who was following me said he was afraid I was gonna scrape my (lowered) frame. The leaning is a bit unsettling at first (especially when the wind lets up suddenly), but after an hour or so it seems natural...

 

[pure_ego]

go faster, and go the same direction as the wind.. !

 

[rubbersidedown]

bad wind storm.....a duh.....lemme think now.....

o ya.....park it.

Hav a "Still alive one".......RSD.

 

[Ononewheel]

Don't do wheelies. Stop riding in tornados. Seriously sounds like you are doing the right thing to me. Ride slow, hang on.

 

[Big O]

I live in Canyon Country where the 14 and the 5 meet, and it gets pretty windy around here. You have the worst of it out there though as far as the wind goes. From my experience (changing lanes because of the wind) it's best to keep your speed up, tuck behind the windscreen, lean your body over to the windward side, and steer towards the direction of the wind to stay upright. Don't lean the bike over to the windward side. When the wind hits you hard, the wheels seem to want to go out from under you which will make you go in the direction of the wind. If you are steering into the wind it keeps the bike upright and the wheels don't want to "blow out from under you" as much.
It's no fun riding in winds gusting 45 or more so I usually don't ride when it's that bad.

 

[FLCN72]

I had a VFR before I got the Busa. Wind was an issue, especially cross winds. So much so that I would sometimes decide not to ride on windy days, since it took much of the fun out of riding.

The VFR isn't a light bike. In fact it is almost the same weight as the Busa. So when I got the Busa I figured I'd have the same wind issues. Nope.

For some reason the Busa is less affected by cross winds, than the VFR. Oh, you still must pay attention on windy days, but the bike is much less prone to being blown all over the lane.

I've read that this has something to do with the windshield and fairings creating a sail effect. The VFR is more upright with lots of broad, flat surfaces -- by comparision. Perhaps these contibute to the push of a cross wind.

 

[Revlis]

What I find messed up is when you just start tipping it into a corner and the wond decides that your not transitioning fast enough and gives you that nice gusty blast to help out... That will mess with your head.

Wind isn't generally too horrible here in Tampa but the couple of times I have been out in real gusty conditions I have found that like FLCN72 said, the wheels still move out from under you "Feels like it anyway" it's not as bad as on other bikes.

Oh, and getting low on that tank helps out a lot. Get yourself down on that tank, so your rather UN-Aerodynamic body stops acting like a sail.

 

[bacharles]

All the explanations here make good sense and worth heeding to...





Brian

 

[dezzy7]

Takes more work to ride in the wind gusts so ride on the side of the lane the wind is gusting from, so when you shift you're still in your lane. Thats really about all you can do. If its really gusting bad --PARK IT and ride another day.

 

[mcoyote]

Naturally, there's a point where the wind is just so bad that you should get over and probably under cover, if only to avoid debris and other vehicles getting pushed around.

A 'Busa, VFR, whatever has a great, low coefficient of drag from the front but is a frickin' sail from the side, though the 'Busa is nicely rounded and with it's wide tail I think holds a line better than many other bikes I've ridden. Crouching over the tank, of course, helps this.

To offset this sail effect, you need a MORE beefy flow of air (preferably laminar, a plus for the 'Busa) around the bike to buffer you from the wind. More speed does this. More rider/bike weight is also a plus -- momentum makes both want to continue going forward rather than sideways.

PLUS, a motorcycle is speed-stabilized -- at higher speeds the suspension compresses a little more and the bike is generally more controllable, up until the point that aerodynamic forces on the front and traction limits make control harder (a pretty high speed on the 'Busa).

The two big bikes that I've had with a lot of lateral surface area (the K-RS and the 'Busa) have both responded much better on even scary windy days at higher rather than lower speeds. Watch out for flying stuff and numbskull drivers, however.



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[Mikey D]

Cept for the canyons, most of the roads are too straight around here. Wind gusts just mke it more chalenging and add invisable twisties!