Wind the enemy of all bikers

[ofblong]

I just added a windshield. problem solved . plus my legs are already against the tank and ive only been riding since last July. I dont worry about wind but then again I dont live near the ocean where it gets really hard. then again I rode in 14F .

[Dragonhawk]

Do any of you have any tips to practice battling the winds at speed?

Tips? Sure...

Don't get blown off the highway at 70MPH by 60MPH crosswinds near Altamont Pass outside the Bay Area. It hurts. Trust me.

Don't get caught in a sandstorm on the highway, in the middle of the Mojave Desert, at 3:00am, when there are no exits for the next 70 miles, in wind gusts so strong that they have blown semi-trucks off the road. Trust me on this one too.

Finally, don't worry about those 25MPH crosswinds. They ain't nothin'.

[Flesher]

RideYourRide has a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxM_GU7W-dE that really demonstrates how little input is required to lean and turn the bike at speed. It really demonstrates what everyone has suggested, staying loose will minimize the effect, tightning up will exacerbate it because you will make unintended steering inputs and attribute them to the wind.

[roscowgo]

If I keep my knees tight on the tank, I feel like I lost my balance bar. If I let the wind take me where it wants I'll end up in the wrong lane or off the road altogther. I have to counter it somehow and quickly.

First, relax. No one can ride up tight.

Second, when the wind blows you left, steer right. When the wind blows you right, steer left. No matter what you think unless a tornado literally touches down next to you you're not going to get blown off the road.

There's no secret. Just relax.

He's about right. You have to relax. It's almost like swimming in a way. You have to relax and work with it. If you fight you just tire yourself out, and get your mind so hyped up about it that you're having no fun, and decreasing the level of your riding skills.

Try to think of it as your normal road has developed a few thousand extra small curves that you have to navigate.

[Kal]

If you grip the Tank with your knees then your lower body can make an increasing ammount of your deliberate steering inputs for you and that all helps too.

I ride lightweight bikes - I like being able to pick my bike up when I need to - and have been blown from one lane to the other by heavy sidewinds. Apart from the already mentioned techniques your only other real option is to slow down - lose about 10mph off of what you would normally do and normally the bike stabilises a lot more.

Journey takes slightly longer but you do arrive in better condition.

[Nibblet99]

If its really bad and gusting, I tend to twist my windward shoulder towards the bars slightly. I find then that I naturally countersteer as the gusts come, reacting that much faster.

Its not something I'd want to do for hours at a time, but for really exposed roads it works great for me

[MicheleZ]

I feel your pain!!!!!!! When I ride and its windy, I am gripping the handlebars so hard my knuckles are white, and my hands are sore later. I hope someone has some good tips on this!

Yea, you need to relax. You are actually making it MUCH worse by having a death grip on the bars. Relax, look where you want to go and the bike will do the rest.

[Bubba]

I have a decent handle of most common aspects of riding except one. Riding at 65 with winds around 25 to 30 mph. If I cannot get use to it, I won't be doing the riding that I wanted to.

On a curve I slowing way down during the turn, then excellerate hard out of the turn. After the past three weeks, I seem to get no confidence from daily practice. I feel as each turn could be my last.

Other typical practice excercises are comming along just fine. I can ride in the city and country (55 mph, less traffic) fine.

Besides just getting out there and risking my life. Do any of you have any tips to practice battling the winds at speed? Practice excercise?

"On a curve I slow way down during the turn, then accelerate hard out of the turn". You didn't say what kind of bike you're riding.
Most large cruisers require you slow "way down during the turn", because of their bulk, but why you have to "accelerate hard out of the turn" is beyond me.
I've ridden in 30 mph winds and all you have to do is slow down and lean into them. The main thing is to ride safely.
I've canceled rides because of wind, so use common sense.

[storysunfolding]

I missed that comment "On a curve I slow way down during the turn, then accelerate hard out of the turn". You should never slow down in a turn. Slow down before the turn and roll on the throttle or maintain speed through the turn.

If you slow during the turn the weight of the bike shifts forward and compresses the forks which changes your steering geometry. By maintaining or adding throttle you set your suspension and your turn will be much smoother.

[flw]

First to answer a question my bike is a 500cc cruiser.

Second is I may have incorrectly stated part of my problem. Its the shifting winds from left to right to none to left to right to none to right again. I can steer in any consistent wind. It the left, right, left, right with no predictability to it at all that I feel out of control in. My knee are against the tank but as little effect with winds that change every couple seconds.

I do the bird flapping thing but I find myself relaxing till the next gauntlet of various wind directions again.

Edit: I did whach the counter steering video's and a few others but none address constantly changing side winds.