Counter steering into a crosswind came natural to me but the "hang loose" or you'll move the bike with you as the wind moves your body never occurred to me. Thx for the tip. Will implement next ride 👍
One fortnight ago I rode into a constant 40mph headwind with gusts up to 60 mph for 6 hours. I didn’t even realize I was constantly counter steering until my whole right side was sore that night. All of these are solid tips
New rider here and first time riding the bike on the freeway and experienced strong winds going past cars and big trucks. Had to search up youtube and found this. Thank u and I subscribed
I am a new rider. Took the msf course. No instructions on riding in the wind btw. So far the wind is my biggest issue. I've caught myself doing exactly what I'm not supposed to.... Death grip on the bars. I keep telling myself to relax. Thanks for the video. This is the only information I have found on TH-cam that actually makes sense
I recall being quite unsettled by the wind when I first started riding. In time I came to discover that I will be fine. I enjoyed all the good principles and advice you had to offer. Thanks
I ride a harley bagger. It weighs over 1,000 lbs plus my 200lbs. A good wind will push me, not my bike. But if I get moved, my bike moves. I also have cruise control, so I know about the light grip. Great video 📹
I have ridden motorcycles for years but only recently have experienced riding in windy conditions where I feel like I am riding on marbles with the wind pushing me laterally, I have found that getting into the "Tucked" position helps tremendously, even if you are not going super fast. In this case I am not tucking for speed aerodynamics, yet I become more one with the bike resulting in more control and less lateral movement from the wind.
I watched this because I wanted to know more about riding in the wind. I was riding today (in 30+ mph crosswind gusts in Hawaii) and was getting all pushed around, from both sides. I guess I was doing what I needed to do. Loosening up is a bit tricky when you feel the bike trying to move out from under you.
I've been riding for 20 years and recently whilst doing 60 mph in very high gusty winds my front wheel briefly lost contact with the road. It corrected itself but it shook me up a bit! I felt a gust come up from the bottom but it might have been a bit of grease on the road as well, I don't know. Since then I've been struggling in winds but these tips will help, thank you!
Awesome video. On my second ride on the roads at all (I had quite a lot of parking lot practice, but very little road experience), the weather channel said there would be storms the following day, but on the road this day, the wind patterns were already kicking up. What I was getting on the main 55 mph road were probably 40 to 55 mph gusts as crosswinds which I was too new to deal with, so I decided to reroute onto back roads. This had two effects, one the back roads cut in an around hills which cut some of them wind away, but also the back roads sometimes ran north to south and sometimes east to west on almost an entirely twisty set of roads. This meant that most of the time the prevailing winds were not acting as crosswinds, but either as headwinds or tailwinds which are much easier to deal with, though I will say the first time you get hit with a sudden major tailwind, it is very disconcerting. It's a little bit like being on a magic carpet ride.
I wish I had watched this three days ago lol. Two days ago I was facing strong winds and it really was after I forced myself to relax that I literally was having an easier time. It was counter intuitive not to have a death grip on the handlebars. I was a little scared to be honest. I drove through some canyon stuff, then Pacific Coast Highway, then the freeway; with freakin wind the whole time. Anyway, your suggestions are spot on.
This video was so informative! I have the same bike with no windscreen. I was the same way watching other motorcyclists zoom by me in the wind and I couldn't figure out how they made It look so easy. Now I'm better at 120km than I was before at 90km. It makes riding on the highway so much more enjoyable. Thanks again for this.
I remember as a dispatch rider in the 90s in the UK , fighting the wind all the way down from the Midlands and then getting through the South Downs and hitting Brighton sea front and literally being blown off my bike. I don't care what this dude says, I'd rather ride in any other weather, snow, rain, fog, heat waves, but wind is not fun! even worse when you live in the windiest country in Europe
I live in Canterbury New Zealand and it is windy through much of the year, it is just a part of motorcycling here that you are going to get blown about. But good advice for those that experience strong winds less frequently.
One can use the ear plugs to avoid that heavy wind noise propelled through the helmet. At time that constant wind noise make one tired and intruding your focus on the machine n surroundings.
Great video. I actually hit some pretty gnarly winds after the Doffo camp out on the way up to Josie's hideout. I totally did the death grip to try stay on my bike. Good to know that you just let the gyroscope do it's thing. Keep up the great photos and vids🤘🏍
This is so helpful. I’m 2 months into riding and had my first windy day. I was almost pushed into oncoming traffic on a 2 lane road going 50. I was terrified. The wind was pushing me from one side of the lane to the oncoming traffic lane. I slowed down and leaned the bike towards the wind but I felt like the front tire was slipping from under me. I pulled off the road once but had to keep going to get home. It was scary.
Cheers for this. Probably saved my life while I was riding on the highway in the rain passing trucks couple of days back. Wind hit me pretty bad and kept it calm, loose and counter steered to safety. Last year I was squeezing myself into the bike and whiteknuckling when wind started throwing me around.
Very good advice. I used to go across the runway in Gibraltar on a daily basis in winter when the winds were horrendous. Lean in when necessary and countersteer if required. Thanks.
Good info. Learning to relax at the handlebar is worth doing for almost all riding. Let the bike naturally track, a light/steady touch at the handgrips maintains the bike's path but still allows it self center. Also, if the wind is coming in at an angle to the bike, say from the front left or right, maintaining steady speed also increases the force factor that comes from the forward motion of the bike, and helps the bike balance against the wind force.
for really strong gusts - the wind pushes on the bike more than it pushes on you, it has more surface area than you.. keep your body in an upright position, and just let the bike fall into the wind, and let the lean pull it back up. kinda like riding a surfboard you ride it, you dont drive it
Your reasoning for a looser grip rings true to me. If you ever ride in N. Nevada, the newish fwy connection, 580, between Reno and Carson City gets treacherous cross winds everyday, sometime between noon and 3 pm. The the fwy is on the eastern side of the Sierra's (Washoe Valley) and sections are elevated and cut into the side of the mountains. To the east is flat, high desert. 10mph with 15-20 gusts is common. But on occasion it can double those numbers. If you plan to ride through there and it's windy, take "Old 395" instead. It will still be windy/gusty, but you aren't elevated and the speed limit is 45-55 for most of it. It's more like a country 2 lane hwy. The wind almost always dies back below 5 mph around 5ish pm. Free and easy.
Brilliantly instructional! Thank you for sharing. After a very challenging ride home last night in a UK coastal storm, your video has been massively helpful!
Thanks for that. After riding through a windy day yesterday I have been watching a few videos by different people and yours is the one that emphasises countersteering the most. I never really understood countersteering until my first encounter with heavy side winds and vicious gusts.
Shouldn't the windscreen keep wind off your body? Even a 20mph side wind at 70 mph is mostly blocked by the screen (triangle 2:7) Or do you mean the bike is pushed more by the wind, regardless of you?
I use what I call the floppy knee for windy riding works a treat. Put your windward knee out as far as possible and relax it and it will blow in and out as necessary acting as a wind brake dampener.
Just started riding recently and of course I ride almost every day and in every weather condition. I got caught in strong wind one day and it took me a couple miles and a considerate car driver (he slowed down in front of me and watched out for me) to figure it out. It was a little bit terrifying but I am glad I was able to stay calm, loose and counter steer. Now I know I did the right thing and will keep practicing in winds below 55mph winds. Gotta love fellow riders who watch out for each other even if they chose the car for the day.
Getting my butt kicked in Wyoming during a wind advisory. Sign above the interstate says 70 mph gusts, I threw in the towel and got a nap and some dinner.
Quail eggs on the controls. Knee as a sail. Visor down. All great tips on a heavy bike. I have two heavy bikes with a low COG I’ve survived high winds on pretty easily. Yesterday,I got caught out in the open on a lightweight Enduro with a 38” seat height and a high COG. New tires, attempting to break them in a bit, often the street speeds that up. However, with gusts at 30+ mph riding that thing was a nightmare. Cagers don’t get it. I had to slow down a bit and occasionally take both feet off the pegs because I was being tossed by the wind and it was only going to get windier so I had to continue. They tailgated and flashed lights. There was no shoulder, just a 15’ drop off and a barbed wire fence. So, note to self; read the frig’n weather reports, ride the heavies in the wind, trailer or truck the damn dirt bike!
In general, you want to have a loose grip on the bars at all times - except under hard braking. Over gripping the bars doesn’t help your riding and after awhile it can hurt your hands to the point of injury. A loose grip is where it’s at. 👍🏼
I had a fairly unpleasent ride a couple of days ago, was hot and windy and due to where I was the wind would often be blocked by hills or trees then in the gaps would hit me. Had my jacket a little open to deal with the heat, it felt like it was billowing a bit. I tried faster vs slower, neither felt better so opted for faster to get out of it sooner.
Wind always makes for a longer day riding. I did a ride last summer where the headwind was so bad, I had the throttle pegged and was barely going over the speed limit. Some days you just deal as best you can.
@@tularosamoto 🤣Reviewing videos on riding in wind-even with 40+ years of riding experience I’ve been nervous in the wind before-there’s always something new to learn. Rode from the US to southern Chile then the pandemic broke-had to leave my bike stored there as all land borders closed. Hoping to be riding in Patagonia soon- the wind there promises to be crazier than I’ve ever experienced-maybe I SHOULD take up climbing instead!! 😁
I just rode from Tuscon to San Diego, and just as i got west of Yuma, I encountered a strong wind from the North, all the way to El Centro. I was in a right lean for most of the ride, and any right bends in the freeway were a struggle. I got pushed from the right lane nearly to the yellow twice. I did find that rolling off on the throttle and using engine drag to slow would let me fall into my own wind envelope for a moment and decreased the pressure. Unfortunately as soon as i stopped decelerating, the pressure would come right back. At one point i didn't feel any wind from the front it was all from the side. I even had bugs on the side of my helmet.
Great video! My first experience with strong gusts of wind had me feeling like my bike was going to blow out from under me, so I reacted by trying to catch balance, forgetting that the wheels are gyroscopes and will counter themselves. You're so right! Once I relaxed I found that it was me that the wind wanted to push over, but my bike did the fighting. When we ride bicycles, counter leaning and counter steering seem to just happen without thinking, but everything is more exaggerated on a motorcycle. I also found that the wind affects me more when I'm at lower speeds. It actually becomes enjoyable when gusts push me; it's not unlike going around curves. Thanks for the video!
coming over from dirt to street and a naked bike was eye opener, i felt like wind was gonna blow me off the bike.....and in so the semi trucks are the worst as the wind comes from every direction......but yeah have learned to relax a bit more but still not comfy yet.....new riding gear,is stiff especially gloves, new bike and new experience are different to say least and my bike has bit of HP so when it goes it really gets up in hurry.....time and experience, ill get small windscreen and see if helps but some say it makes it worse so well see.....
A windscreen will help keep the wind off your body. Make sure it's big enough though to give you the protection you want. It won't help with you getting pushed around but it does make for a more comfortable ride. Once you get used to the wind though it's not such a big deal.
I just passed MSF today and went out for my first ride. its a 40 minute ride most of it on a straight rode where people generally go 60-65mph in a 55 zone. so it was my first time going that fast and the cross wind was crazy. Im 185lbs on a cbr300r and the wind was tossing me around like i was its bitch. Nobody ever told me about wind. I was scared shitless that i was going to die on my first day out. at one point it almost tossed me into the other lane and i swear i felt my back tire wobble. i just stayed tucked and kept her at 62mph. it was terrifying lmao.
Going through the panhandle of Texas on my way to California, with a fully loaded sport bike, doing 135 mph avg, with huge crosswinds, and trucks, aosy fully leaned over was something, esp. when you had to be prepared for the occasional break in the wind, was an awesome experience. Always look where you want to go, is esp. important when operating a motorcycle. I have never, ever had an issue of lack confidence when riding in any condition. When you cast doubt, that is a lose/lose situation, esp. on a bike. Know your limits and skill set. Attitude is also a big plus, when you have experience. But guess what? Everytime you ride is an opportunity to gain more experience. It is important for anything, and everything you do in life. I consider myself a professional whenever I drive a vehicle, or operate a motorcycl; esp. with a passenger.. It's that important. I once drove my racevan and travel trailer during a hurricane, and while I watched numerous drivers get blown across lanes, and off the road, I was confident in my ability. Same with riding a Goldwing 7,000 feet up, twenty-five degrees, snow and ice all over Kings Canyon National Park. If you have experience and the right attitude, you can do anything. 3,000 miles in four days. I rode my 85 Yamaha FZ 750 1,200 miles in a day. Why? Anyone can do 1,000 miles on a day on a tourer. Pushing yourself to beyond your comfort zone on a bike is what you do with a ton of miles. I even had an out of body experience after the re-start of a race, after I put my buddy in the ambulance. His father had threatened to kill me if anything happened to his son, when I took him road racing in Ohio. We restarted, another holesjot for me, in the zone immediately, though I had a replacement front tire that was not my preferred size, and I kept losing the front end twice a lap, literally pushing the sidewalk of the tire on the asphalt, keeping the bike up with my knee, and doing dirt style, rear will steering, spinning the rear. I had taken Aikido, so I knew how to relax really well. Despite doing over 120 mph on this narrow track, with my smaller race bike, losing the front end on a regular basis, I became so relaxed, I went into a different dimension, leaving my body, floating above and behind, watching myself racing, in the lead. The key to everything is having the right attitude, enjoying what you are doing/living in the moment, being relaxed, getting experience, and most importantly, being happy. Life is an adventure, and far too short.
That was an excellent video! I ride in an area where there is almost always at least a 15 mph wind mph blowing. I found early on that counter steering and leaning into the wind was the best technique. It gets tricky when you pass large objects that temporarily block the wind and when you ride over bridges in a high wind. I’ve found that a crosswind often suddenly changes directions on a bridge and then switches back. I would love to understand the physics of that?
I was waiting for you to mention counter steering as you did @5:34. As far as keeping a loose grip on the bars goes, you gotta watch that you don't push on that outside bar (opposite the wind direction) when the wind blows you over. Otherwise you'll essentially be steering away from the wind direction and off the road. So essentially I guess you kind of want to push back against the wind with the hand on the bars from the side the wind is coming from rather than the other way around if that makes sense 😋 Nice video btw.
As a new rider I happened up your channel while surfing TH-cam. I think you are very informative and helpful and don't understand why you don't have more viewers. Well, maybe because you aren't a scantily clothed woman. Anyway, I have subscribed. LOL
I am new to riding and once when I was on a 300 kilometers ride with my friend, I experienced severe crosswinds for the first time. I was struggling to stay on my lane, but my friend was cruising comfortably, or so it appeared to me. As I was getting scared and started to slow down, my friend asked me to speed up, not twist the throttle type speeding up, but gentle increase to the speed. His theory was speed adds more mass to your motorcycle and this will help to move forward in a much more straighter line. Was that advice true?
That's a new one to me. More speed doesn't create more mass. Mass is fixed and is independent of any force acted upon it. (In my video I made the mistake of saying that the wheels gain mass. They gain inertia - which is different.) Increased speed does increase the inertia of the wheels - which increases the ability of the bike to continue in straight line motion. However, as you gain speed, it becomes more difficult for you to respond to any outside input to the bike. Also, if the bike is knocked off its line, it becomes more difficult to get it back on. In general, I'd say travel at a speed that you're comfortable with and follow the advice in the video. Speed won't matter so much.
Also going faster since front drag and gyroscopic stability helps. Sticking to the tank would lower sidewind leverage and also make the motorcycle more stable. I noticed that wobbling is drastically reduced by sticking to the tank.
At 1:99 "the faster something moves, the more mass it has". Incorrect. The object (rider+motorcycle) will have fairly constant mass, decreasing slightly as fuel is burned through a ride or the riders sweat evaporates.
Actually, my bike doesn’t either. I misspoke in this video. Rate of travel doesn’t change an object’s mass. That’s fixed. It can change the amount of force it carries however. So may the force be with you… or something like that. 😉
Gyroscopic effect has little to do with the bike staying upright, it’s steering geometry and weight shifting from front to back and the other way around. You can easily stay upright at 5 km/h while the gyroscopic effect of the wheels is negligible.
If gyroscopic effect has little to do with the bike staying upright then it should be easy to balance the bike when it’s stopped. Unless you’re a trials rider, you’ll last less than a second if the bike isn’t moving. There’s a difference between minimal gyroscopic force having a big impact (you can go slow and still stay upright) and gyroscopic effect having minimal effect. Frame geometry etc helps keep a bike riding straight but that’s not what keeps the bike upright on two wheels.
Part of the reason I made this video is because I heard that advice and wanted to set the record straight. As with most things about riding your bike, staying loose is the key.
Guy that lives down the road from me went on a leisurely ride on a windy day. It was his last ride. He got pushed off the road and into a wooded area. Died at the scene. He left behind a wife and a 7 yr old boy. He wasn’t wearing a helmet which could have possibly saved him. This happened March 28th 2022.
I'm sorry to hear that. Wind can definitely be a challenge if you don't know how to deal with it. Terrible that the consequences were deadly. Hopefully, this video can help out.
Your physics is off. Mass is mass. It isn’t a “function of energy.” Kinetic energy is a function of mass and velocity. (1/2 mv^2) Momentum is mass times velocity. When you said “mass,” I think you meant momentum, which is the tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion. Change in speed or direction of a heavier object requires more wind force than for a lighter object.
I find counter steering into the direction of the wind stabilizes the bike. I like when the winds blowing hard I feel like I’m flying an airplane- just soaring through the clouds😎 This is why small adventure bikes still need a little bit of weight to them, to counteract the winds
Umm.... Does this apply to bikes that are wayyyyy lighter?... My bike weighs 271lbs(123kg).... If wind is blowing hard then i fear my bike might get thrown off the road.... Will these tips be applicabe to lighter bikes as well???
Yes! The fundamentals of riding a bike are always the same. It’s the degree of application that changes. On a lighter bike, you might get pushed around more so you’ll probably need to do more of everything.
That's a different topic. In general, let the bike do what it's going to do. If you're concerned about a tank slapper, make sure your bike is setup properly and get a steering stabilizer. I don't have one for my Monster but I do for my R6 track bike.
Don't wear loose fitting clothing, especially loose jackets or shirts like Mackinaws..... they will increase your tendency to act as a "sail " and you will be thrown around that much more. Better to wear that snug fitting leather jacket or vest that you love
Energy doesn't increase mass. Read Newton's laws of motion: Law 1. A body continues in its state of rest, or in uniform motion in a straight line, unless acted upon by a force. Law 2. A body acted upon by a force moves in such a manner that the time rate of change of momentum equals the force. Law 3. If two bodies exert forces on each other, these forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
Nothing more scary than wind pushing your bike to the side at 90mph. Had it happen to me at Brand’s Hatch indy circuit at a right corner, front end lifted and was pushed to the left - didn’t bother with the last session after that!
One thing def doesn’t help, is loose gear. My jacket is slightly too big for me, and flaps about like mad at motorway speeds, which makes my torso shake about slightly
John's videos are as good as any on utube and better than most - skilled educator - Thanks
Thanks for support! Much appreciated. 👍🏼
Counter steering into a crosswind came natural to me but the "hang loose" or you'll move the bike with you as the wind moves your body never occurred to me. Thx for the tip. Will implement next ride 👍
One fortnight ago I rode into a constant 40mph headwind with gusts up to 60 mph for 6 hours. I didn’t even realize I was constantly counter steering until my whole right side was sore that night. All of these are solid tips
New rider here and first time riding the bike on the freeway and experienced strong winds going past cars and big trucks. Had to search up youtube and found this. Thank u and I subscribed
Welcome aboard!
I am a new rider. Took the msf course. No instructions on riding in the wind btw. So far the wind is my biggest issue. I've caught myself doing exactly what I'm not supposed to.... Death grip on the bars. I keep telling myself to relax. Thanks for the video. This is the only information I have found on TH-cam that actually makes sense
I recall being quite unsettled by the wind when I first started riding. In time I came to discover that I will be fine. I enjoyed all the good principles and advice you had to offer. Thanks
I ride a harley bagger.
It weighs over 1,000 lbs plus my 200lbs.
A good wind will push me, not my bike.
But if I get moved, my bike moves.
I also have cruise control, so I know about the light grip.
Great video 📹
I have ridden motorcycles for years but only recently have experienced riding in windy conditions where I feel like I am riding on marbles with the wind pushing me laterally, I have found that getting into the "Tucked" position helps tremendously, even if you are not going super fast. In this case I am not tucking for speed aerodynamics, yet I become more one with the bike resulting in more control and less lateral movement from the wind.
Did you change bikes? "Tucked" sounds wrong, you'll be too tight even with less wind resistance. Something must have changed.
I watched this because I wanted to know more about riding in the wind. I was riding today (in 30+ mph crosswind gusts in Hawaii) and was getting all pushed around, from both sides. I guess I was doing what I needed to do. Loosening up is a bit tricky when you feel the bike trying to move out from under you.
I've been riding for 20 years and recently whilst doing 60 mph in very high gusty winds my front wheel briefly lost contact with the road. It corrected itself but it shook me up a bit! I felt a gust come up from the bottom but it might have been a bit of grease on the road as well, I don't know. Since then I've been struggling in winds but these tips will help, thank you!
Had that front wheel thing yesterday on my enduro! If I wasn’t being tailgated I would’ve pulled over and puked!
Awesome video. On my second ride on the roads at all (I had quite a lot of parking lot practice, but very little road experience), the weather channel said there would be storms the following day, but on the road this day, the wind patterns were already kicking up. What I was getting on the main 55 mph road were probably 40 to 55 mph gusts as crosswinds which I was too new to deal with, so I decided to reroute onto back roads. This had two effects, one the back roads cut in an around hills which cut some of them wind away, but also the back roads sometimes ran north to south and sometimes east to west on almost an entirely twisty set of roads. This meant that most of the time the prevailing winds were not acting as crosswinds, but either as headwinds or tailwinds which are much easier to deal with, though I will say the first time you get hit with a sudden major tailwind, it is very disconcerting. It's a little bit like being on a magic carpet ride.
I wish I had watched this three days ago lol. Two days ago I was facing strong winds and it really was after I forced myself to relax that I literally was having an easier time. It was counter intuitive not to have a death grip on the handlebars. I was a little scared to be honest. I drove through some canyon stuff, then Pacific Coast Highway, then the freeway; with freakin wind the whole time. Anyway, your suggestions are spot on.
Following for the Ryan reference and the awesome info.
This video was so informative! I have the same bike with no windscreen. I was the same way watching other motorcyclists zoom by me in the wind and I couldn't figure out how they made It look so easy. Now I'm better at 120km than I was before at 90km. It makes riding on the highway so much more enjoyable. Thanks again for this.
I remember as a dispatch rider in the 90s in the UK , fighting the wind all the way down from the Midlands and then getting through the South Downs and hitting Brighton sea front and literally being blown off my bike. I don't care what this dude says, I'd rather ride in any other weather, snow, rain, fog, heat waves, but wind is not fun! even worse when you live in the windiest country in Europe
Great advice. I live in a valley thats nearly perpetually windy. Its been a challenge, especially being a new rider.
Best video on dealing with wind on a bike I have ever seen. Thanks!
Thanks a million You confirmed my thoughts, which helps this beginner whose desire to react in one way has to learn to follow logical instincts .
I live in Canterbury New Zealand and it is windy through much of the year, it is just a part of motorcycling here that you are going to get blown about. But good advice for those that experience strong winds less frequently.
One can use the ear plugs to avoid that heavy wind noise propelled through the helmet.
At time that constant wind noise make one tired and intruding your focus on the machine n surroundings.
Great tips, I ride in Connemara, the west of Ireland where wind is omnipresent! I'll try the counter steering next time I'm being battered!
Had my first motorcycle lesson today on the highway, just after the storm. Wind from the side and the front, can only get better frome here...
I try eliminate wind as a factor by tucking, if the wind has nothing to blow against it can't do anything
Great video. I actually hit some pretty gnarly winds after the Doffo camp out on the way up to Josie's hideout. I totally did the death grip to try stay on my bike. Good to know that you just let the gyroscope do it's thing. Keep up the great photos and vids🤘🏍
This is so helpful. I’m 2 months into riding and had my first windy day. I was almost pushed into oncoming traffic on a 2 lane road going 50. I was terrified. The wind was pushing me from one side of the lane to the oncoming traffic lane. I slowed down and leaned the bike towards the wind but I felt like the front tire was slipping from under me. I pulled off the road once but had to keep going to get home. It was scary.
Glad it helped! The bike can definitely take way more than you think it can. The main thing is to stay confident and relax in the bike.
Cheers for this. Probably saved my life while I was riding on the highway in the rain passing trucks couple of days back. Wind hit me pretty bad and kept it calm, loose and counter steered to safety.
Last year I was squeezing myself into the bike and whiteknuckling when wind started throwing me around.
Very good advice. I used to go across the runway in Gibraltar on a daily basis in winter when the winds were horrendous. Lean in when necessary and countersteer if required. Thanks.
Good info. Learning to relax at the handlebar is worth doing for almost all riding. Let the bike naturally track, a light/steady touch at the handgrips maintains the bike's path but still allows it self center. Also, if the wind is coming in at an angle to the bike, say from the front left or right, maintaining steady speed also increases the force factor that comes from the forward motion of the bike, and helps the bike balance against the wind force.
for really strong gusts - the wind pushes on the bike more than it pushes on you, it has more surface area than you.. keep your body in an upright position, and just let the bike fall into the wind, and let the lean pull it back up. kinda like riding a surfboard
you ride it, you dont drive it
Your reasoning for a looser grip rings true to me.
If you ever ride in N. Nevada, the newish fwy connection, 580, between Reno and Carson City gets treacherous cross winds everyday, sometime between noon and 3 pm. The the fwy is on the eastern side of the Sierra's (Washoe Valley) and sections are elevated and cut into the side of the mountains. To the east is flat, high desert. 10mph with 15-20 gusts is common. But on occasion it can double those numbers. If you plan to ride through there and it's windy, take "Old 395" instead. It will still be windy/gusty, but you aren't elevated and the speed limit is 45-55 for most of it. It's more like a country 2 lane hwy. The wind almost always dies back below 5 mph around 5ish pm. Free and easy.
Brilliantly instructional! Thank you for sharing. After a very challenging ride home last night in a UK coastal storm, your video has been massively helpful!
Thanks for that.
After riding through a windy day yesterday I have been watching a few videos by different people and yours is the one that emphasises countersteering the most.
I never really understood countersteering until my first encounter with heavy side winds and vicious gusts.
Best video out there , thanks for sharing very very useful and maybe will save someone's life who knows
Glad it was helpful!
Good to know and thank you. This is felt especially when you have a windscreen mounted, no matter the type of bike.
Shouldn't the windscreen keep wind off your body? Even a 20mph side wind at 70 mph is mostly blocked by the screen (triangle 2:7)
Or do you mean the bike is pushed more by the wind, regardless of you?
I use what I call the floppy knee for windy riding works a treat.
Put your windward knee out as far as possible and relax it and it will blow in and out as necessary acting as a wind brake dampener.
Nice tip. Thanks!
Nice video! I learned alot. I'm working on my first 100 miles!!!!!
Just started riding recently and of course I ride almost every day and in every weather condition. I got caught in strong wind one day and it took me a couple miles and a considerate car driver (he slowed down in front of me and watched out for me) to figure it out. It was a little bit terrifying but I am glad I was able to stay calm, loose and counter steer. Now I know I did the right thing and will keep practicing in winds below 55mph winds.
Gotta love fellow riders who watch out for each other even if they chose the car for the day.
Great info. Just rode through AZ and through the mountains with 55mph cross winds
Good video and very informative. It’s really windy most of the time in Buffalo, New York so the information is very appreciated. Thank you
Use your left/right inside thigh to push the fuel tank into the wind to help stay upright.🇮🇲
Great info very helpful. New to riding and live in a high wind area. This information worked well. Thank you!
Great to hear!
Getting my butt kicked in Wyoming during a wind advisory. Sign above the interstate says 70 mph gusts, I threw in the towel and got a nap and some dinner.
Quail eggs on the controls. Knee as a sail. Visor down. All great tips on a heavy bike.
I have two heavy bikes with a low COG I’ve survived high winds on pretty easily. Yesterday,I got caught out in the open on a lightweight Enduro with a 38” seat height and a high COG.
New tires, attempting to break them in a bit, often the street speeds that up. However, with gusts at 30+ mph riding that thing was a nightmare.
Cagers don’t get it. I had to slow down a bit and occasionally take both feet off the pegs because I was being tossed by the wind and it was only going to get windier so I had to continue. They tailgated and flashed lights. There was no shoulder, just a 15’ drop off and a barbed wire fence.
So, note to self; read the frig’n weather reports, ride the heavies in the wind, trailer or truck the damn dirt bike!
High speed riders say the same thing loosen your grip on the handlebars to prevent wobbles.
In general, you want to have a loose grip on the bars at all times - except under hard braking. Over gripping the bars doesn’t help your riding and after awhile it can hurt your hands to the point of injury. A loose grip is where it’s at. 👍🏼
LOL at the F9 reference 😂 👏🏽 thanks for the explanation!
You bet!
I love riding in windy conditions.
I’ve recently started also using my knee as an air brake on the side I want to go towards.
Nice video, thanks! Learns to explore forests and open fields with a whole new eye. 😜
I had a fairly unpleasent ride a couple of days ago, was hot and windy and due to where I was the wind would often be blocked by hills or trees then in the gaps would hit me. Had my jacket a little open to deal with the heat, it felt like it was billowing a bit. I tried faster vs slower, neither felt better so opted for faster to get out of it sooner.
Wind always makes for a longer day riding. I did a ride last summer where the headwind was so bad, I had the throttle pegged and was barely going over the speed limit. Some days you just deal as best you can.
I'm glad I grew up on a bicycle 😂 I do all this naturally but I am msf certified
👍excellent advice. There's the wind and then there's patagonia...
This is a moto channel, not a climbing channel... lol. My family is from Argentina so i'll be touring down there hopefully soon.
@@tularosamoto 🤣Reviewing videos on riding in wind-even with 40+ years of riding experience I’ve been nervous in the wind before-there’s always something new to learn. Rode from the US to southern Chile then the pandemic broke-had to leave my bike stored there as all land borders closed. Hoping to be riding in Patagonia soon- the wind there promises to be crazier than I’ve ever experienced-maybe I SHOULD take up climbing instead!! 😁
Such great information! Thanks so much for sharing this.
Glad it was helpful!
The death grip lol I need to drive In Wind more for more experience
I just rode from Tuscon to San Diego, and just as i got west of Yuma, I encountered a strong wind from the North, all the way to El Centro. I was in a right lean for most of the ride, and any right bends in the freeway were a struggle. I got pushed from the right lane nearly to the yellow twice. I did find that rolling off on the throttle and using engine drag to slow would let me fall into my own wind envelope for a moment and decreased the pressure. Unfortunately as soon as i stopped decelerating, the pressure would come right back. At one point i didn't feel any wind from the front it was all from the side. I even had bugs on the side of my helmet.
This is where countersteering can really help. You shouldn’t be veering into the next lane no matter how hard the wind.
That was very helpful, thank you.
Glad to hear it!
Great video!
My first experience with strong gusts of wind had me feeling like my bike was going to blow out from under me, so I reacted by trying to catch balance, forgetting that the wheels are gyroscopes and will counter themselves. You're so right! Once I relaxed I found that it was me that the wind wanted to push over, but my bike did the fighting.
When we ride bicycles, counter leaning and counter steering seem to just happen without thinking, but everything is more exaggerated on a motorcycle.
I also found that the wind affects me more when I'm at lower speeds.
It actually becomes enjoyable when gusts push me; it's not unlike going around curves.
Thanks for the video!
coming over from dirt to street and a naked bike was eye opener, i felt like wind was gonna blow me off the bike.....and in so the semi trucks are the worst as the wind comes from every direction......but yeah have learned to relax a bit more but still not comfy yet.....new riding gear,is stiff especially gloves, new bike and new experience are different to say least and my bike has bit of HP so when it goes it really gets up in hurry.....time and experience, ill get small windscreen and see if helps but some say it makes it worse so well see.....
A windscreen will help keep the wind off your body. Make sure it's big enough though to give you the protection you want. It won't help with you getting pushed around but it does make for a more comfortable ride. Once you get used to the wind though it's not such a big deal.
I just passed MSF today and went out for my first ride. its a 40 minute ride most of it on a straight rode where people generally go 60-65mph in a 55 zone. so it was my first time going that fast and the cross wind was crazy. Im 185lbs on a cbr300r and the wind was tossing me around like i was its bitch. Nobody ever told me about wind. I was scared shitless that i was going to die on my first day out. at one point it almost tossed me into the other lane and i swear i felt my back tire wobble. i just stayed tucked and kept her at 62mph. it was terrifying lmao.
I know exactly how you felt. Just relax, loosen your grip and countersteer when necessary. Next time it happens it will be no big deal.
Did u made home safe?
Going through the panhandle of Texas on my way to California, with a fully loaded sport bike, doing 135 mph avg, with huge crosswinds, and trucks, aosy fully leaned over was something, esp. when you had to be prepared for the occasional break in the wind, was an awesome experience.
Always look where you want to go, is esp. important when operating a motorcycle. I have never, ever had an issue of lack confidence when riding in any condition. When you cast doubt, that is a lose/lose situation, esp. on a bike. Know your limits and skill set. Attitude is also a big plus, when you have experience. But guess what? Everytime you ride is an opportunity to gain more experience. It is important for anything, and everything you do in life. I consider myself a professional whenever I drive a vehicle, or operate a motorcycl; esp. with a passenger.. It's that important.
I once drove my racevan and travel trailer during a hurricane, and while I watched numerous drivers get blown across lanes, and off the road, I was confident in my ability. Same with riding a Goldwing 7,000 feet up, twenty-five degrees, snow and ice all over Kings Canyon National Park. If you have experience and the right attitude, you can do anything. 3,000 miles in four days.
I rode my 85 Yamaha FZ 750 1,200 miles in a day. Why? Anyone can do 1,000 miles on a day on a tourer. Pushing yourself to beyond your comfort zone on a bike is what you do with a ton of miles.
I even had an out of body experience after the re-start of a race, after I put my buddy in the ambulance. His father had threatened to kill me if anything happened to his son, when I took him road racing in Ohio. We restarted, another holesjot for me, in the zone immediately, though I had a replacement front tire that was not my preferred size, and I kept losing the front end twice a lap, literally pushing the sidewalk of the tire on the asphalt, keeping the bike up with my knee, and doing dirt style, rear will steering, spinning the rear. I had taken Aikido, so I knew how to relax really well. Despite doing over 120 mph on this narrow track, with my smaller race bike, losing the front end on a regular basis, I became so relaxed, I went into a different dimension, leaving my body, floating above and behind, watching myself racing, in the lead.
The key to everything is having the right attitude, enjoying what you are doing/living in the moment, being relaxed, getting experience, and most importantly, being happy. Life is an adventure, and far too short.
Cool novel.
6:27 is my cars movie moment
That was an excellent video! I ride in an area where there is almost always at least a 15 mph wind mph blowing. I found early on that counter steering and leaning into the wind was the best technique. It gets tricky when you pass large objects that temporarily block the wind and when you ride over bridges in a high wind. I’ve found that a crosswind often suddenly changes directions on a bridge and then switches back. I would love to understand the physics of that?
I was waiting for you to mention counter steering as you did @5:34.
As far as keeping a loose grip on the bars goes, you gotta watch that you don't push on that outside bar (opposite the wind direction) when the wind blows you over. Otherwise you'll essentially be steering away from the wind direction and off the road. So essentially I guess you kind of want to push back against the wind with the hand on the bars from the side the wind is coming from rather than the other way around if that makes sense 😋 Nice video btw.
As a new rider I happened up your channel while surfing TH-cam. I think you are very informative and helpful and don't understand why you don't have more viewers. Well, maybe because you aren't a scantily clothed woman. Anyway, I have subscribed. LOL
Thanks for the vote of confidence! I'll keep posting. Maybe one day I'll make it to the big time. ;-)
Great advice 👍
I am new to riding and once when I was on a 300 kilometers ride with my friend, I experienced severe crosswinds for the first time. I was struggling to stay on my lane, but my friend was cruising comfortably, or so it appeared to me. As I was getting scared and started to slow down, my friend asked me to speed up, not twist the throttle type speeding up, but gentle increase to the speed. His theory was speed adds more mass to your motorcycle and this will help to move forward in a much more straighter line. Was that advice true?
That's a new one to me. More speed doesn't create more mass. Mass is fixed and is independent of any force acted upon it. (In my video I made the mistake of saying that the wheels gain mass. They gain inertia - which is different.) Increased speed does increase the inertia of the wheels - which increases the ability of the bike to continue in straight line motion. However, as you gain speed, it becomes more difficult for you to respond to any outside input to the bike. Also, if the bike is knocked off its line, it becomes more difficult to get it back on. In general, I'd say travel at a speed that you're comfortable with and follow the advice in the video. Speed won't matter so much.
Awesome, thanks!
What about sticking to the fuel tank? As a begginer it felt really good as far of wind gusts.
Also going faster since front drag and gyroscopic stability helps. Sticking to the tank would lower sidewind leverage and also make the motorcycle more stable. I noticed that wobbling is drastically reduced by sticking to the tank.
Can you make a video on how to cope with washboard?
Great advice!! 👍
At 1:99 "the faster something moves, the more mass it has". Incorrect. The object (rider+motorcycle) will have fairly constant mass, decreasing slightly as fuel is burned through a ride or the riders sweat evaporates.
He really doesn't have a clue when it comes to how mass, inertia and force work.
Thank you
"The faster something moves the more mass it has." Not at the speeds my bike goes it doesn,t.
Actually, my bike doesn’t either. I misspoke in this video. Rate of travel doesn’t change an object’s mass. That’s fixed. It can change the amount of force it carries however. So may the force be with you… or something like that. 😉
thanks for that great video!
Thank you!
thanks for this 🙌
You’re welcome!
How about meeting a Semi on a 2 lane road? That's a trip in itself.
Bravo!
Gyroscopic effect has little to do with the bike staying upright, it’s steering geometry and weight shifting from front to back and the other way around. You can easily stay upright at 5 km/h while the gyroscopic effect of the wheels is negligible.
If gyroscopic effect has little to do with the bike staying upright then it should be easy to balance the bike when it’s stopped. Unless you’re a trials rider, you’ll last less than a second if the bike isn’t moving. There’s a difference between minimal gyroscopic force having a big impact (you can go slow and still stay upright) and gyroscopic effect having minimal effect. Frame geometry etc helps keep a bike riding straight but that’s not what keeps the bike upright on two wheels.
@@tularosamoto where is the gyroscopic effect of a race bike at 2 km/h with a wheel that weighs next to nothing? Think about that.
Other videos say to hug the tank with your legs and be one with the bike, keeping tight. So surprised to hear the opposite here.
Part of the reason I made this video is because I heard that advice and wanted to set the record straight. As with most things about riding your bike, staying loose is the key.
Bro that was San Diego!!
Guy that lives down the road from me went on a leisurely ride on a windy day. It was his last ride. He got pushed off the road and into a wooded area. Died at the scene. He left behind a wife and a 7 yr old boy. He wasn’t wearing a helmet which could have possibly saved him. This happened March 28th 2022.
I'm sorry to hear that. Wind can definitely be a challenge if you don't know how to deal with it. Terrible that the consequences were deadly. Hopefully, this video can help out.
Man, that’s horrible. Wind is a bastard, it puts me off using the motorways
Your physics is off. Mass is mass. It isn’t a “function of energy.” Kinetic energy is a function of mass and velocity. (1/2 mv^2) Momentum is mass times velocity. When you said “mass,” I think you meant momentum, which is the tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion. Change in speed or direction of a heavier object requires more wind force than for a lighter object.
I find counter steering into the direction of the wind stabilizes the bike. I like when the winds blowing hard I feel like I’m flying an airplane- just soaring through the clouds😎 This is why small adventure bikes still need a little bit of weight to them, to counteract the winds
I think it's amazing how many people do not know how to counter steer into a curve to get your bike to turn
they die
I watched so many videos on how to ride in high wind, my solution is that I take a car on windy days
Umm.... Does this apply to bikes that are wayyyyy lighter?... My bike weighs 271lbs(123kg)....
If wind is blowing hard then i fear my bike might get thrown off the road.... Will these tips be applicabe to lighter bikes as well???
Yes! The fundamentals of riding a bike are always the same. It’s the degree of application that changes. On a lighter bike, you might get pushed around more so you’ll probably need to do more of everything.
@@tularosamoto thank you so much😄
Would this be true if you experience "death wobble" as far as staying loose goes?
That's a different topic. In general, let the bike do what it's going to do. If you're concerned about a tank slapper, make sure your bike is setup properly and get a steering stabilizer. I don't have one for my Monster but I do for my R6 track bike.
Check your head nut on your forks! Might need to get adjusted! Stay safe brother
Don't wear loose fitting clothing, especially loose jackets or shirts like Mackinaws..... they will increase your tendency to act as a "sail " and you will be thrown around that much more. Better to wear that snug fitting leather jacket or vest that you love
how about heavy bar end? will it help?
A little weight isn't going to help you anywhere near what adjusting with your body will. Once you get the basics down, it's not that hard.
👏
So basically, don't be a sail for the wind to fill.
Sort of... don't let the sail that is your body affect the boat that is your bike. ;-)
Like ur vid
Energy doesn't increase mass. Read Newton's laws of motion: Law 1. A body continues in its state of rest, or in uniform motion in a straight line, unless acted upon by a force.
Law 2. A body acted upon by a force moves in such a manner that the time rate of change of momentum equals the force.
Law 3. If two bodies exert forces on each other, these forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
You may know how to ride a motorcycle but you don't know squat about physics
I should have said that inertia increases, not mass. My mistake.
Actually, you're wrong. I don't know much about motorcycle riding either. ;-)
Hey now! He said he wasn't Ryan Fortnine!
regardless of what I do still get pushed from the bottom
If the wind is more then 20mph I don''t ride.
We all have our limits, however with a little bit of practice you can handle faster winds than that fairly easily.
crosswind really sucks, makes me wish I had a car.
Nothing more scary than wind pushing your bike to the side at 90mph. Had it happen to me at Brand’s Hatch indy circuit at a right corner, front end lifted and was pushed to the left - didn’t bother with the last session after that!
Not scary it just wears me out.
One thing def doesn’t help, is loose gear. My jacket is slightly too big for me, and flaps about like mad at motorway speeds, which makes my torso shake about slightly