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High cross-wind areas around the Bay

Gary856

Gary856

Are we having fun yet?
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Location
San Jose, CA
Moto(s)
WR250F, MTS1200, FZ1, DR650, R1250GS
Name
Gary
680 along Fairfield always seems windy. Last Saturday night around 9:30 pm I rode back on 680 from Fairfield toward Benicia-Martinez Bridge on the YZF600R and the gusty wind from the right (westerly) gave me a hard time. The bike felt like a side-way swing pendulum. My upper body and arms were stable with no steering input, but the lower portion of the bike would “swing” about a foot to the left with the bike leaning to the right without warning. Again, it felt like riding on ice so both front/rear tires would slide laterally, while the top was suspended on something, so the bike swung like a pendulum sideways. I experienced this on highway 1 before and know about staying loose, but it was still a little unnerving at night, not knowing exactly how strong the gusts would get. I was afraid of being pushed into the next lane, but it didn’t get that bad. At that time I couldn’t remember how I was supposed to position my body – keep straight, or low and lean into the wind. (I looked it up in Proficient Motorcycling after I got home.) No problem with the wind after crossing the bridge.

Where are some other high cross-wind areas around the bay? I guess all the bridges, along with Hwy 1, can get pretty bad when it's stormy. How do you deal with it?
 
Well, I guess you picked the right bike for the occasion. The DRZ would have fared much worse in the high winds.

I hear that sticking your leg out in the direction of the wind helps. I have absolutely no idea why this is - just my vague recollection.
 
Gary856 said:
Where are some other high cross-wind areas around the bay? I guess all the bridges, along with Hwy 1, can get pretty bad when it's stormy. How do you deal with it?
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Storms can be bad, but regular summertime afternoons in the Altamont can get downright crazy. You get constant heavy gusts punctuated by gaps in the hills. The entire area gets gusty, but the eastern part of Vasco (from camino diablo heading west) can get pretty nuts on a regular basis. Deal with it the same as always. Grip the bike with your knees, keep your arms loose, and don't let the wind force steering inputs. Also, some bikes seem more prone to getting pushed around than others.
 
Highway 1 between Watsonville and Monterey (near Castroville, Moss Landing, Seaside, etc.) is often very windy.
 
sixtytwo said:
Well, I guess you picked the right bike for the occasion. The DRZ would have fared much worse in the high winds.

I hear that sticking your leg out in the direction of the wind helps. I have absolutely no idea why this is - just my vague recollection.
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I would have preferred to take the DRZ on the way up (north) on Palomeras and Redwood Road, but there was too much freeway riding that day for the DRZ.

Proficient Motorcycling says to lean the bike into the wind. I guess sticking a knee/leg into the wind is the same idea as leaning your body into a turn to keep the bike more upright. Psychologically it was hard to lean to the right when I already felt the tires "slid" to the left as if on ice.
 
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sanjuro said:
Just curious, would going faster keep the bike more upright?
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Well, my thinking is you might get a little more gyroscopic stability, but going faster also gives you less reaction time when the wind gusts push you off the intended course unexpectedly.
 
Yeah, just let the tires slide out and maintain your line. Same rules as cornering, only it's harder to see changes. If you do it right you can lightly guide the bikes direction and trust the motorcycle to adjust lean angle as it needs too. Zen riding ftw.
 
what I found works well for me is I will lean the bike into the direction the wind is coming then just counter lean my body. You still get pushed around a little but it keeps you from getting that oh shit feeling when your bike suddenly gets leaned over by wind. Hwy 4 by me (just before the baily exit) gets pretty windy.
 
keep it in a lower gear

I have found that keeping my bike one gear lower than usual gives me greater control and ability to react and to make quick inputs to gusts of wind, especially to unpredictable crosswinds. I brake less, and concentrate more on throttle inputs; doing this seems to have improved my riding in high winds, although I have to say that I'm still a little nervous when it is extremely windy, and winds are at 40mph and above.
 
ok now go back out there but this time, try wearing a dual sport helmet :laughing
 
I just tuck in more and hold on for the ride lol... I notice when I slow down and try to fight it by leaning into the wind to hold my line in the lane I sometimes overthrow it and when the wind gives out I shoot over more than I want too..

I started just speeding up a bit and tucking in more while keeping my arms light and my upper torso as stiff as I can and I have a little more stability. Then again though, I don't think 280 nor 101 have the wind's like some of you guys are experiencing.
 
What you're feeling is normal. It's weird as hell, I still don't get how it works, but it's normal. You're still traveling pretty much straight while this is going on, and the bike is basically correcting itself. Keeping your balance against the wind, you can naturally be inclined to lean and put some pressure on the bar on the lower side, countersteering almost subliminally. The front wheel then falls towards that side, steering into and against the wind just enough. At least, that's how it feels to me once I paid attention to it for a while and got used to it. I cross the bay bridge daily, so I get some practice. Thanks to the sipinning wheels the bike really wants to go in a straight line. Stay light on the bars, don't wrestle against it or worry about it too much.

Granted, my bike is 500 pounds, and about as aerodynamic as a brick, but my main issue is physically fighting the wind knocking my head around, and not letting it make my arms yank against the bars. So far, despite all the horror stories I've heard about wind on the bridge, I have yet to meet any gust that pushed me more than maybe a foot or two to one side or the other. Nothing that could come near threatening to drive me out of my lane. And I do nothing special whatsoever to deal with the wind. I just sit there minding my own business and watching the bike correct itself in this weird swingy-swishy-feeling way.

Today was pretty bad. I've seen stronger winds, but these were really rough and irregular, rattling me around. (rattling me around on the bike mostly, the bike just plugs along)
 
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680 is huricane alley. Bad stretch for bikes.

Sold an F4 to a friend at work. He rode that stretch coming into work the next day, got a bad cross wind, lost control and was killed.
 
fasteddie_rr said:
680 is huricane alley. Bad stretch for bikes.

Sold an F4 to a friend at work. He rode that stretch coming into work the next day, got a bad cross wind, lost control and was killed.
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True story?! :wtf How much experience did that guy have?

I'd be hesitant to sell my bike to someone I know for this reason. :(
 
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