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How to safely ride across bridges & in wind for light riders?

C

cozy

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2020
Location
Marin, Ca.
Moto(s)
2001 Suzuki Bandit 600
Does anyone else have difficulty, get bottom puckered when riding across bay area bridges? How do you do it safely?

I am relatively small & light ( 5feet 5inches, 130 lbs ) and riding a 2001 Suzuki bandit 600 so it's not a heavy bike either.

I've mostly stopped riding across the golden gate and bay bridges for a while, since almost every time I've ridden across them I was getting buffeted all around and even across lanes and genuinely fearful Id get blown into other vehicles, side rails or off the bridge as nearly happened.

However, I miss riding beyond the sf north bay. I live in Marin. Thankfully there are many great winding backroads in Marin, Petaluma, Sonoma...areas.

And I want to get maintenance work done at a mechanic shop SCC in the south bay for tires, chain, sprockets and brakes as they seem to have the best pricing and ive heard good reviews of their work from other barfers.
At this point my only hesitation going there and paying them for the work is the danger - butt pucker factor of riding across bridges and wind along the routes there and back.


I've tried both slowing down and speeding up as some have suggested doing when going across golden gate bridge. Still felt scary af and I got blown into other lanes at times.

About the only thing that has helped reduce being buffeted around is when I've been able to line myself up so im riding in between large vehicles on both sides so they act as wind barriers. At least until the direction of travel and wind direction change & funnel through the channel I'm in.


If there are tips, knowledge about riding motorcycles safely across bridges and windy roads that will help do so safely and more confidently, its worth asking. Likely helpful for others too?
 
It basically comes down to confidence which is gained by experience and seat time. The more comfortable you get being on the bike in adverse conditions the more relaxed you become. The butt pucker and handlebar death grip sensation should fade as your competence level increases.
 
Body position and counter steering have always been helpful for me in cross winds. Wind blowing me to the right, I put a little more pressure on left bar to counter act the wind, and I slide my butt a skosh to the right. Be ready to adjust as needed and eventually you won't even notice you're doing anything and you will naturally keep the bike steady.

I can remember the worst wind I ever encountered. It was in Nevada on I80 and it was a couple hours of heavy winds trying to blow me off the road. I found this technique very helpful. YMMV.
 
Also, pick your practice time in adverse conditions where the consequence of a mistake is not death. You are right to stay off the bridges in windy conditions for now. :)
 
If you practice on the astoria bridge....
You'll be fine...
 

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Well the good news being light is really not a factor. The best riders in the world are not particularly heavy.

Most of this will just come from experience and getting comfortable but my quick tips would be.

  • Stay light on the bars. If you get nervous and are death gripping the bars hard your you stiff arms and hands will potentially add unnecessary inputs on the bars, and make your ride twitchy and less controlled. This particularly true when on bridge where you are getting gusts of wind.
  • If the wind is consistent, you can counter steer a little to resist the wind. Leaning and counter steering a little against the wind can help help brace you.
  • Ride in the center of your lane. I normally stay to the left or right depending on what I am doing but this one of those times you want a little extra buffer so have so maintain some wiggle room if you are blown around a bit.
  • Relax and try not be unnerved about the wind. Being tense is nothing but bad.

Wind on bridges can be a little unsettling and sometimes uncomfortable but rarely problem.
 
How gusty are the bridge winds? I've never encountered them.

I have been blown in to another lane before, but was here in So Cal on the 210 when I got caught by an invisible wind gust from a canyon. Quite by surprise, I had very little time to react, mostly enough to see nothing was in the other lane, so I just rode with and did the merge. I certainly could have countersteered and pushed back, I just chose not to because I didn't have to. But it was a bolt from the right out of the blue. Calm day, clear day, no dust, and WHAM.

Now, in contrast, living near the Cajon Pass, where wind is its own food group.

The unfortunate truth is that to get used to this stuff you have to ride it. I don't know how often you have winds, or their scope, or if you even know that "today is a light day" vs "today is heavy day" so you could choose what day to ride.

As others have said, be light on the bars, and relax. You will be shoved around a little bit, but, unless the wind is REALLY gusty, even if it shifts, it should not be surprising to you.

The bike itself, is safe. It's really not going anywhere. I've been out to Lancaster to Willow, famous for wind (you want fun times, I watch racers diving to turn 9 with a dust cloud obscuring it at full song - I'm just watching and it was scary enough). The kind of wind where you see all of the bikes on the road at about a 5 degree "list" into the wind. At least, until they pass a semi-truck as a wind break, then they "pop up".

You get used to it. It's like rain grooves on the freeway. If you bike and tires tracks those (i.e. you can feel them in the handlebars), it can be disconcerting. But it's nothing to worry about. What the bike is feeling, and what you're feeling, are two different things.

So, anyway, if you can get out on "light wind" days, just get some more seat time and relax. You'll get the hang of it.
 
Good suggestions to which I like to drop a gear or 2 to help control the bike with the throttle.
 
It's been said, but stay relaxed on the bars, so you won't make steering inputs when your body gets pushed. Focus on keeping loose from shoulders down if necessary.

Do you have a top case? Removing it may help.

Do you have a tall screen on your bike or anything else that would make it more of a sail in crosswinds than a stock Bandit?
 
Only thing I can add to the other comments about counter steering and light on the bars is to also grip the tank/bike a bit with your knees. Doing these three things helped me. If you're loose it's easier to compensate when the gusts suddenly stop or shift.

I've had some pucker moments too, but eventually learned to relax. Seems counter intuitive but it's not.

When I used to commute from SF to Alameda on my KLR - Bay Bridge in a rain storm with high winds felt like my front wheel was pushed to the side several inches. I pulled off on Treasure Island and settled down before heading back on the bridge to get home to SF.

Riding to SF from LA on my KLR the wind was so strong I felt like I was literally riding leaned over but going straight. This was somewhere around the grape vine.
 
If wind is blowing you to the right, press forward on the left handlebar.

If wind is blowing you to the left, press forward on the right handlebar.

Squeezing the motorcycle with your legs / knees may make you feel better (do it!), but it won’t actually control the motorcycle.
 
Lots of great tips here, I just have one thought to add....

KEEP YOUR EYES UP, it slows everything down. If you're able to relax, and remember to keep a high visual horizon, your body will "auto correct" for the wind...
 
All good advice.
-choose day/time when crossing bridges that are prone to high winds when winds/traffic may be less
-eyes up looking ahead
-light on the bars, but position to counter the wind force
-squeezing the tank will help activate your core, thus preventing your torso from becoming a wet noodle
-seat time and build up your confidence
(I'm 5'4" at 115 without gear on an FJ-09....talk about a light wind catcher)
 
I’ve only had one experience where wind bothered me. It was on the San Mateo bridge, going west one afternoon. Gusts of up to 70 or more would slam into me from the side and affect the bike. Of course, I was riding my ST when it happened. I just stayed loose on the bike and made it across.
 
one thing to keep in mind is when riding in heavy cross wind you will be leaning the bike into the wind, if a big vehicle passes blocking the wind the bike will fall towards the vehicle
 
chrisweir.com said:
I'm not sure I agree with this point... I like to let the bike move under me while maintaining my lane position...
Click to expand...

Gripping the tank allows you to be/feel connected to the bike and thus you can relax your arms. Works for me.
 
chrisweir.com said:
I'm not sure I agree with this point... I like to let the bike move under me while maintaining my lane position...
Click to expand...

Correct...for me,...squeezing the tank prevents my upper body from folding sideways when a gust of wind slams into me. The bike moves, and I with it, as opposed to not gripping the tank and then being thrusted sideways which could initiate input into the bars which is not what we want.
 
It should be noted the differences between constant wind and gusty wind.

Constant wind you simply compensate for. If the wind if pushing left, a little pressure on the left bar to countersteer right to resist it. And, you just hold it. You can tell when bikes are in constant wind as they lean "into" the wind. It's like a boat countering wind or a current with a little bit of rudder.

Here, you have to be careful when something blocks the wind (a truck, or an overpass) as, now, "suddenly", that counter force on the bar is going to start drifting your bike since there's no wind to counter. And, of course, when the truck passes, or you're past the block the wind returns.

Gusty wind is where the loose upper torso comes in. You don't want the gust of wind to transfer to the bars. It's not that the wind effect isn't real, but most of the movement in rider induced. So, if you the rider can "take the hit", the bike will stay steady. The rider takes the buffeting and bounces around a bit, but the bike runs true as long as that wind gust isn't turned in to a handlebar effect.

And this is where a handlerbar mounted windscreen can add a little to the challenge (because now the wind CAN directly afffect the bars). But most modern bikes have fairing mounted screens, so it's less of an issue.

So how about when you have constant wind with gusts? Hard to be "loose" on the bars when you applying counter pressure.

But, that's the beauty of it. Since the countersteer arm is "rigid", any force that moves you, is going to countersteer more INTO the wind, like it should, compensating a bit more for the gust. Outside of Oklahoma, wind doesn't really change direction (especially coastal flows), so it all balances out.

Obviously, as the rider is getting beat up its disconcerting. But be confident that barring hurricane winds, it's more "you" than the bike. It's more uncomfortable than dangerous. Just ride it out and get used to it. You don't ever have to enjoy it, but just know your bike and you are safe once you get the dance down.
 
Enchanter said:
If wind is blowing you to the right, press forward on the left handlebar.

If wind is blowing you to the left, press forward on the right handlebar.

Squeezing the motorcycle with your legs / knees may make you feel better (do it!), but it won’t actually control the motorcycle.
Click to expand...


+1

This is the totally distilled description. It is all about countersteering which is counterintuitive. Once you understand it and are able to apply pressure quickly without thought you will keep your line within 16" in all but the most severe conditions. Slowing down will always help -math. With more practice and understanding you will get it. Your goal is to have your responses become automatic and not a thought process. Thought takes time. Time and speed equal distance from your starting point. Quicker appropriate responses reduce time spent traveling off line and keep you closer to where you want to be.
 
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