Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted February 04, 2009 10:55 AM
Fracking Wind!!!!
Let me begin by telling you that the weather in South Florida has been gorgeous as of late, and I thoroughly enjoy riding instead of shoveling snow, but Mother Nature and I seem to be at a crossroad.
I live roughly a 1/2 hour from work and it is an easy commute; no traffic or tolls to deal with whatsoever. Problem is, when I leave my house the weather may be beautiful but once I get on the Beeline Highway (which is a flat, straight, desolate road with no buildings or trees) I suddenly get beat to heck by treacherous wind gusts. These blasts threaten to knock me clear off my bike or punch my wheels out from underneath me. I tried crouching behind my windshield and keeping my speed down to a steady crawl, as well as keeping clear of the other cars but more than a few times this morning the gale almost launched me into a canal.
What drives me further into lunacy was I saw this guy on a Goldwing bobbing along, happy as kid in a candy store, doing about 80MPH, and he didn't seem to even NOTICE the wind. Is there something I am doing wrong here? Anyone have any riding tips for the wind afflicted, or is it just something I have to deal with?
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
  
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bawls
Needs a job
re-learning to ride
Posts: 2701
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posted February 04, 2009 11:12 AM
When I brought my from texas to san diego, I had about 300 miles of desert with gusts up to 70mph. I was leaning over sideways while riding in a straight line. It's just a fact of life that crotch rockets don't do well in high winds. It probably has something to do with the fact that they don't weigh much and have a huge cross section with all of the plastic working like a sail. I say suck it up and keep riding. If nothing else, it'll keep you on your toes lol.
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Best 60ft: 1.42
Best 1/8th: 5.97
Best 1/8th MPH: 119
Brockland Police Badge # 001
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Juice McGoose
Novice Class
Posts: 73
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posted February 04, 2009 11:54 AM
Goldwings since '85 weight about 65% more than 14's. Plus most of that weight is low to the ground. Also I am sure he noticed the crosswind.
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Old Guy
Expert Class
Posts: 470
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posted February 04, 2009 12:19 PM
In heavy winds at a cross angle I lean the bike towards the wind and slightly hang off in other direction. Light grip on bars is very important, Use your knees for grip and stability in a racer crouch. you'll still get buffeted but its physically easier to stay in the center of your lane. just using MINOR weight shifts to correct wind and line changes. EASY on the bars.
We get strong winds at Portland track days and I have been blown off line 2 ft. at speed. after acouple of scary over corrections I found this worked best for ME.
____________
Living the good life...,
On a XZ !!!!!
Tsukigi stainless full system
pcIII w/custom map
NO freakin flies!!
GP suspension forks
Penske rear shock
Rich's custom seat
And a whole bunch of other stuff.
97 zx6r full race bike with all the
good stuff
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted February 04, 2009 01:03 PM
Thanks Old Guy! I am going to put your technique to work this evening.
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
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Rook
Pro
Posts: 1125
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posted February 04, 2009 01:55 PM
When I have problems with wind, I just eat less beans.
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SteveWFL
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted February 04, 2009 02:02 PM
The wind up on the Skyway Bridge between St. Petersburg and Bradenton has been tough too lately
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted February 04, 2009 02:17 PM
Well, of all the things to deal with I would think wind was going to be one of the few things in Florida I would not have to worry about... aside from during hurricanes. Usually the air here is dead still.
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
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Hawkman
Zone Head
Posts: 747
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posted February 04, 2009 03:59 PM
Go into your LCD panel and pull up the Cloak mode.
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted February 04, 2009 04:24 PM
Is that next to the Turbo Boost?
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
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juicey69
Novice Class
slowpoke
Posts: 44
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posted February 04, 2009 05:45 PM
I'm with you,I work in the Tampa Bay area and after on I75 is a hell riding due to wind guts all the time,but you know you suck it up and ride the hell out of the bike
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Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles ..." - Hunter S. Thompson
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Rook
Pro
Posts: 1125
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posted February 04, 2009 07:13 PM
 Edited By: Rook on 5 Feb 2009 03:15
40 mph winds were enough to keep me off the bike one day last summer. I rode through the parkway and got blown 2 feet off course before I corrected and corrcting against the wind seemed pretty freaky too. As the months went on, I seemed a lot more comfortable in wind but I don't think I ever got hit like that time in the parkway again.
It's probabley a good idea to keep the speed down on a windy day because the faster you are going, the more off course distance you will cover before you correct.
Rook
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SteveWFL
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted February 04, 2009 07:17 PM
quote:
I'm with you,I work in the Tampa Bay area and after on I75 is a hell riding due to wind guts all the time,but you know you suck it up and ride the hell out of the bike
Join us at bike night sometime? You probably already know but QSL has the biggest bike night in FL, some of us from here meet up there occasionally
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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juicey69
Novice Class
slowpoke
Posts: 44
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posted February 04, 2009 07:21 PM
Kool
lets see if this cold fronts are gone by next week,tomo is not a good day to ride (25 F) ???
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Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles ..." - Hunter S. Thompson
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SteveWFL
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted February 04, 2009 07:31 PM
quote:
Kool
lets see if this cold fronts are gone by next week,tomo is not a good day to ride (25 F) ???
Highs in 50's tomorrow then freezing, It'll be back to our normal 70's by the weekend. we'll go next week 
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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Old Guy
Expert Class
Posts: 470
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posted February 04, 2009 11:45 PM
quote:
quote:
Kool
lets see if this cold fronts are gone by next week,tomo is not a good day to ride (25 F) ???
Highs in 50's tomorrow then freezing, It'll be back to our normal 70's by the weekend. we'll go next week
Enjoy it guys.
Sticks N Stones, Me and others think the mid 30's is fine riding weather after the frost mostly melts. And them poor cats in Canada and the midwest just snowmobile or something.
____________
Living the good life...,
On a XZ !!!!!
Tsukigi stainless full system
pcIII w/custom map
NO freakin flies!!
GP suspension forks
Penske rear shock
Rich's custom seat
And a whole bunch of other stuff.
97 zx6r full race bike with all the
good stuff
|
eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted February 05, 2009 06:50 AM
i feel ya steve, south ga isnt much different than fl, when its in the 30's in freaking COOLD.... ill take the truck anywhere i need to when it gets that chilly.
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted February 05, 2009 10:12 AM
I love the cold but I appreciate it more from inside my warm house
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
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tnt
Expert Class
Posts: 214
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posted February 05, 2009 07:01 PM
Crosswinds are definitely a bitch when you are trying to break in a new bike! I just turn the sail and head into the wind!
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Sigma14
Expert Class
Posts: 151
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posted February 06, 2009 09:07 PM
Well at least it has been warm enough for you to ride. We have be experiencing days with highs in the teens. Its been bull$#^! and I am ready to ride. Ok I got that off my chest strong winds are a pain.
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ConcoursX1
Parking Attendant
Posts: 12
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posted February 16, 2009 02:12 AM
Hey Ninja Knight, I also ride a BO 14 from the "Beach Line" from Cocoa to Orlando (if that is the same Bee line). Does the Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield help?
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Ninja_Knight
Zone Head
Posts: 666
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posted February 17, 2009 02:39 PM
quote:
Hey Ninja Knight, I also ride a BO 14 from the "Beach Line" from Cocoa to Orlando (if that is the same Bee line). Does the Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield help?
Hey ConcoursX1, I have found that the double bubble windscreen does a few things very well. First thing is that it cuts down wind buffeting A LOT over stock, but no where near as much as the ZG Touring windshield, but I just did not like the look of the touring shield. Second, the dark color makes the dash easy to read in bright sunlight and does not inhibit you looking through it as much as you would think. Lastly, the look of it is very fitting for the 14; it just looks like it "fits". Hope this helps.
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2009 B&O Special Edition, Brock's CF Gen 3 Exhaust, Dark Smoke ZG Double Bubble Windshield, PCIII, Muzzy Fan, Heli Risers, Throttlemeister Heavy, Nautilus Stebel Horn, Waiting on HID's and Tinted Signal Lens
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ConcoursX1
Parking Attendant
Posts: 12
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posted March 01, 2009 09:13 PM
Hey Ninja_Knight, you are right on every account, the Double Bubble does cut way down on the buffeting and is right at home with the look of the bike. But nothing could help with the wind we had today on the Beachline. Thanks, it did help.
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Rau
Parking Attendant
Love to ride not pose.
Posts: 30
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posted March 01, 2009 10:56 PM
quote:
In heavy winds at a cross angle I lean the bike towards the wind and slightly hang off in other direction. Light grip on bars is very important, Use your knees for grip and stability in a racer crouch. you'll still get buffeted but its physically easier to stay in the center of your lane. just using MINOR weight shifts to correct wind and line changes. EASY on the bars.
We get strong winds at Portland track days and I have been blown off line 2 ft. at speed. after acouple of scary over corrections I found this worked best for ME.
+1
For me, riding in Illinois throughout tornado country I experience all the time as well as living in the Windy City! Same deal, lean into the wind etc... exactly the same as the post I'm quoting. The wind knocks you around in cars very easy around here, but its part of the enjoyment of riding on the open roads, give and take, doesn't last forever.
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To Ride or not ride, that is the question.
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Evilsports
Expert Class
Posts: 119
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posted March 02, 2009 12:16 AM
Try hanging your knee out a little bit if you have a cross wind.
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