[jedney]

I know all about the falling, but you win! Man I am glad you are better than the bike! Hope you heal up quickly and fully. The bike can be replaced...

[sassyduck]

I am glad you are alright. That is a scary situation. I hope you get your bike up and going soon.

I was contemplating riding down to SoCal after my grandmother passed away. I ended up driving down with my husband and son, and I am glad I did. There were high wind warnings all up and down I-5.

[JIB]

Wow, glad you're OK

[Bigza]

70 mph and ur still alive, bikers have been dieing in northeast Ohio every other week, in most cases they didn't have on there helmits. glad ur ok. thank the lord and count ur blessing. i also went down this year, the bike can be fix, as for u it's not that simple.

[DreKat]

I wrecked at 70mph 4 years ago so I know how ya feel.

[tonikat]

Glad to hear you've recovered and your moods are high.
High winds are something I've always been scared of. Sometimes I've been almost forced to stop down, and maybe we should do that more often. I remember having really bad sensations from lateral winds with my former HD Sportster. Though a relatively heavy bike, it took up wind gusts very nasty. I've noticed also a big influence from riding bikes with large windscreens. They behave like ship sails taking up wind gusts. . That's the main reason why bike makers tend to design always small windscreens, and users always complain 'bout stock winscreens not being 'protective' enough. My current GS500F, BTW, seems to me amazingly resistant to wind effects.
I would sum up the ideal bike for wind effects would be:
Full Faired (better than naked, in spite of some clues on the contrary. Faring is designed to reduce wind resistance; wind gusts mix up with frontal relative wind when you are riding - you cannot separate them )
Low windscreen (in high winds, just bend and hide behind !)
Low bike,
Heavy
(in order of relevance, IMO )
As for driving technique, of course, higher speed makes the resultant wind force less lateral, more 'frontally oriented' -you know, that stuff about vectors... (At high speeds, any lateral wind is perceived as a frontal wind, or better said, its lateral component gets to a minimum). But this is VERY risky formula. IF wind finally takes you down anyway, the crash gets much worse, remember its deceleration that kills you !
Also helpful, downshifting one step, ...
Best of all though, step down and take a snack at the nearest point you can !
Just my 2 cts on this very important issue.

[pveity]

sorry to hear about that glad you are ok!!!!!!!!

["K"]

Any update on your recovery?

[macgyver]

I've been told that higher speeds give more stability in strong winds. I rode home in rain and heavy winds yesterday when my gig was canceled due to weather, (70 miles...Honda VTX1300C) and averaged 80 and was stable,but the VTX has about 200 lbs on a Kat). Opinions on this, please? But more germaine to the point, dude, I'm glad that you're okay. Get it fixed or get another.

The God D#!* german's got nothing to do with it! Sorry I had to, as soon as I saw the word I instantly thought Smokey and the Bandit. Glad to hear you survived the wreck and are healing

[Mojoe]

Yes Zuma, the faster your going the better the bike is in the wind. The gyroscopic forces of the bike are stronger. If you slow down, you feel the effects of the wind much worse

there are two ways to look at that, Paul. ya, the higher the speed, the stronger the gyroscopic forces, BUT the bike also weighs less (amount of weight against the ground), which makes the bike that much easier to be tossed sideways in a strong wind.

I ride in strong winds often enough on the way to Montreal. They have some flats out that way called the prairies, and the wind has been known to blow trucks and cars off the road during winter.

anyhoo, I have tried to maintain speed limits during these winds, and they just blew me from one lane to the next...back and forth. too scary! personally, I slow down. the wind may push a little harder at slower speeds, but at least I am not being blown over 5-6 feet from my path.

[yunggunz87]

Any update on your recovery?

Actually I am back 100 percent. it took me almost 3 months but im good now. My neck still gets a bit sore and stiff on the cold days. But I am thankfull thats all I have is a sore neck from time to time.


And mojoe I fell the same way about the wind. If i am getting blown from one lane to the other I slow down basicly because if im going faster I get blown farther. The Pre Kat is not good in wind at all or atleast mine isnt.

I found that if i take the fairings off the bike is a shat tun more stable in the wind almost as if there wasnt any wind.

I also found were the center of the bike is without the fairings. Before I was trying to turn with the front of the bike meaning headlight. Without the farings I found that the bike doesnt turn from the front of the headlight its actual turning point is about a foot behind the headlight.

Being my first bike I didnt know this until I rebuilt the bike and rode it peice by peice.

By the way thanks for all the get wells and stuff I really apriciate it fellas.. Makes you feel a bit different when people are talking to you that have been through the same thing...

[Wheel]

Just saw this.. glad you made it out okay and are up and running again.

I ride in heavy winds frequently here in vegas, and I also have found that slower is better in the heavy winds... I try to stay in a lane that gives me lots of run-off in the direction the wind is blowing just in case. Interestingly enough, the LSL handlebar kit has made the bike TONS more stable in heavy winds.

I mean 50 mph plus...

[acraze]

Glad you are back at 100%

[BigFish]

there are two ways to look at that, Paul. ya, the higher the speed, the stronger the gyroscopic forces, BUT the bike also weighs less (amount of weight against the ground), which makes the bike that much easier to be tossed sideways in a strong wind.

Interesting, how does the bike weigh less?

[Reviir]

oh wow glad to hear your ok