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 Post subject: Windy Riding
PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 09:42 
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Anyone else been daft enough to be riding this week?

I like to experience all riding conditions - but yesterday's gales were almost at the limit of pleasure!

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 Post subject: Re: Windy Riding
PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:36 
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Grumpy Old Biker wrote:
Anyone else been daft enough to be riding this week?

I like to experience all riding conditions - but yesterday's gales were almost at the limit of pleasure!


Ugh, hate it. When the mean wind is strong it's bad enough, riding with a permanent lean into wind; add the strong gusts we've been having, which you just cannot predict, and it makes life a nightmare. I find it stops being fun when you have to work so hard, not only processing all the normal riding information, but also ensuring you leave an additional downwind safety margin in case of a massive gust!

Then theres the windshear when you come round lorries or bridges...


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 Post subject: Re: Windy Riding
PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:17 
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RobinXe wrote:
Ugh, hate it. When the mean wind is strong it's bad enough, riding with a permanent lean into wind; add the strong gusts we've been having, which you just cannot predict, and it makes life a nightmare. I find it stops being fun when you have to work so hard, not only processing all the normal riding information, but also ensuring you leave an additional downwind safety margin in case of a massive gust!

Then theres the windshear when you come round lorries or bridges...


My worst moment was when I was stopped at some traffic lights. A massive gust hit and I thought I was going to drop it!. Both feet down, and well spread, saved the day - just.

I find there's an optimum speed of about 40mph in those conditions. Must be something to do with the apparent wind vector. Slower than that and I was blown everywhere - any faster and it was clenched buttocks time.

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 Post subject: Re: Windy Riding
PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:18 
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Grumpy Old Biker wrote:
My worst moment was when I was stopped at some traffic lights. A massive gust hit and I thought I was going to drop it!. Both feet down, and well spread, saved the day - just.

I find there's an optimum speed of about 40mph in those conditions. Must be something to do with the apparent wind vector. Slower than that and I was blown everywhere - any faster and it was clenched buttocks time.


I'm lucky enough that, at 6'5, I have been able to get both feet down on any of the bikes I've riden, even the largest. I confess that it saved some very expensive plastic repairs on more than one occasion when I was new to the VFR, not to mention some considerable embarassment when I nearly dropped it going down the kerb at an angle outside Cupar motorcycles while based at Leuchars.

I think you've cracked it with the wind vector, and we are subject to some 'odd' aerodynamics on a bike. I had a particularly harrowing journey down the (rather exposed) A42/M42 in a decent crosswind, with soft luggage and a rucksack on. It was almost as if, at certain speeds and relative wind headings, the panniers would 'lift' slightly (although well secured) and then give me a wobble every time the weight was 'dropped' back onto the bike. I imagine this was due to an oblique angle of incidence causing the airflow to take considerably more of the weight of one side than the other.

Unfortunately 40mph isn't really an option for a bike on a free-flowing motorway!


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 18:51 
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I don't know about last week, but the M3 to Southampton was pretty hairy at 4.00 this afternoon!


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 19:29 
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Micah wrote:
I don't know about last week, but the M3 to Southampton was pretty hairy at 4.00 this afternoon!



After last week, I chickened out today and took the car to work.

Boring, boring, boring.......still, back on my bike tomorrow :)

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 20:31 
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I ride every day, but not very far. Going to work was a slow process but getting home.... :lol:

If I had a longer ride, I might have taken the car. But I do think that the only way to learn to ride in less than ideal conditions is just ride.


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 21:21 
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You guys are making me feel really guilty for not riding yesterday!

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 13:15 
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Grumpy. I will admit to being a complete fairwether biker when it comes to riding to work. I have a car for that exact reason - I'm not going to ride 25 miles each way in the pissing rain, cold and strong winds because sitting in an office all day, wet and cold through is no fun at all.

There's no point risking riding in strong winds unless its absolutely necessary.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 18:45 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
Grumpy. I will admit to being a complete fairwether biker when it comes to riding to work. I have a car for that exact reason - I'm not going to ride 25 miles each way in the pissing rain, cold and strong winds because sitting in an office all day, wet and cold through is no fun at all.

There's no point risking riding in strong winds unless its absolutely necessary.


Yeah, I can understand that.

I actually love riding in the rain, I don't mind the cold and I usually don't have a problem with wind! :oops:
It's those wickedly strong gusts I have a problem with. As you say, why risk it if you don't have to.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 19:50 
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I remember a couple of years back I was riding south (clockwise) round the M60. Just north of Stockport if memory serves, there is a long, shallow down hill with a bridge at the bottom over a river. I was in L2 and when I got to the open section on the bridge I was almost blown into L3 and over to about a 30deg angle... :o

Rain isn't too bad in a full face. I prefer to ride in an openface and it can get a bit painful :roll:

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 20:58 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
to ride in an openface and it can get a bit painful :roll:


Me to...the worst thing is Hail. Especialy when you are wearing gogles. If the steam up you are in trouble.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 21:02 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
Rain isn't too bad in a full face. I prefer to ride in an openface and it can get a bit painful :roll:


Oooooh No! I couldn't stand an openface. I like to be all snug and enclosed.

The trouble with wind gust - it's about the only hazard you can't see coming, and I don't like things being out of my control.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 21:17 
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Grumpy Old Biker wrote:
Oooooh No! I couldn't stand an openface. I like to be all snug and enclosed.


Riding a motircycle wearing a full face is like wearing a condom during sex. It may be a lot safer but it just ain't the same..... :wink:

I don't like to ride in strong cross winds. I rode accross Oklahoma last year. Had terrible cross winds for about 200 miles. I was knackered. No fun when you get blown into the next lane.

I don't like riding in bad weather. Not much fun at all.

Looks like the car will be out tomorrow again

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Winter's first big chill is poised to hit Britain, weather forecasters have warned. Freezing snow and ice is set to sweep down from the north, as temperatures plummet throughout tomorrow. The chilly blast comes as the wind changes direction from the warmer south west to the north, bringing weather in off the icy North Atlantic.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:27 
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I wear an openface because I can see better. I don't have mirrors on either of my bikes (they are useless anyway) so I like to be able to turn my head right the way round. I find that in a full face the chin-guard just gets caught up on my shoulder.

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:50 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
I wear an openface because I can see better. I don't have mirrors on either of my bikes (they are useless anyway) so I like to be able to turn my head right the way round. I find that in a full face the chin-guard just gets caught up on my shoulder.


How can you se better with eyes full of flies and grit? Every time I open my visor a kamakazi insect dives in. Been hit on the cheek with a bumble bee to with the visor open...

What protection does your chin get with open face lids? My leg bones will soon mean, but my beautiful face.... :lol:


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:55 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:


I don't have mirrors on either of my bikes


WHAT!!! :yikes:

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:02 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
I like to be able to turn my head right the way round. I find that in a full face the chin-guard just gets caught up on my shoulder.


Have you tried leaning slightly forward and dipping your head as you turn to look? Your eyes won't be horizontal - but you'll see much further behind.

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:27 
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for those using an open face helmet, next time it rains/snows/hails, try holding your left arm out in front about 12-18" with your hand vertical between your eyes. the wind on your hand causes the rain to be blown out of eyes and face, almost 100% clear visibilty and you don't get your face blasted. The distance your hand is away from your face makes your hand look very thin or close to invisible. 90mph on the M6 in torrential rain proves this works.

For those in full face helmets, you may never accept the logic but until you've tred it, you'll never know. opening your visor is not anything like wearing an open face. the aperture in the front (the bit where you look out from) acts like a funnel, bugs and grit from what seems like yards either side get sucked in.

visibility is far better in an open face. looking back, there's no need for contorted movements to get a full and clear picture in a second rather than the 3 seconds in a full face, in which time anything could happen in front of you.

I have 3 bikes and none of them have ever or will ever have mirrors. bikes I've bought with mirrors have had them removed as a matter of course.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:37 
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covmike wrote:
I have 3 bikes and none of them have ever or will ever have mirrors. bikes I've bought with mirrors have had them removed as a matter of course.


Why?

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