Getting frustrated with the wind
Discussion
Isn’t some of the stability of the bike to do with the rake of the steering/forks/headset?
I dropped the head on my VFR by 10mm on someone’s recommendation, it improved its handling but also made a difference to the straight line stability it had. In as much as it was more nimble bit less stable.
It was extremely stable anyway so a small reduction wasn’t a big deal, but I suspect an MT07 will out handle my vfr all day long, at the expense of the vfr’s rock steady high speed stability.
I would also guess that’s why the big cruisers are not so affected by crosswinds.
Just my thoughts, but it dates back to the days when I had a BMX that would turn on a sixpence but was somewhat more challenging than a ‘racer’ at high speed (this was the 80’s). Not that I would ever let my mates on road bikes beat me of course!
I dropped the head on my VFR by 10mm on someone’s recommendation, it improved its handling but also made a difference to the straight line stability it had. In as much as it was more nimble bit less stable.
It was extremely stable anyway so a small reduction wasn’t a big deal, but I suspect an MT07 will out handle my vfr all day long, at the expense of the vfr’s rock steady high speed stability.
I would also guess that’s why the big cruisers are not so affected by crosswinds.
Just my thoughts, but it dates back to the days when I had a BMX that would turn on a sixpence but was somewhat more challenging than a ‘racer’ at high speed (this was the 80’s). Not that I would ever let my mates on road bikes beat me of course!
rich12 said:
Thoughts on the CBR600RR/ZX-6R? (2009)
Have read a few forums saying they're not ideal for tall people but it seems pretty much every sport bike isn't!
Yes they are tiny, go and sit on one at a dealers and find out, only you will know if you can fit on one or not, then try sitting on a few other things.Have read a few forums saying they're not ideal for tall people but it seems pretty much every sport bike isn't!
scarble said:
Looks like no one else is gonna say this so I'll be the one to stick my neck out... The issue might not be with the bike. Op, be honest now, 15st is a touch on the heavy side, are you powerfully built? What is your cross sectional area?
Well... 6ft 3
15 stone
Waist size is 34
Shoe size is 11/12
I can work out other measurements if need be
tvrolet said:
adventure-style sit-up and weight back - atrocious.
I'm sorry, but that's quite simply not true - mabe for that particular bike/rider but it's a generalisation I doubt would stand up to a test. I've got an Africa Twin and ride with a solid top box most of the time and I've never experienced anything unusual in cross winds - It's completely planted and perfectly manageable. I ride past the bottom of Glasgow Airport runway most days so the wind is pretty much always at 90degrees and it's never been an issue. Slowing down makes little difference in cross winds, it feels the same at 70mph as it does at 50mph. I've ridden in all weathers and never experienced anything you wouldn't expect to for that weather - if my bike is 'attrocious' in cross winds, then we must have different definitions of that word!
joema said:
I hate the wind on my naked ER6. I rarely go over 70 on the motorway as it's that bad.
Which is ok as it makes up about 3 miles of my journey.
If I do a trip I just have to be patient.
Edit: didn't read whole thread about side winds
I learnt on an er6 and not bought a bike yet - the memory of the wind really puts me off - I liked the bike but anything over about 55mph just felt dangerous with the slightest bit of wind Which is ok as it makes up about 3 miles of my journey.
If I do a trip I just have to be patient.
Edit: didn't read whole thread about side winds
Edited by joema on Monday 16th July 11:34
I think some of you lot need to man up a bit, 55mph wind too much and scared to go over 70, what a bunch of pussies, might as well buy a 125 FFS
Lean forwards, grip the tank with your knees and keep a relaxed grip on the bars and get on with it, my MT09 gets a weave on at around 130mph and prolonged high speed stuff is tiring and gives you an aching neck but really its not hard or difficult.
Lean forwards, grip the tank with your knees and keep a relaxed grip on the bars and get on with it, my MT09 gets a weave on at around 130mph and prolonged high speed stuff is tiring and gives you an aching neck but really its not hard or difficult.
Edited by Jazoli on Friday 20th July 17:48
Super Slo Mo said:
Isn’t some of the stability of the bike to do with the rake of the steering/forks/headset?
I dropped the head on my VFR by 10mm on someone’s recommendation, it improved its handling but also made a difference to the straight line stability it had. In as much as it was more nimble bit less stable.
It was extremely stable anyway so a small reduction wasn’t a big deal, but I suspect an MT07 will out handle my vfr all day long, at the expense of the vfr’s rock steady high speed stability.
I would also guess that’s why the big cruisers are not so affected by crosswinds.
Just my thoughts, but it dates back to the days when I had a BMX that would turn on a sixpence but was somewhat more challenging than a ‘racer’ at high speed (this was the 80’s). Not that I would ever let my mates on road bikes beat me of course!
You're talking about adjusting the rake/trail. It's a big part of the bike's geometry set up, and yes, cruisers with larger rake angles have more stability, and the trade off is obviously turning ability. I dropped the head on my VFR by 10mm on someone’s recommendation, it improved its handling but also made a difference to the straight line stability it had. In as much as it was more nimble bit less stable.
It was extremely stable anyway so a small reduction wasn’t a big deal, but I suspect an MT07 will out handle my vfr all day long, at the expense of the vfr’s rock steady high speed stability.
I would also guess that’s why the big cruisers are not so affected by crosswinds.
Just my thoughts, but it dates back to the days when I had a BMX that would turn on a sixpence but was somewhat more challenging than a ‘racer’ at high speed (this was the 80’s). Not that I would ever let my mates on road bikes beat me of course!
It's important to be aware that when you adjust pre-load, you also adjust ride height, so you also adjust rake/trail. Adjusting the pre-load on the front by 10mm is the same as dropping the forks by 10mm. That's all pre-load does, moves the springs and raises/lowering the bike. So just be aware of that relationship as a few don't seem to understand it.
I'm going to be honest though, I think the problem here could be the rider. Less experienced riders can be very quick to dick around with settings to try make things easier for themselves when in reality the most influential suspension component on any bike is the rider, you represent about what, 85 kilos of mass? This mass can move around, lock up, and transmit forces where it shouldn't, making work for the bike. "Twitchiness" is often just a sympton of the rider struggling to keep up and relax the bike's inputs during a ride.
This is a road bike, ridden on the road, with a rider who is roughly within the range of factory set up. Whilst it's important to get things set up correctly, I'm not sure I'd advocate jumping straight to adjusting suspension settings to compensate. I'd be looking at relaxing my arms and understanding there are literally thousands of people not having this problem.
That or a nice tall glass of man the f
k up, as suggested by Jazoli. 
Jazoli said:
Fit a screen?
My MT09 is a pain in the neck (literally) after an hour at 90mph but as I rarely ride on motorways its not such an issue, faired bikes don't necessarily have a worse turning circle, and yes there is a huge difference with a full fairing, 150mph cruising was effortless on my old ZZR1100 with a DB screen.
That must have been a very well designed double bubble screen. The one that was fitted to my Blackbird when I bought it was a joke, the wind eddies wobbled your head around something awful. I've put the original low factory screen back on and things are vastly improved. My MT09 is a pain in the neck (literally) after an hour at 90mph but as I rarely ride on motorways its not such an issue, faired bikes don't necessarily have a worse turning circle, and yes there is a huge difference with a full fairing, 150mph cruising was effortless on my old ZZR1100 with a DB screen.
rich12 said:
Thoughts on the CBR600RR/ZX-6R? (2009)
Have read a few forums saying they're not ideal for tall people but it seems pretty much every sport bike isn't!
My first road bike after passing was a CBR600rr Hannspree and loved it, im 6ft and didn't find it uncomfortable, when on longer runs I would need a break after around 3 hours to stretch my legs but wasn't that bad. It was very stable at speed, so much so I often didn't realise how stupidly fast I was actually going until i looked down, just felt so planted on the road (Obviously within reason and the conditions, never got into any trouble with it)Have read a few forums saying they're not ideal for tall people but it seems pretty much every sport bike isn't!
Edited by rich12 on Thursday 19th July 08:55
I bought a big Yamaha XVS950a tourer when I moved to Austria and it was decent on highways as it had a huge screen that blocked all wind etc, sold that last year and bought a Yamaha XT660x supermoto type and also now struggle with motorway speeds, it gets a bit wobbly and light feeling at higher speeds and it doesnt seem to be the crosswinds, especially when behind larger trucks etc which seem to make it worse, I assume they are just churning up the air more due to their s
t aerodynamics as well.I have thought of buying a screen for it but wandered if it would really make a difference, might give it a try and see after some comments above seem to indicate it would, I like the bike apart from this part of it and nothing else takes my fancy right now.
Don't want another superbike type bike at the moment as it was just too easy to speed with and I know I will just end up getting in trouble with it...
Prof Prolapse said:
It's important to be aware that when you adjust pre-load, you also adjust ride height, so you also adjust rake/trail. Adjusting the pre-load on the front by 10mm is the same as dropping the forks by 10mm. That's all pre-load does, moves the springs and raises/lowering the bike. So just be aware of that relationship as a few don't seem to understand it.
I'm going to be honest though, I think the problem here could be the rider. Less experienced riders can be very quick to dick around with settings to try make things easier for themselves when in reality the most influential suspension component on any bike is the rider, you represent about what, 85 kilos of mass? This mass can move around, lock up, and transmit forces where it shouldn't, making work for the bike. "Twitchiness" is often just a sympton of the rider struggling to keep up and relax the bike's inputs during a ride.
That or a nice tall glass of man the fk up, as suggested by Jazoli.
thanks for that. I’d consider myself a novice despite having a licence more than 10 years and been through the rospa training. I'm going to be honest though, I think the problem here could be the rider. Less experienced riders can be very quick to dick around with settings to try make things easier for themselves when in reality the most influential suspension component on any bike is the rider, you represent about what, 85 kilos of mass? This mass can move around, lock up, and transmit forces where it shouldn't, making work for the bike. "Twitchiness" is often just a sympton of the rider struggling to keep up and relax the bike's inputs during a ride.
That or a nice tall glass of man the f
k up, as suggested by Jazoli. I’m not capable of, or willing to, ride hard enough on the road to really trouble my bike, I was just thinking that wind would be a bigger factor on a bike that has less straight line stability.
Which is kind of obvious I guess.
I agree regards the relaxing, it makes a huge difference and is something that took me a while to get to grips with.
Jazoli’s answer is the best
, largely true too as you do get used to the bike moving. Mine is stable up to 130, never been over that so can’t comment.
Faired bikes are dreadful in heavy side winds. I remember crossing both Severn Bridges in such conditions, it was bloody horrible especially when it was gusting. A fairing must act just like a sail.
I think I'd feel rather exposed on an unfaired bike, you can sort of hide behind a fairing, especially in rain.
I think I'd feel rather exposed on an unfaired bike, you can sort of hide behind a fairing, especially in rain.
IME keeping your speed up and not slowing down works better, come off the throttle when a gust hits and lean into the wind, counter-steer, this should just happen naturally. Panicking, slowing down too much and tensing up will not end well, as with all aspects of riding.
Get a full screen for keeping the air off your shoulders, neck.
I've lost count of all the times that it becomes a very, very tiring battle and just plain bloody hard work. There's a section of the M62 that I used to find a HGV to ride parallel to, providing a shelter until the section was passed.
Get a full screen for keeping the air off your shoulders, neck.
I've lost count of all the times that it becomes a very, very tiring battle and just plain bloody hard work. There's a section of the M62 that I used to find a HGV to ride parallel to, providing a shelter until the section was passed.
More speed means more gyroscopic effect from wheels, means less movement from side winds.
Unfaired bikes *might* get pushed around more as the air churns up going all over the engine, tank, frame, etc. , I mean ultimately an Unfaired bike must have like 80% the cross sectional area of a faired equivalent, but with more turbulence.
But I'm no aerodynamicist.
Unfaired bikes *might* get pushed around more as the air churns up going all over the engine, tank, frame, etc. , I mean ultimately an Unfaired bike must have like 80% the cross sectional area of a faired equivalent, but with more turbulence.
But I'm no aerodynamicist.
rich12 said:
CBR600RR or Daytona 675?
What are peoples opinions? Going to look at some tomorrow hopefully so will get a feel for each.
As above, I had the CBR600rr Hannspree and loved it, very stable and plenty fast enough for me, never had one issue with it over the time I owned it (Roughly 1.5 years) I also liked the colour scheme of it, it used to freak out my mate whenever I came up behind him at speed as he said from his mirror he just seen the white fairing with the fluorescent colours of the Hannspree model and he always thought it was the police What are peoples opinions? Going to look at some tomorrow hopefully so will get a feel for each.
No experience with the Daytona though, but don't recall hearing anything bad about them, test drive both and see what you prefer I guess.
As stated above the gyroscopic effect means higher speed helps IME.
The other thing is the height of bike and rider position. I have found Hayabusa/Blackbird are much better than, for example my Gsxr1000 in crosswinds.
Hope that helps!
Edited for typo
The other thing is the height of bike and rider position. I have found Hayabusa/Blackbird are much better than, for example my Gsxr1000 in crosswinds.
Hope that helps!
Edited for typo
Edited by Motorhead Nutter on Monday 23 July 20:02
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