(new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable

[MThomas]

First time on the highway last night and I hit about 50/55 mph but I felt very uncomfortable with even slight winds from the cars/natural wind etc. Almost felt like I was going to blow over at times. Should I assume a more forward riding position (that helped a tad) or is this just something to get used to with experience?

[sstein]

The latter. Scary at first but you'll get used to it. Have fun!

[skylarmav1]

Even though I road dirt bikes for years-once I got on a highway with 18 wheelers and three or four lanes, it took me a while to settle in and be confident/comfortable-and I had years of riding under my belt. Take your time, no jerky movements and get ready to hear all kinds of new sounds that will at first scare you but you'll get used to which ones are the noises of the road and which require evasive action. Have fun!

[dandeldesierto]

If you're new to motorcycles, then you are definitely on the steeper part of the learning curve (riding requires one to stay on the learning curve forever, you're just on the first and steepest part). BMWs are designed for the rider to be slightly procumbent (that is, leaning slightly forward, - on a "naked" bike the wind should help support your torso. A full-faced helmet, or one with a shield on it, may help you with getting used to the wind. The R1150R has a number of options for wind protection, both from BMW and aftermarket sources. I believe BMW makes three windshields for it, a "flyscreen" (small), standard touring and tall touring. Parabellum is a windshield company that was started by a BMW rider who wasn't satisfied with the products available; they now make shields for a lot of bikes, but BMWs are their forte. I use a tall Parabellum touring shield that is made for the R1150R; for me it works very well. Parabellum also makes a fairing (the Scout) for the 1150R. There are other aftermarket shields that can be fitted to the 1150R. One of the things I love about motorcycling is being "IN" the environment, but there are a lot of times when I'm just in it too much, and knocking the strong winds and big gusts off really makes the experience better, safer, and allows me to ride many more miles in a day. Just ride, think about what works or could work for you, and go for it. Motorcycling has been one of the great joys of my life... good luck to you!

[MThomas]

I don't like the way the wishield looks so I took it off.
I don't mind the wind on my face (I have a full face helmet anyway), it's the unsteadiness of the bike.
Last night I was going about 50/55 mph and I felt so unsteady, I was in an exit-only lane and wanted to move over but didn't feel I could do so safely so I exited.
I have to get used to this somehow

[MThomas]

I guess my question is: "am I in danger?" I feel unsteady but they say most accidents are at curves and intersections and at slow speeds yet I feel like that bike could fall over ...

[riceburner]

.... , it's the unsteadiness of the bike.
Last night I was going about 50/55 mph and I felt so unsteady, I was in an exit-only lane and wanted to move over but didn't feel I could do so safely so I exited.
I have to get used to this somehow

ok - that sounds weird.

at 55, on smooth tarmac, the bike shouldn't be 'unsteady'. That's practically perfect conditions - the bike should be tracking straight and true.

can you describe the 'unsteadiness' ?

[Riverside]

MThomas, I'd suggest you check tire pressures, lug nuts, tire wear/symetry, front axle bolt torque, and steering head. If all this is OK then it is probably a lack of familiarity with the bike. Road surface can also be a problem. Out here in Southern California the state occassionaly "levels" the road surface by grinding vertical grooves in the concrete. This gives an odd surface to the roadway that causes my wife's Abarth to "wander" a bit at speed, but leaves my MB unfazed. The few times I use freeways out here on the bike I notice some small squirrliness that is not there on other roads. There is also a reaction to any unusual behaviour of the bike that is "tensing up". Iron grip and squeezing the tank with your legs are symptoms. This actually emphasizes the slightest wobble transmitted from the road. If the bike is in good working order and the road surface is perfectly smooth practice on secondary roads with little traffic till you become more confident with the bike. There is a difference to being attentive to your riding surroundings and being in full time anxiety mode. Relax and enjoy the experience.

[MThomas]

I checked everything, I set the "high low spring preload adjustment" dial/cap all the way to low (single rider) and that, along with leaning forward helped some. Although it really hurt my left nut I ended up using a bottom rounded cup and that helped tremenddously

[towerworker]

The r is a fairly heavy bike for a brand new rider. Even more so if you're not very tall. I would guess if you're 5'7" or less or unable to "flatfoot" the bike while stopped then it may be a challenge. How tall are you and does the bike have the stock seat? I found the stock seat to be less than comfortable. I have an aftermarket seat (Sargent) but that also added to overall seat height. As mentioned in responses above checking all settings and overall condition of the bike. I've found my '04 to be the most stable bike I've ever ridden at any speed. I'm wondering if you've started out with too much bike if this is your first machine? Far better to make a costly change now than to run the risk of getting hurt.

[sjbmw]

What is the history of the bike? You bought it used?

How old are the tires? Has the bike been sitting still for any extended periods? Tires that don't move for a couple of years will be brittle, even if there is plenty of tread left. Also, could it be possible that a tire balancing lead was lost?

The R1150R ha been called many things, but unsteady is unfathomable. I once had a kid on a 600cc crotch rocket aggressively pass me in the left most lane on northbound I95 years ago. I was in the middle lane. He slowed down to look at me. It was weird, but purely squid behavior. So I messed with him, I know, I shouldn't do that.

I wizzed by him at 95mph in the middle lane, with only 1 hand on the bars, I was leaning with my left hand on my hip looking back at him as I passed him. I could see his eyes get white, he was hanging on for dear life to his bike, he thought he was watching a magic trick.

If you are feeling wobbles, it's time to get the bike to a smart BMW mechanic, to inspect the tires, their balancing, wheel bearings, and brake calipers. If the tires are over 3 years old, no matter what the tread looks like, I suggest a new set of Michelin Pilot Roads.

[AZBMWRIDER]

I've had my '02 R for a little over 14 years and it is the most stable, forgiving bike I've ridden so far, 37 years, mostly on airheads .

I think this being your first bike, you need to gain some experience and confidence in operating a motorcycle .

As has been stated before in this thread, if you a lacking in height, it may be a handful, I'm 5'6" and at times the bike is a bit top heavy, I don't like to admit it, but I've dropped the bike 2 times so far, while moving it , not riding it and of course, in front of an audience !!!!

[towerworker]

I've had my '02 R for a little over 14 years and it is the most stable, forgiving bike I've ridden so far, 37 years, mostly on airheads .

I think this being your first bike, you need to gain some experience and confidence in operating a motorcycle .

As has been stated before in this thread, if you a lacking in height, it may be a handful, I'm 5'6" and at times the bike is a bit top heavy, I don't like to admit it, but I've dropped the bike 2 times so far, while moving it , not riding it and of course, in front of an audience !!!!

Only twice???

...................I'm afraid I've dropped mine a a tad more...........we're talking in one day right?

[MThomas]

Bought it from a reputable mechanic/shop that had just performed service for the sale. I have about 800 miles experience over the summer on the r1150. Prior I had also taken the three day msf course but those bikes are much smaller. I'm 5''8"/5'9" with shoes and what sold me on the r1150 was how it ergonomically fit me so well. I can put my feet flat without squatting down like on some cruisers. Ride by ride I'm getting better. I'm just taking it slow on the highway and only riding at night when there's minimal traffic

[Jaimo]

800 miles riding experience... The R1150R is HUGE for a beginner.

I am a relative new rider with only 4 or 5 years riding experience. I started with a old 1984 Honda VT500 Ascot, has similar riding geometry as the R1150R but the bike is 500cc and weights just over 400 pounds (If I remember correctly). I rode it for 2 years and put a few thousand miles on it, I got relatively comfortable riding it. Once I moved up to the R1150R, it seemed like a monster, and weighed almost 150 pounds more. It took me a few months to become familiar with it's performance and handling, but now I use it to commute ~20 miles one way and feel very confident on what I can do on the bike. I am 5'7" and can just reach the ground (almost flat footed) and I find the small fly screen to be very helpful to get the wind up and over my head, when doing highway speeds I will sometimes tuck my head down to keep it from getting battered by the wind. I will ride 2 up a few time a year and as long as you don't take off too fast or slow down too fast it is not a problem, also the rider has to be aware "how to ride" when and where to lean and not to lean, there was a good article in the MOA magazine over the last year.

I've put over 6000 miles on the R1150R over the last two years, and I currently feel confident to ride this bike anywhere and in any traffic. Keep riding, be safe and continue getting experience with this bike and your confidence will grow.

Jaimo

[Jaimo]

Of and by the way, I have dropped mine once... On my first long ride after getting the bike I dropped it at a stop sign on my way home 2 blocks from my house, It slowly fell like a tree cut down by a lumberjack.

Jaimo

[peels]

Dropped mine twice also.. both after pulling off the road onto shoulder. Once during a downpour. it has crash bars. not worried the system cases are scratched to hell... especially after the right one coming off a couple times.... but doesnt bother me.


I am 6" The only "unsteady" I get from this bike (with SPORT mid sized shield) comes at REALLY high speed. the pressure from the screen causes a nice little buffetting on my helmet, and makes it wobble. in that instance, I just lean forward. If its windy out, head or cross wind, this sensation is amplified. And Ill tuck almost completely behind the screen, with just the top of visor looking over. this eliminates it. its very quiet like that. Ill do that to give myself a break on long trips too.



at some point, Id like to try a touring screen....just to see the difference. taller shield on other bikes has been mixed results for me, though.

[MThomas]

I have a screen that came with the bike but it looked bad (to me), it was huge, like a police screen. If there's a mini-screen like you see on some of the racing bikes I think that would look better although probably wouldn't be as effective.

I've been hearing I bought too big a bike but at 482 lbs, it's on par weight-wise with a Honda Shadow which is what a lot of people get as their first bike ...

[MThomas]

went for a ride last night and realized the "unsteadiness" I'm experiencing is the little turns (since a highway is rarely completely straight) that are harder for me than at a lower speed. I think I'm just intimidated.

I also think I may not understand what constitutes "too much bike for a beginner", is it weight, height, horsepower, combination of those...?

[riceburner]

went for a ride last night and realized the "unsteadiness" I'm experiencing is the little turns (since a highway is rarely completely straight) that are harder for me than at a lower speed. I think I'm just intimidated.

I also think I may not understand what constitutes "too much bike for a beginner", is it weight, height, horsepower, combination of those...?

All 3, for different reasons.

Heavier bikes are harder to hold up, especially when they're taller.

more horsepower means that they are less forgiving of non-smooth throttle control.