(new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable

[MThomas]

I feel totally comfortable on the bike in the lot when I do my practice turns and on the streets in traffic and really anything under 50mph (formerly anything under 40mph). The wind coming at me at >=50mph is where I'm nervous

[Jaimo]

Keep up the riding and getting the experience under your belt, soon it will be 60 that makes you nervous... eventually 90...

Jaimo!

[MThomas]

I noticed I'm getting comfortable at a couple mph faster every few rides. Now it's around 55mph (before it was just under 50mph) before I start tensing up.
What my main concern is the merges and changing lanes on the highway amidst other cars going that fast or often times much faster.
In the msf class they said to always have an exit strategy but that's harder to do on the highway, let's say when you enter from the left but have to move over to the right to exit. (e.g. 9th st tunnel onto 395 North in DC but have to exit on South Capitol St shortly thereafter)

[riceburner]

I noticed I'm getting comfortable at a couple mph faster every few rides. Now it's around 55mph (before it was just under 50mph) before I start tensing up.
What my main concern is the merges and changing lanes on the highway amidst other cars going that fast or often times much faster.
In the msf class they said to always have an exit strategy but that's harder to do on the highway, let's say when you enter from the left but have to move over to the right to exit. (e.g. 9th st tunnel onto 395 North in DC but have to exit on South Capitol St shortly thereafter)

remember, you can always slow down.

[sstein]

Sounds like you have a very reasonable respect for highway riding. A little fear (not TOO much) probably translates to safer riding....

[peels]

Sounds like you have a very reasonable respect for highway riding. A little fear (not TOO much) probably translates to safer riding....

this.

a little is good. A LOT is bad. but NONE, is suicide.

[sstein]

Amen

[Sunbeemer]

Kudos for taking the MSF course to learn the basics, but as the sayings go, "experience is the best teacher", and "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
City riding is a tough way to learn since there are so many cages to deal with before you know how to ride well enough to really know how to deal with them, so I suggest you pick up David Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling" and practice what he preaches... And ride like you're invisible, because to distracted driver's, you are.

As far as the unsteadiness goes, check for play in your rear wheel as follows: with the bike on the centerstand, grab the rear wheel at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and try to wobble it, then do the same at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. If there is more than a perception of looseness in either direction, that can make the bike feel squirrelly.

Also, remember that the boxer engine has an inline crankshaft that does not stabilize (gyroscopically) the ride like (most) bikes with athwartship cranks. In fact, the change in torque during acceleration and deceleration will twist the bike (try this by goosing the gas while standing still). This is an advantage in the twisties since it makes the bike more "flickable".

David Hough is the author's name. (Glen was an old bud!) Sorry!

[DAM650]

make slow relaxed moves and be sure to NOT tense up, or grip the bars hard. don't stare at anything (sight fixation), look far down the road and breathe, be aware of your breath.

read "proficient motorcycling" by david hough. it's superb for street riding, it will teach you, make you think on the road, and it just might save your life.

https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motor ... torcycling

[DAM650]

Kudos for taking the MSF course to learn the basics, but as the sayings go, "experience is the best teacher", and "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
City riding is a tough way to learn since there are so many cages to deal with before you know how to ride well enough to really know how to deal with them, so I suggest you pick up Glen Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling" and practice what he preaches... And ride like you're invisible, because to distracted driver's, you are.

As far as the unsteadiness goes, check for play in your rear wheel as follows: with the bike on the centerstand, grab the rear wheel at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and try to wobble it, then do the same at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. If there is more than a perception of looseness in either direction, that can make the bike feel squirrelly.

Also, remember that the boxer engine has an inline crankshaft that does not stabilize (gyroscopically) the ride like (most) bikes with athwartship cranks. In fact, the change in torque during acceleration and deceleration will twist the bike (try this by goosing the gas while standing still). This is an advantage in the twisties since it makes the bike more "flickable".

sorry to repeat the advice you just gave, i did not read your reply

DAM

[Jaimo]

"proficient motorcycling" by david hough

I ordered mine, $1.47 on Amazon (used) + $3.99 shipping

Jaimo

[MThomas]

I guess my main concern is either:
a) getting blown over by wind
b) the bike flying out from under me

I'm told that with speed the bike wants to stay up, do I really need to worry about a) and b) above? (realizing that the far greater danger is cars)

[wncbmw]

The bike won't blow over on you while riding. (While on the side stand in a high wind is a different story!). It will however change lines on you suddenly! Especially during cross winds with truck traffic constantly changing the wind you face.

Like all things motorcycle related, constant vigilance is required to stay on top of things.

I noticed my front end getting a little squirrely on the 80 mph interstates out west last year while loaded with camping gear. Tried 90, decided to hold 80 to 85. While heading home and moteling it for the 2 day sprint home, I shipped 20 pounds of camping gear home and 90 was much easier!

[Sunbeemer]

There is a trick to passing large trucks at interstate speeds. They have three zones where the air pressure changes around them:
1. as you approach the trailer from the rear, air is sucked in behind them by their draft.
2. as you move alongside the trailer to the back of the cab, air is buffeted by irregularities in the rig,
3. as you pass the front of the cab, air is being plowed away from it by it's bow wake.

So, to counteract these air pressure changes, make a great arc around the rig as you pass it, first coming in from behind the trailer in the middle of the passing lane while steering slightly towards the outside of the lane (away from the suction) as you pass the rear of the trailer. Continue this trajectory as you pass the trailer until you reach the drivers door where you should start leaning into the bow wake and gently curving back toward the middle of the passing lane. This helps counteract the pressure forces on you and the bike while keeping maximum distance between you and the truck during your pass.

Be aware that if there is a stiff cross wind, air pressure forces are cumulative and can be surprisingly powerful when you come out of his lee.
If all you can remember is to stay as far away from trucks as you can, that'll work too!

[riceburner]

I noticed my front end getting a little squirrely on the 80 mph interstates out west last year while loaded with camping gear. Tried 90, decided to hold 80 to 85. While heading home and moteling it for the 2 day sprint home, I shipped 20 pounds of camping gear home and 90 was much easier!

It's an aerodynamic thing when you're loaded down with panniers. Best cure is a top-box.

The Rockster with panniers but no top box gets a little wooly above 90. WITH a topbox it's utterly stable to silly speeds.

see what happens to the air flow around the tail end of this rectangle : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32ffuW4DFhQ

another video of unbalanced airflow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJlMjEXXJkU

The air-flow becomes disturbed and unbalanced. This creates a small amount of force on the object itself - which, on a bike, is the rider.

I have seen a video (can't find it) of what happens with the airflow around a flat plate, where the flat plate is free to rotate. The unbalanced air flow actually creates a reciprocating rotation on the flat plate. On a bike this translates to the riders body being pulled first one way, then the other by the low pressure areas (actually pushed by the high pressure area in front of the rider.) Because the rider is connected to the bike's steering - the bike's forward motion is then affected slightly.
The way to alleviate this is to hold the bars LOOSELY, and keep your arms LOOSE (elbows bent).
Having a top box can also help because it serves to 'catch' the unbalanced airflow roiling off the rider, and helps to stabilise the bike.

[MThomas]

Another concern after talking to a buddy of mine is blowing a tire at high speed.
Not sure what causes a tire to blow on a bike, never had one blow on a car. If it's high speeds than that's a concern

[wncbmw]

Re; passing trucks. I have passed a few in 200,000 miles on BMWs over the years. The best method is do your normal speed coming up on them, wait for traffic to clear enough to pass the whole truck then whack the throttle open to pass them as quickly as possible! Also minimizes time next to them, in case a retread comes loose!

That's my story officer and I am sticking to it!

All this talk is going to scare the newbies into trading for a Camry!

[wncbmw]

And if your tire blows because of interstate speeds, it is either worn, defective or cheap. Any good tire is rated for much higher speeds than legal.

[MThomas]

The bike won't blow over on you while riding. (While on the side stand in a high wind is a different story!). It will however change lines on you suddenly!

That "push" into another lane is the feeling I was getting. I should probably only ride on the highway during light traffic so I'd be able to plan an escape route better

[Sunbeemer]

When non-riders learn you ride a motorcycle they'll often begin talking about how someone they know had a bad accident on one or they'll tell you something like,"Once upon a time when I rode I used the front brake and the bike fell over, so don't ever use the front brake!" Some of these stories have takeaways, most are misguided.

If you perform the T-CLOCK's checks (http://micapeak.com/info/T-CLOCK.html) before you ride and pay attention to what the bike, weather, traffic and your gut is telling you, and ride like your invisible, and educate yourself on good riding techniques, and avoid high traffic/accident times, and concentrate 100% on operating your motorcycle safely, and watch for threat's 12 seconds ahead of you, then accidents are avoidable and you should live to ride another day.

If you want to improve your chances of survival on the bike, read "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough. Most of your questions and concerns are answered in his 256pp.
I can't over-stress this; if you want to ride and live, learn from his experience. This may be the best advice you'll ever get, and it's free from me