+1 on the above. Especially the 'ride like your are invisible' part.
I also add, ride like everyone else driving is a moron or out to kill you. I have fewer close calls on the bike than the car, because I am focused almost 100% while riding, not listening to the radio, adjusting the air conditioning or just zoned out relaxed.
(new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
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Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
'02 in black - the real BMW color! (Now gone to a new home)
Vann - Lifer No. 295
Vann - Lifer No. 295
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
Good mindset. I'm up to 60/65 now in wind and pretty comfortable. It's not the bike, it's me. I noticed the bike is steadier when I relax and drop my core weight/hips down, I guess that stabilizes it more
2004 R1150r Non-ABS
If each of us were to get one other person on a bike, we'd double our presence
If each of us were to get one other person on a bike, we'd double our presence
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riceburner
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Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
One thing that occurred to me last night.....
How hard are you gripping the bars?? If you're gripping tight with a deathgrip then that will be incredibly bad and will explain a LOT of your problem at higher speeds.
The tighter you grip the bars, the less 'free' the steering is to self-adjust over minor surface changes.
Also - you'll be transmitting every single movement of your entire body into the steering - including all the involuntary movement caused by aerodynamics (see my previous post) AND the slight shudder of your arms muscles as you maintain that death grip.
Best to figure out if you're gripping too hard is to consciously examine the sensation from your fingers. If you can feel the compression of the flesh on the underside of your fingers, you're gripping too hard.
Also - do NOT ride with your arms straight. Your elbows should be bent and each joint in your arm should be free to move - you should be able to do a 'chicken dance' with your elbows at any point in your riding.
How hard are you gripping the bars?? If you're gripping tight with a deathgrip then that will be incredibly bad and will explain a LOT of your problem at higher speeds.
The tighter you grip the bars, the less 'free' the steering is to self-adjust over minor surface changes.
Also - you'll be transmitting every single movement of your entire body into the steering - including all the involuntary movement caused by aerodynamics (see my previous post) AND the slight shudder of your arms muscles as you maintain that death grip.
Best to figure out if you're gripping too hard is to consciously examine the sensation from your fingers. If you can feel the compression of the flesh on the underside of your fingers, you're gripping too hard.
Also - do NOT ride with your arms straight. Your elbows should be bent and each joint in your arm should be free to move - you should be able to do a 'chicken dance' with your elbows at any point in your riding.
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
I have been known to put the throttle lock on and roll down the road for a mile or.... 10..... with one or no hands. legs up on the crash bars 
70+mph. road conditions, traffic and wind permitting of course.
not possible yesterday. MAJOR N/S wind. 25 mph gusting 35 I think. Turned my helmet into a pinball. bouncing all around. Made a super annoying buffet/whistle on the right side of my helmet, even with earplugs. I just duck. Watch out for tree lines and huge barns, or elevation changes. wind will go from 0 to 30 back to 0 really fast. Thats what gets ya. It'll come swirling outta nowhere push/pull you into the other lane.
I always imagine people in cars see that happen, and think "why is that rider weaving all over the place?"
70+mph. road conditions, traffic and wind permitting of course.not possible yesterday. MAJOR N/S wind. 25 mph gusting 35 I think. Turned my helmet into a pinball. bouncing all around. Made a super annoying buffet/whistle on the right side of my helmet, even with earplugs. I just duck. Watch out for tree lines and huge barns, or elevation changes. wind will go from 0 to 30 back to 0 really fast. Thats what gets ya. It'll come swirling outta nowhere push/pull you into the other lane.
I always imagine people in cars see that happen, and think "why is that rider weaving all over the place?"
2002 R1150R. Helmets save more lives than loud pipes.
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
Heavy, stable and comfortable. That's my bike in a straight line. Got a small fly/sport screen to minimise pressure on chest. I ride bolt upright and could take my hands off the bars. Its only above 80 or 90 mph that I need to hang on.
2002 black 180 degree single spark V twin
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
I just read the 3 pages of your original post and the responses.
You are probably all full-up on advise, but you asked and I have an opinion, so . . here goes.
The big boxer is a lot of bike to start out on . . BUT . . it's such a dream that as long as you can control your right wrist . .the love will only grow. This is one well-designed and well-built motorcycle. Not prone to handling problems. Since you were comfortable at slower speed - where the weight can be felt - and uncomfortable as faster speeds - where the wind is pushing your body around - I have determined, via my keen sense of deduction (;-) LOL ) . that you are riding too stiffly and gripping the machine too tightly.
When we drive a car, we enjoy the feeling of being "planted" - we are all strapped-in, where the car goes, we go. Bikes are different, more like riding a horse or sailing a boat (cheers Sunbeemer). With horses and boats you don't manhandle the ride - you gently but firming make suggestions about where and how quickly you want to do something. If you are telegraphing your intent to the (horse, boat or) motorcycle - it will comply. With time, you'll learn exactly how to get the (horse, boat or) motorcycle to do exactly what you want it to. But there is a learning curve as you "learn the language".
Different than a car, we are not strapped-in when we are on a motorcycle (or a horse, or a boat) - so our bodies can move separately from the ride. Assuming your moto is in good condition, it only wants to go straight ahead and a good clip. For the bike to turn - you have to tell it to turn. For it to run straight - you have to tell it. But bikes never go straight ahead - they always kind of snake their way forward - so you'll be correcting course nearly constantly. It's no big deal, the corrections are minor, but they are constant.
We aspire to grip the bike with our thighs and knees, then we keep both hands on the grips - but never tightly and we hold our hands / grips loosely so that we avoid trying to man handle the bike. If you over grip the handlebar - your arms will tense and the riding will suffer. If you are riding correctly you barely need any grip strength to ride - minor pressure to turn the bars a bit this way or that, but nothing that requires strength. Do you “hold-on tight” when you accelerate? Don’t do that, grip the bike with your lower body and keep your arms almost limp.
I love Sunbeemer’s use of "athwart-ships" and "lee" in describing bike related stuff. So let me throw another nautical term at you - "sail area". As you move faster and faster, your body (not rigidly connected to the bike) will be pushed this way and that way by the wind and turbulence coming off the other larger vehicles (not unlike a sail). If you hold on to the bike rigidly, your body AND the bike will move with each blast of wind. But if you stay loose - your body will move a little and the bike will barely be affected (the bike is heavier and lower to the ground so it “feels” the wind less). The wind will never blow a motorcycle (moving over 35 mph) over on it’s side. I just doesn’t happen. It can’t happen because of the self-righting properties of the moto’s geometry.
If you get hit with a really hairy side wind (30+ mph), the wind will push your body downwind. So all you have to do is lean into the wind a little bit to counter-act this. It’s possible, in really big winds (60mph+, the kind that tip over trailers) to be blown out of your lane (or off the road). But this is midwest prairie type stuff, not east coast. Don’t test out this theory by choosing to ride during a hurricane or try to storm chase a tornado via moto.
There are millions of reasons to be uncomfortable in traffic. Fear, in this case, is a good, natural response to the likelihood of death and/or injury. Heavy traffic sucks and is not something to be trifled with. Learn how to ride away from traffic as much as possible. Once you gain a bunch of experience - heavy traffic still sucks - but there is less of a fear of losing your life.
Do read “Proficient Motorcycling” and every other technique related thing you can find. Give yourself time to get to know the bike, before you subject yourself to heavy traffic. Stay relaxed, stay calm, stay alert. Believe that no one sees you and that everyone on the road is a complete nutter. Ride safe, ride often - you’ll do just fine. You are asking all of the right questions.
Cheers,
Jed
PS Never forget the "Rule of Gross Tonnage". With respect to who has the right-of-way, if they are bigger than you and/or heavier than you - then assume they have the right-of-way. This is not how the law is written, but it's how motorcyclists ride/live long enough to become old motorcyclists.
You are probably all full-up on advise, but you asked and I have an opinion, so . . here goes.
The big boxer is a lot of bike to start out on . . BUT . . it's such a dream that as long as you can control your right wrist . .the love will only grow. This is one well-designed and well-built motorcycle. Not prone to handling problems. Since you were comfortable at slower speed - where the weight can be felt - and uncomfortable as faster speeds - where the wind is pushing your body around - I have determined, via my keen sense of deduction (;-) LOL ) . that you are riding too stiffly and gripping the machine too tightly.
When we drive a car, we enjoy the feeling of being "planted" - we are all strapped-in, where the car goes, we go. Bikes are different, more like riding a horse or sailing a boat (cheers Sunbeemer). With horses and boats you don't manhandle the ride - you gently but firming make suggestions about where and how quickly you want to do something. If you are telegraphing your intent to the (horse, boat or) motorcycle - it will comply. With time, you'll learn exactly how to get the (horse, boat or) motorcycle to do exactly what you want it to. But there is a learning curve as you "learn the language".
Different than a car, we are not strapped-in when we are on a motorcycle (or a horse, or a boat) - so our bodies can move separately from the ride. Assuming your moto is in good condition, it only wants to go straight ahead and a good clip. For the bike to turn - you have to tell it to turn. For it to run straight - you have to tell it. But bikes never go straight ahead - they always kind of snake their way forward - so you'll be correcting course nearly constantly. It's no big deal, the corrections are minor, but they are constant.
We aspire to grip the bike with our thighs and knees, then we keep both hands on the grips - but never tightly and we hold our hands / grips loosely so that we avoid trying to man handle the bike. If you over grip the handlebar - your arms will tense and the riding will suffer. If you are riding correctly you barely need any grip strength to ride - minor pressure to turn the bars a bit this way or that, but nothing that requires strength. Do you “hold-on tight” when you accelerate? Don’t do that, grip the bike with your lower body and keep your arms almost limp.
I love Sunbeemer’s use of "athwart-ships" and "lee" in describing bike related stuff. So let me throw another nautical term at you - "sail area". As you move faster and faster, your body (not rigidly connected to the bike) will be pushed this way and that way by the wind and turbulence coming off the other larger vehicles (not unlike a sail). If you hold on to the bike rigidly, your body AND the bike will move with each blast of wind. But if you stay loose - your body will move a little and the bike will barely be affected (the bike is heavier and lower to the ground so it “feels” the wind less). The wind will never blow a motorcycle (moving over 35 mph) over on it’s side. I just doesn’t happen. It can’t happen because of the self-righting properties of the moto’s geometry.
If you get hit with a really hairy side wind (30+ mph), the wind will push your body downwind. So all you have to do is lean into the wind a little bit to counter-act this. It’s possible, in really big winds (60mph+, the kind that tip over trailers) to be blown out of your lane (or off the road). But this is midwest prairie type stuff, not east coast. Don’t test out this theory by choosing to ride during a hurricane or try to storm chase a tornado via moto.
There are millions of reasons to be uncomfortable in traffic. Fear, in this case, is a good, natural response to the likelihood of death and/or injury. Heavy traffic sucks and is not something to be trifled with. Learn how to ride away from traffic as much as possible. Once you gain a bunch of experience - heavy traffic still sucks - but there is less of a fear of losing your life.
Do read “Proficient Motorcycling” and every other technique related thing you can find. Give yourself time to get to know the bike, before you subject yourself to heavy traffic. Stay relaxed, stay calm, stay alert. Believe that no one sees you and that everyone on the road is a complete nutter. Ride safe, ride often - you’ll do just fine. You are asking all of the right questions.
Cheers,
Jed
PS Never forget the "Rule of Gross Tonnage". With respect to who has the right-of-way, if they are bigger than you and/or heavier than you - then assume they have the right-of-way. This is not how the law is written, but it's how motorcyclists ride/live long enough to become old motorcyclists.
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
This is good, I've noticed things get better the more relaxed I am, can't wait for the next ride
2004 R1150r Non-ABS
If each of us were to get one other person on a bike, we'd double our presence
If each of us were to get one other person on a bike, we'd double our presence
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
Too true, a.k.a. down here as "Bahamian Rules": Da bigga da boat, da righta da way!PS Never forget the "Rule of Gross Tonnage". With respect to who has the right-of-way, if they are bigger than you and/or heavier than you - then assume they have the right-of-way. This is not how the law is written, but it's how motorcyclists ride/live long enough to become old motorcyclists.
Remember "If a motorcycle and a car collide, the car wins." Captain Obvious
Rich
ADIOS!
ADIOS!
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
A valuable tip
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
Avid boating family here, and I love that motto! LOLSunbeemer wrote:Too true, a.k.a. down here as "Bahamian Rules": Da bigga da boat, da righta da way!PS Never forget the "Rule of Gross Tonnage". With respect to who has the right-of-way, if they are bigger than you and/or heavier than you - then assume they have the right-of-way. This is not how the law is written, but it's how motorcyclists ride/live long enough to become old motorcyclists.
Remember "If a motorcycle and a car collide, the car wins." Captain Obvious
mine is: never approach an object faster than you're prepared to hit it.
2002 R1150R. Helmets save more lives than loud pipes.
Re: (new rider) wind while riding at 50 mph uncomfortable
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly.
Good stuff Jed
Good stuff Jed
8790 Adaptive, Akrapovic, Hyperpro, Ilmberger, Bagster, MRA, paintsprayed wheels, BMW panniers.