How much wind does it take to knock my bike over?

Rick Lee · Post by **Rick Lee** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:13 am

I have my bike parked in the driveway tonight, as it's too late to do all the noisy shuffling required to fit it behind my car in my one-car garage. Looks like rain, so I bungee corded a blue tarp over it. But it's pretty windy now and I'm wondering how much wind is enough to knock my bike off the center stand.

slowpoke 04 · Post by **slowpoke 04** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:29 am

Not sure, but the blue tarp will do plenty of damage to the finish on the paint if it's windy. I think I'd deal with the wet bike, easier to dry off then buff paint. Good luck with your plan though.

Post by **yjleesvrr** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:48 am

Assuming you have a level driveway, I recommend you park it on its sidestand, not centerstand. I agree with slowpoke that a tarp is hard on the paint. Since it's temporary, I'd leave it uncovered too.

REDSTAN · Post by **REDSTAN** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:48 am

YO! RICK LEE.

dont be a lazy fellow put the bike to bed with the car it,s not hard to do and will save time cleaning

more time to ride and save on repairs to the paint work etc

IT also depends on the amount of Bean's you have eaten

Rick Lee · Post by **Rick Lee** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:57 am

Too late. I fell asleep after I posted this and the rain just woke me up. But there's no more wind now. I have a proper cover in the mail right now, but it's not doing me any good yet. It really is a production to get the bike into the garage with the car and I couldn't make the noise at the hour when I thought of it. Oh well. Just this once.

BTW, my driveway is not level. It slopes just slightly up toward my garage door. I use a plastic wheel chock behind the rear wheel too when on the center stand. The side stand just gives me a weird feeling.

threebucks1996 · Post by **threebucks1996** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:02 am

I would use sidestand as well. I also would have taken the car out of the garage and put the bike in by itself.

chris · Post by **chris** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:50 am

Yep, third for the sidestand. Wind can't push it against the stand and it's a lot harder for it to get it over the balance point the other way.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:57 am

Personally....I think the center stand is safer..but that's just me.

I saw a beautiful new Duke get blown over once in a strong wind..crunch..other bikes near it were close to going over also..swaying in the gusts.

There was also a BMW (R1100S) there parked on the center stand..it was as solid as a rock.

Also...using a cover when it's windy is asking for trouble..IMO.

DJ

RBrider · Post by **RBrider** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:09 am

I know a guy who had a GW on the center stand and covered with a tarp and it was blown over. Bike was parked in level parking lot. location was Balto-DC area.
I'd leave the tarp off.

RB

R4R&R · Post by **R4R&R** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:26 am

I'd put it in the garage. Ok, not an option. Leave the cover off and park it parallel to the garage door, side stand, leaning towards the garage door.

When I used to park on the street downtown my bike was subject to all kinds of weather and it never went over. There were some days I was concerned about the wind, but it made it through. The wind we have today is nothing compared to what I've left the bike outside in.

riceburner · Post by **riceburner** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:28 am

RBrider wrote:I know a guy who had a GW on the center stand and covered with a tarp and it was blown over. Bike was parked in level parking lot. location was Balto-DC area.
I'd leave the tarp off.

RB

I had a Ducati Pantah get blown over in strong winds once - it was on a centre-stand and covered.
I'd say that the cover helped it because they act like a sail - ie trap the air flow, without the cover the air can flow around and through the bike far more easily.

RB.

prpbmw · Post by **prpbmw** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:58 am

Why not leave the car out and garage the bike?

Rick Lee · Post by **Rick Lee** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:21 am

Had I known it was going to rain before it got too late to make noise last night (weather report said it might rain late morning today), I would have put the bike in the garage. I live in a condo complex and firing up my Porsche and bike to shuffle them around makes considerable noise which is even louder against the normal silence around midnight. Doesn't mattew now, since it's still raining and the bike and I would get drenched while moving it around.

Rick Lee · Post by **Rick Lee** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:25 am

R4R&R wrote:
When I used to park on the street downtown my bike was subject to all kinds of weather and it never went over. There were some days I was concerned about the wind, but it made it through. The wind we have today is nothing compared to what I've left the bike outside in.

Was that with the center or side stand?

Oilhead · Post by **Oilhead** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:29 am

Yes a tarp or a cover on a windy day can make the bike tip over much easier. It has that parachute effect and with the right combo, it'll lighten the bike enough to tip it over.

Post by **boxermania** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:31 am

The tarp will act like a sail and catch more wind than the naked bike.......so in answer to your original question.

How much wind to knock the bike over?

Without the tarp - Just enough
With the tarp - Less than just enough

Why don't you do like one of our posters and take it to bed with you....it will keep you warm and will not snore.....

Rick Lee · Post by **Rick Lee** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:04 am

Just moved the bike into the garage. It's a real PITA. I was able to push my car far enough up then ride the bike into the garage and wiggle it close enough under the bike's power. Then I shut her down, put her on the center stand and was able to drag it into the right position so the right head is about 2" from my 993's rear bumper and the garage door has just a few inches of clearance to close. If I knew how to post photos, I have a good one of it all.

When it snows, I'll take it to my storage garage. But for now I like to ride any time it's dry out. If anyone in Fairfax wants to share a rental garage space, I'm all ears. My current storage garage is in Chantilly and I need a ride back from it if I leave my bike there.

Post by **cricman** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:05 am

If you have the level space, park it "nose-in to the wind" on the center stand. The force of the wind on the front of the bike is like going down the road at speed (unless it's a tordao or hurricane), and because you pull the bike back on the centerstand, the wind won't have any effect on it's ability to hold up the bike.

cricman

Post by **towerworker** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:54 pm

Two years ago mine went over while covered and on the side stand. It went over to the rh side (opposite side stand) Did $1300 in damage.

I would under no circumstances leave it on center stand in high wind. It will rock fore and aft in the wind on the center stand. Shows how well balanced they are.

Wayne

R4R&R · Post by **R4R&R** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:53 pm

Rick Lee wrote:Was that with the center or side stand?

Centerstand when I parked on the street downtown. If I had a building or structure to get it near, I would use the sidestand without any cover.

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How much wind does it take to knock my bike over?

How much wind does it take to knock my bike over?

Stupid Question.