| Author | Message | ||
     99savage |
Seeking advice & (or) reassurance on riding in windy conditions from experienced ULY riders. Just getting back into riding after a L_O_N_G hiatus – The Uly is my first “Real” motorcycle. So far mostly been tooling around boonie twisties (why I bought it), lots of fun. Got on the slab for the 1st time, trying to keep up w/ traffic @ 70 – 75MPH. Wind blowing about 15MPH, maybe gusting to 20. Sometimes the ride feels so “nervous” I have to slow down to 60MPH. – Except during gusts can track a straight line like a dividing line or a tar strip within inches, just “feels” nervous. – Past 60 the “feel” increases exponentially w/ speed. Suspension: Set exactly per manual. Tires: Dunlops, inflated per manual, w/ rear tire down to the wear bar but all tread complete. Me: At 6’-2” & 220# torso represents a big spread of canvas for the wind to catch. Is this just an inexperienced rider? – Get Used To It! Should I be considering mechanical adjustments to the suspension or tire pressure? Would a new rear tire help? (Opinions on Dunlop on front & other brand on rear.) Would a windshield help? Is a tall cycle w/ a wide rider just naturally nervous @ higher speeds & windy conditions? Thanks | ||
| Ulygirl |
A little "riding refresher" might be in order here, and would probably go a long way toward helping you feel infinitely more comfortable on your Uly. Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider course. Even though you have your license, the Basic Rider Course is an exceptional way to sharpen your existing skills and maybe even learn some new techniques. If you only want to practice on your Uly, try an Intermediate or Experienced Rider Course. The investment will reap more riding rewards than you can ever imagine! | ||
| Petereid |
I'm not understanding what you mean by nervous. The bike has "nerves of steel". A little fear on the part of the rider is a very healthy thing. | ||
| Court |
>>>the ride feels so “nervous” I have to slow down to 60MPH. You are smart. Slowing down is one of the best strategies. You are in command of your vehicle and no one in the world knows it better than you. If you are nervous you, in command, are responsible. Slowing down does many things to both a motorcycle and an airplane. Some of the ones we are most concerned about happen in exponential fashion, which would include wind induced buffeting. You are also wise to acknowledge your lack of familiarity and currency. Time will make you more comfortable in a wider envelope of situations. There is no substitute of short cut and while you are getting there dialing back the speed to suit your comfort level is wise piloting. In an airplane, when encountering turbulence we typically slow to "best maneuvering speed" (generally VX) to minimize the forces on the airframe. Many of the same principles apply to your bike. Ride in a fashion that makes YOU feel comfortable. Court | ||
| 99savage |
Thanks for the input. - Much appreciated. Did take the MSF course prior to getting the ULY (very worthwhile} - Will take the Advanced as soon as I can schedule. The "nervous" part hard to describe - like the rear wheel is wandering an inch or so @ a fairly hi frequency - waiting for a chance to synchronize itself w/ a gust & pitch me into the other lane. Just embarrassing getting passed by matrons in vans. | ||
| F_skinner |
99savage, the Uly is not a very good bike as far as wind. It is a tall bike with a short wheel base and that might have something to do with it. 15 to 20 mph is not much but I find the Uly very unstable in cross winds, more so than any other bike I have owned. Since it is windy in Colorado most of the time if I am going to be on the Interstate for a while I take another bike. I did 50 miles at 75 to 80 mph with gust to 40 mph a couple of weekends ago and was beat up pretty good after that. It seems to do everything else so well that the wind problem is a small price to pay. Ride at your ability like everyone else said. If you feel uncomfortable it is best to slow down until you feel comfortable. | ||
| Ullygan |
The "nervous" part hard to describe - like the rear wheel is wandering an inch or so @ a fairly hi frequency - waiting for a chance to synchronize itself w/ a gust & pitch me into the other lane. Could have a bum rear wheel bearing?? | ||
| Etennuly |
You have the Dunlop D616 on the front. My bike came with one, as did all of the '06's. This tire has the straight groove down the center. Many Uly riders complained about the same type of "High speed wobble" and unsure feeling on the faster highways, it is more pronounced in windy conditions. A big difference will come with a Scorpion Sync or a Michelin Pilot Road II(they are the ones I have 50,000 miles of riding two Buells on). | ||
| Glen |
mine gets funky in wind too, kinda feels like my dirt bike flyin down a sandy dirt road. front and back wander a little. i ignore it, keep a steady throttle and put more weight on my pegs,loosen my grip on the bars. thats funny tho, my uly is steady as a rock with a passenger on board. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Dunslop 616 is absolutely the worst motorcycle tire ever produced and they induce all kinds of *strange* sensations while riding. That being said I'd wear them out  I'm bigger than you and with syncs on my Uly is crazy stable at speed. Heavy winds from the side will move any bike around while in flight, but as you get more time in the saddle you'll find yourself automagically adjusting for the conditions. Great advice, by many, on sharpening up your current skill-set. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Worn tires will absolutely add to the 'twitch'. Personally, I love my 616s, but to each his own. I've been noticing more twitch on my '06 as I get down to (and into) the wear bars out back...just waiting for the new one to come in  | ||
| Supertoon |
I find the Uly to be one of the best bikes I have ever had in the wind. I'm with Etennuly on this one ,I never felt confident with mine over 70 until I switched out the Dunlops for the Syncs. For me it transformed the bike! BTW if you really want to stripe your shorts, try a strom in the wind! | ||
| Snakebreak |
Always ride at a comfortable pace. We are rebels,we can do whatever we want. Give the lady in the van the finger like Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider. Having said that my Uly is rock steady up to speeds I will not mention on a website. I would get new tires and have your rear bearings checked. This will give you confidence, and you will enjoy riding more. Freeway riding in cities is, for me, about the hardest riding I do. Threats are everywhere, and the speed is high. I actually like it now but I remember how much I hated it when I started riding. Now I really wish they would pass a lane-splitting law in Washington. (Sorry off topic.)  | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Dunlops blow. If there are rain grooves in the surface of the road then that can cause a twitchy feel to the bike. Chances are it's the Dumblap tires and you'll get used to it and wonder what happened to your bike when you change those turds out to real tires. | ||
| Snakebreak |
Another thing you might want to do is take your windshield off. If you have a good helmet the buffetting will be less. Probably will not help but for me it is more peaceful. | ||
| Thetable |
After you have checked and rechecked everything else everyone else mentioned, particularly tires and bearings, (my rear bearings were done at 7600 miles and my fronts were on the way out) loosen up on the controls. Being a relatively new rider the natural tendency is to tighten up when the bike is doing something you don't think it should, and that usually doesn't nothing other than exaggerating the problem. If you make a little bit of effort in letting the bike float underneath you, it tends to behave much better. Now I'm not saying take your hands off the handlebars, but rather relax that white knuckle death grip on the bars, loosen up the arms and the shoulders. When you start out flexing all your muscles and tensing up, you lose all your fine motor controls; in effect you can't apply only an ounce of force to the controls, you go straight from pushing with 5 pounds to pulling with 5 pounds. When I was instructing for drivers doing track days who had the death grip, I would have them drive around the paddock squeezing the steering wheel as tight as they could, followed by another trip around the paddock using only fingertips. It really is surprising how little effort is required. | ||
| Rwven |
+1 on what Thetable said. The Uly has fairly radical steering geometry for a street bike. It will react to every input. In crosswinds just relax and let the bike have it's head a little bit, it won't blow out from under you. Also on't focus on the road right in front of you trying to hold a line, look well down the road. I have an XT, and to me it is the most stable bike in crosswinds I have ridden in 35 years of riding. I've never ridden an X, perhaps that extra 2" of suspension makes them more susceptible to crosswinds? | ||
| Bosh |
Another thing that really helps make a more relaxed ride at speed is your clothing. Wear form fitting leather or at least something that doesn't flap in the wind. Then stick some good earplugs in and you'll be amazed at the difference. | ||
| Babired |
I get nervous on the Uly too on windy days but its because I have one foot down at stops. It sucks riding in the wind at highway speeds you get beat and pushed around out there. If you are tippy toe or your bike is loaded down with gear Breathe and try not to white knuckle grip the handlebars. K | ||
| Tginnh |
Simplest, best piece of cycling advice I have ever heard or read: Ride your own bike. This little axiom guides me in all weather and road conditions. Also, when riding with others. I used to ride with a guy that raced and rode R1's. I would smile (and remind myself to ride my own bike) when he did a 1/4 mi wheelie or took a curve 30mph faster than I would. | ||
| Jlnance |
Tires: Dunlops, inflated per manual, w/ rear tire down to the wear bar but all tread complete. As others have noted, the D616 tires you are running have been handling issues, particularly after they begin to wear. They will be cupped beyond usefulness far before they get down to the wear bars. Switch tire brands and you will be amazed at how the bikes handling changes. I run continental Road Attacks on my Uly, but there are a lot of other choices as well. The Scorpion Sync, which Buell changed to after the 06 model year, is a popular choice. Beyond that, if you reduce the amount of rear preload (lower the seat,) the bike will become more stable because you lengthened the wheelbase. You might find you like it better that way. It also slows the turning down, so it's a tradeoff. Finally, practice. The wind can be unnerving, but it's something you get used to. It isn't going to blow the bike over, though it will kick it around a bit. I enjoy riding in heavy wind, it gives a bit of a challenge. It isn't something I have always liked though. | ||
| Orangeulius |
Lots of good advice here. At 6'2, 220 I know exactly how you feel. I'm much more confident after: PR2 on front, relaxed grip in the wind, tightened steering head, form fitting jacket (my heavy leather would catch wind and shake me up). Two other things that helped my perception of the problem, ear plugs and no side bags. I have tried many windshield combos and I am back to 06 stock screen and tall seat. Winds 5 to 15 are ok, above that on the freeway it's take a deep breath , relax, and trust the power of the Uly. As Court said, time and experience help too. As Nike says, Just do it! Enjoy. Orange | ||
| Ulynut |
Change your tires. What a huge difference between a worn out 616 and a new Diablo Strada. Night and day. | ||
| Waterman |
The wind has little effect on the Uly, but it does effect the rider. I found that out the first time I let go of the handlebars in a gusty side wind. The Uly straitened right out. Just relax your grip and stay loose. Just get some time on the road and before you know "In the wind" is the best place you want to be. Happy Easter to all my Badweatherbiker buddy's. | ||
| Hangetsu |
Savage, I will have to agree with and add to what court said up above; you are only as save as you feel. If you (or the bike) are feeling a nervous and you’re a bit white-knuckled, than you are not in a safe situation. Slow down. In response to Mr. Skinner’s observation; most of the bikes I’ve ever owned are a bit dated (Norton Commando / BMW R/90S), therefore, the Uly is about the most stable thing in the wind I’ve ever owned and I have to say, I’m pretty pleased with its road stability. I just returned from a trip to ant through New Mexico and the conditions were very windy. The stretch between Pueblo, CO and Las Vegas, NM was reporting 30 – 60 mph westerly gusts that has me blowing around the road quite a bit. I was traveling two-up with loaded Touratech panniers, a tail bag. I was essentially a rolling 7X7 block wall. Never the less, even during the heaviest blasts, I never felt the Uly to be particularly unstable. In fact, other than the expected drifting, she held her line quite nicely. I’ll equate riding in the wind somewhat to riding in sand or gravel; momentum, to a point, can be your friend. As soon as you tighten up, get nervous, and become a little erratic, things will get a bit hairy. Stay relaxed and hold your speed and line and things will go smoothly. During the windiest of times on this trip, my speed never dropped below 75 and my average cruising speed (between) was 80. The times I slowed below 70, I began to feel like a pin-ball on the road. The greater speeds actually helped to smooth things out. Just my opinion, but based on very recent experience. Cheers. | ||
| Leatherneck |
I do not own a Uly but I did a demo and noticed the front end did move around somewhat in the wind. More so than my S3 that I rode to the demo. It was real gusty and the S3 felt better by far than the Uly in this respect. The S3 is lower, heavier front end and body position is different Bags, tall bike and lite front end make for an interesting time on the highway with 40mph gust. On the plains we talk about the difference between windy and gusty. Windy is no problem, gusty you really feel it. It is not a deal breaker by far. I decided not to get a Uly but for other reasons outlined on this site. The wind DOES have an effect on the Uly and any other bike. To think that the Uly will slice through the wind with no effect is silly and uniformed. | ||
| Froggy |
Remember all those times I nagged you to switch? Told ya so  | ||
| Froggy |
Leatherneck, the S3 has a fairing thats mounted to the frame like the Firebolts, but the Uly's fairing is mounted to the forks. As result, in strong winds, it pushes against the forks and can steer the bike. The effect is less pronounced on frame mounted fairings. | ||
| Danger_dave |
What Et said - To fix your wind problems - change the front tyre - or avoid cabbage. | ||
| Desert_uly |
Springtime in the high desert means about three months of non stop wind gusts. My 08 xb12x seems just slightly unstable on open freeway at high speeds, more so than my BMW r75/7.My brain is saying hold on tighter when possibly I should be relaxing my grip. |
