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[dsn_klr650] riding in wind techniques? (nklr?)
Posted: Wed May 17, 2000 6:17 am
by Denzfeat@aol.com
<< Is there any science to riding in cross winds? >>
Been doing this for years on both heavier and lighter bikes. Bottom line is,
you do tough it out,hanging onto the bars more tightly with both hands. You
will automatically lean laterally into in the wind whichever side it's
blowing from, no big deal. The tricky part is sudden changes in wind
direction, such as semis, hills and other obstacles running parallel to the
road and then disappearing suddenly, etc. Observing these variences helps
you predict when the lateral winds will change. MSF has been teaching this
for years.
Pete the Streak (trained as an MSF instructor)
[dsn_klr650] riding in wind techniques? (nklr?)
Posted: Wed May 17, 2000 8:37 am
by k650dsn@aol.com
In a message dated Wed, 17 May 2000 7:18:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time, someone writes
<< << Is there any science to riding in cross winds? >>
Wind riding is definitely OJT. I have found that the bike has a lot to do with the handling. My ZRX is almost immune to wind while my KLR is pushed around quite a bit. You will lean into the wind naturally, but be careful by passing semis as all of a sudden the cross wind will either die momentarily or get stronger depending on wind direction on all that stuff. Just be careful, stay alert and hang on tight.
Gino
[dsn_klr650] riding in wind techniques? (nklr?)
Posted: Wed May 17, 2000 9:12 am
by Verle Nelson
> >
This thread has received numerous responses. Two people have recommended
"hang on tight"; one "be relaxed." Relaxed works for me. The bike responds
naturally to quick sudden gusts of wind. It becomes dangerous if the gusts
are so violent they blow you into another lane.
This thread is timely for me. Yesterday, another lister and I returned to
Colorado from Utah's canyonlands on KLR650s in very strong winds --
sometimes cross winds, sometimes head winds, occasionally tail winds. In
Utah, on a sparsely traveled Interstate, it was actually fun -- a good
opportunity to experiment and learn while passing trucks and campers. We
were able to maintain our 75 MPH cruising speed. On narrow two-lane highways
in Colorado, with violent sudden gusts, it was dangerous. Twice I was blown
across the center lane when emerging from cuts in the hills. All in all,
though, the dust/sand storm was the most bothersome feature.
Verle Nelson
Cedaredge, CO
[dsn_klr650] riding in wind techniques? (nklr?)
Posted: Wed May 17, 2000 9:18 am
by George Basinet
Denzfeat@... wrote:
> >
>
> Been doing this for years on both heavier and lighter bikes. Bottom line is,
> you do tough it out,hanging onto the bars more tightly with both hands.
>
> Pete the Streak (trained as an MSF instructor)
>
Pete,
I have found that just the opposite works for me. That is try to grip the bars
lightly in a relaxed manner. Which I realize is harded to do than say. A little
like horse back riding.
George
Escondido, CA
[dsn_klr650] riding in wind techniques? (nklr?)
Posted: Wed May 17, 2000 10:32 am
by Kurt Simpson
> This thread has received numerous responses. Two people have recommended
> "hang on tight"; one "be relaxed." Relaxed works for me. The bike responds
> naturally to quick sudden gusts of wind. It becomes dangerous if the gusts
> are so violent they blow you into another lane.
my advice is to keep "chewing". When I'm off-road or on-road in situations
that raise my anxiety. I pop a couple of pieces of gum in my mouth. It
serves as a stress check. If I notice I've stopped chewing you can bet I
have a virtual death grip on the bike one way or the other (deadly in sand
with the KLR). So, I use it as a signal to relax. Kind of like talking to
myself.
It reminds of a time when my then nine-year old son, Dominic, and I were
skiing a triple black diamond steep. I launched at the top of a pitch and
skiied the deep powder and then paused a couple of hundred yards down slope.
We were all alone, and it was one of those golden moments of quiet. I waited
patiently for him to muster his courage. Then he was off. As he made the
descent I could him singing to himself, then as the slope became even more
demanding the singing became kind of a simple mantra. "You can do it
Dominic"..."there you go"..."you can do it" ...."ok...ok...ok"
It brought tears to my eyes.
Kurt
[dsn_klr650] oils and lubes: nklr
Posted: Wed May 17, 2000 6:34 pm
by Skip Faulkner
> I swear I can`t figure why my font`s keep changing.
> Any ideas anybody? I use Outlook Express 5.0.
>
> Skip
>
It happens because the message you responded to
was in HTML and you wrote your response in the
body of the original message where the font was
imbedded. This is also the cause of the line down the
right side instead of the >'s. Thank Microsoft for that
one. You could get around the problem by going into
and then unchecking
and set to .
If you want to use HTML just change the Format after-
wards as I have just done.
Walt
I`m sorry, I just checked and you`re right. I thought I had gotten rid of
the "reply in same".
Thanks.
Skip