Poll: Riding in a Crosswind

[flash412]

Let's see who does what...

[pcsof8]

Never ride in storms that have names.
-Tiger Edmunds

[Bob_M]

I had some pretty strong winds a couple of weeks ago and gave it a try. I talked myself into thinking that when the winds were steady the splayed out knee acted sorta like the third leg of a tripod. I voted yes but on that ride I pulled the knee in and continued to motor along with out ill effect. The jury is still out. I will try it on the road to Condon south of the Columbia river gorge. The cross winds there are predictable, strong and steady. That sould result in a verdict :dunno

[kbasa]

Knee out here.

[James.A]

I had the opportunity to try it several times in the last few weeks. I find that it works, but for me, the improvement is negligible. I never had much difficulty in cross-wind anyway.

[bubbagazoo]

I haven't had severe enough crosswinds to try it in since I heard about this technique. I have tried sticking my knee out but I find it difficult to leave it out for very long.

[James.A]

If I could vote twice, I would have entered on "another method". What I otherwise employ is to bridge my big ol' feet across the rider and passenger pegs of my airhead. This works to keep my knees tight against the tank with little effort. Between that and tucking in to lower the side profile, I never have much difficulty in cross-wind. The combined weight of the bike and me is +/-750lbs. I think this helps also. The knee out helps a little, maybe. To effect this strategy, I pivot the heel of one foot on the passenger peg.

[Crow18]

I've been trying it the past week or so, and I do feel more stable with a knee out, but I haven't encountered much in the way of serious crosswinds since I started.

What I did notice—and it's been useful the past few days—is that having a knee out just right directs a strong jet of fresh air up inside my jacket. Ahhh.

[BobFV1]

I tried it crossing Oklahoma last week - didn't make any difference as the tank/jug of the 12 GS ADV already stick out so far it didn't make that much difference to have my knee out!

[Colt03]

I found make sure your arms are totally loose and use knee pressure to push into the wind, enjoy the 45 degree lean and ride on !

[Tinboatcapt]

I think it helps, but from behind the barndoor farring of the RT the effect is more weight shift than drag increase. With the knee out I tend to also shift my posterior over, which takes a little pressure off the steering.
IMHO
Jim

[knary]

:dunno

I lived and rode through the often blasting winds of the eastern Sierra for a few years. There was a time when I thought about various techniques. At some point I realized that the only one necessary was to just let the bike move underneath you as it wanted - sort of what you should do anyway no matter the conditions. IOW, I just ride the bike. The only hazard from most strong winds is if you fight it.

So, no knee out for me - even when riding through wind that is pushing the semis over on to their sides.