wind!

[mr. softie]

Weight is not the only factor of course. One of the worst bikes in gusty crosswinds is the GoldWing 1800. That huge expanse of plastic is a real wind catcher. Heavy long bikes with open cross sections are the best.

[alanmcorcoran]

Greenhorn,

I have a 800 pound bike to go with the GZ. It definitely handles the wind a lot better. If I understand Mr. Softie's physics lesson, it might be because the Strat has more angular momentum (and is basically, a more powerful/stable gyroscope.) No fairing, but I do have a windshield and footrests.

(Side note: My Suburban got hit with a nasty side gust on the way through Utah today that instantaneously moved me over a bit. Not enough to cause an accident, but I was real surprised. I was glad I was not on the bike when it hit.)

[music man]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

(Side note: My Suburban got hit with a nasty side gust on the way through Utah today that instantaneously moved me over a bit. Not enough to cause an accident, but I was real surprised. I was glad I was not on the bike when it hit.)

Just think if you had been on the little GZ when you got hit with that wind gust, you would have been up in a tree somewhere.

[patrick_777]

Alan would have looked like a tumbleweed.

[alanmcorcoran]

It was just another powerful reminder that it's not the wind (which we were fighting all day) bu those weird little micro gusts that are scary. I've ridden the GZ in pretty windy conditions, and it's no fun, but the only times it feels dangerous is when the wind is intermittent, gusty or swiftly changes direction.

I had a second minor wind push later in the day when I came out from under a embankment type overpass, but I was kind of expecting it. I drove 943 miles yesterday and about 30 of them did not have some kind of wind. Kind of makes you loopy after the first 12 hours or so.

[mrlmd1]

943 miles on a motorcycle or in a car? 943 miles/60 mph ave. speed = >15 1/2 hrs., 943mi/70mph= 13 1/2 hrs. Take out time for gas fillups, pee breaks, food, rest, etc, the real average speed would be much less (like 45-50 mph) and probably take around 18 hrs. to accomplish with no down time for sleep. That's alot of time to spend on a bike in one day and probably a recipe for disaster. :??: :??:

[mr. softie]

The gyroscope effect I was speaking of is produced by the bikes rotating wheels. A bigger heavier bike has bigger heavier wheels, the effect is stronger. Take the front wheel off your bicycle and give it a spin while holding the axle. Now try to move the axle around at different angles and note what the spinning wheel does. Play around with it to give yourself an understanding of the forces involved with even a light wheel rotating at a fairly low rpm, and you will see what a powerful stabilizing force this effect is.

[music man]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

943 miles on a motorcycle or in a car? 943 miles/60 mph ave. speed = >15 1/2 hrs., 943mi/70mph= 13 1/2 hrs. Take out time for gas fillups, pee breaks, food, rest, etc, the real average speed would be much less (like 45-50 mph) and probably take around 18 hrs. to accomplish with no down time for sleep. That's alot of time to spend on a bike in one day and probably a recipe for disaster. :??: :??:

He said he was driving his suburban, 943 miles on a bike in one day would put you in the Iron Butt record book for sure.

[BusyWeb]

Originally Posted by mr. softie

The gyroscope effect

Thanks for the info, Mr. Softie.
I found some good example video from YouTube.

Amazing physics....
Actually, I remember one of the FREE MIT class lectures...um.
Found it..(or other one ???)

In this lecture, about end of the class??, professor shows some interesting demonstration.

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

943 miles on a motorcycle or in a car? 943 miles/60 mph ave. speed = >15 1/2 hrs., 943mi/70mph= 13 1/2 hrs.

We left Breckenridge in the Suburban at 11:30am local time and pulled into the driveway at 12:15 (am again? quarter after midnight.) That looks like 12 hrs and 45 minutes, but we crossed one time zone and picked up an hour. I could have done it least an hour better but I have two speeding tickets in less than 14 months already and rarely went more than 4 or 5 miles over the limit. (Thank God fo 75 mph speed in CO and UT!) And yes, as noted above, in the Suburban. Had to stop a half hour or so past Beaver Creek and install a gallon 'o windshield wiper fluid (there was a lot of snow, traffic and accidents for the first two hours of the trip) and my wife insisted on two additional ciggie breaks - one in Richfield, one in Baker. The Suburban holds 44 gals of regular, so gas breaks are optional - I've done 350 miles on half a tank - could probably go close to 800 between fillups.

It was very windy (headwindy!) the whole way. Some kind of change in weather systems going on. I was pretty fried when I got home.

I am sorry Patrick. I have violated Etiquette Rule 7.4 Sections a-d. But mrlmd1 was part of the conspiracy!