Riding a Motorcycle in High Wind

Riding a motorcycle in high wind is intimidating for a lot of motorcycle riders, especially new ones. There's a certain vulnerability when you're riding a motorcycle in high wind that you don't have when you're in a car. Riding a motorcycle in high wind can be dangerous, so it's important to pay attention to what you're doing and follow certain safety precautions. Here are some tips for riding a motorcycle in high wind.

You know when you're in the midst of riding in high wind, but it's also good to be aware that you're about to enter a high-wind area. One way of knowing this is by paying attention to your surroundings. Look for trees and flags that are being blown by a strong wind and you'll know that a gust is headed your way.

As you can imagine, when you're riding down the road you should stay away from the sides of the road. Try to remain in the center of your lane.

Keep your body relaxed. Your arms should be bent and not stiff. If your arms are straight and tense and you're gripping your bike, any movement of your upper body will cause your motorcycle to move as well.

Your lower body should be doing the work of holding you to your bike. Your legs should be squeezing the bike to hold you securely on. It's tempting to stop giving your motorcycle gas but this isn't a good idea because you lose the power you need to battle through the winds.

On a similar note, try to stay low to give the wind less to hit. Keeping your center of gravity low will also allow you to keep better control of your bike.

If at any time you feel like you can't control your motorcycle, pull over and either call somebody to come and get you or wait the conditions out. It's always better to be safe than it is to risk yourself or your motorcycle.