my 09 dyna was scary to ride. after 3000mi I broomed the dunlops and went with mich. the difference is night and day.

 

ride it more and ride thru it..it gusts up to around 60mph this time of year, yeah, i get knocked around the lane but thats where countersteering comes to play..

 

I've become so used to the cross winds that I don't even notice myself compensating anymore. It'll get easier with miles.

 

I switched my solid Fatboy wheels out for the mags in my sig picture. I can tell a little difference in high wind, but not that much. Just remember, the cross winds have the entire surface of the motorcycle, your side body, and luggage or saddlebags you may have on the bike that act as solid surfaces to exert force on.

 

how can solid discs and spoke rims have the same amount of wind resistance?

hold a solid door and a screen door against a heavy breeze and see if that makes any sense - may not make much of a difference, but it has to make some difference (and no, just because spokes are spinning real fast doesnt make them = a solid disc)

my old boss rides a FB and changed out the solid wheels just for this reason

 

The whole solid wheel thing is BS...in high crosswinds try doing 2 things:

1. Relax with it. Let the bike do the work. if the winds are under 60mph you aren't going to fall over or crash.
2. In heavy gusts keep some throttle on so the driveline is under acceleration load. When power is applied to the wheels of a motorcycle the wheels are like two horizontal gyroscopes. They are very difficult to knock out of line but will drift easily. Pound for pound a motorcycle is more physically stable than a car or truck in the same cross wind.

So, chill out and let the bike do the work.

I find accelerating through cross winds on short bridges is easier than just cruising through.

Note: You will not become completely airborne until the winds are at 138mph.....at which point...well....I hope you have your helmet on.

 

exactly. let the bike ride through it. keep throttle and don't panic.

before my accident, i had a blacked out fat boy wheel on my front. it was a little different than the spoke but not much.

grimm

 

so air can't pass through those huge holes in your front wheel? you know, same one that affects the direction your bike is heading?

 

I had a 08 cvo springer with 200 on the rear and spoked cvo wheels. That sucker would stand straight up with gusts of wind. Don't know why, never experience it before.

138 mph, glad I have nothing to worry about.

 

Read up on the aero dynamics of a spoked versus solid wheel...not much difference as the spokes spinning at high speed offer almost as much wind resistance. I didn't believe it either but it is true.