Against The Wind! Fear Of Flying!  By  scooterdave (Read 1,424 times)

Wind shear, it happens. Do you have the 10 inch wheel scooter? I think the larger wheel has less trouble with it, but a light vehicle is just more sensitive to the wind than a larger one is and scooters are about as light as they get.

I usually ride in the middle of the road. Gives me leeway in case of strong wind gusts.
I don't know, but on my ATM50, which is most susceptible to wind gusts, I just move forward, and automatically adapt to wind gusts. Sometimes I'm riding at a 20 degrees angle, without turning.
It's kind of like the bike automatically keeps moving forward (straight). If there's a wind gust from the right, I turn to the left (the opposite side you're supposed to turn to).
When I do that, the scoot will angle to the right, and makes me want to turn right.
However, with the wind gust, it merely allows me to ride forward.

it would be difficult, and dangerous, to have a strong right wind gust,and you having to turn right on an exit.

Also known as a cross wind. A strong cross wind of say 20mph will even push my 600 pound trike sideways. When you panic accidents are more prone to happen because you are not in control of your reflexes. In time you should learn to control your fear and not panic. Pay attention to the sound of the wind. I can often tell when a gust is coming by the changes in sound, and you can be prepared for it. The sights and sounds around you will clue you in as to what is happening.

Roy

Scooterdave,

Yeah, all vehicles do that some... from small bikes to semi-trucks. Like Doug says, scooters are VERY light-weight so they get affected more than heavier rides. Wind-shear is a lot like riding over a bridge with a corrugated steel surface. (I never did like those!) Your tires want to go all over the place, but they actually only move a few inches left and right. When you're on a 2-lane highway on a big bike at 80 mph, and go by an on-coming truck doing 80, the blast you hit as the truck passes feels like it's going to throw you into the next county... LOL! But it won't.

Your scooter, being a 250 is one of the larger ones. It should handle better than my 150; something more like a mid-size motorcycle. Once you get used to its "habits" you'll find that a little left and right movement is "normal" with wind-shear, and it will only move you slightly off-center, then you're right back on track again. It's almost "automatic".

I've ridden bikes now for more than a half-century... Mostly Harleys. Now, in my old age, I'm riding a Chinese 150 for two reasons:

1. The flat-floor design is easy for arthritic old geezers to climb on and off,

2. The Chinese scoots are all I can afford these days... LOL!

The only real difference I've found between handling characteristics of scooters versus big bikes is that scooters have the engine way low, making a low center of gravity. THAT makes them handle "short and snappy" compared to a big cycle. It makes them slightly more "twitchy" which is great for "wild-mousing" traffic, but also makes them just a tad more jumpy left and right at high speed. Bigger diameter wheels and tires help some, but keep in mind Vespas have only thin-tires on 11" front and 10" rear wheels, and they ride fine at 70+ mph.

I think that once you get comfortable and relax some, you'll just ride out the wind gusts with a slight left and right sway... Like driving a speedboat diagonally across another boat's wake. It will just come naturally.

Like prodigit said, riding in the middle of the lane will give you a little "wiggle-room" (and might keep cars from trying to pass you in your own lane...) but keep in mind, especially near intersections, that the middle of the lane is where all the oil and crud collects. When coming to a stoplight, I usually edge over slightly out the center to keep clean pavement under me.

Ride a lot, get comfortable and you'll enjoy that 250!

Ride SAFE,

Leo in Texas

Was on my way to Sturgis going North thru Wyoming on my 1100 Honda Shadow Sabre
I swear I was almost leaning at a 40 degree angle due to the wind.
And that thing weight 700 lbs.
Gotta learn your and the bikes limits.
Enjoy the ride