Cross Winds

[Tyris]

New riders, both myself and my wife, so between the two of us have total of 525 miles on RT Limited. She does not like the lateral wind either from just nature or from semi's she meets.

Will sway bar make much difference in helping this, or is it merely something that she has to get use to over time and can tell her it gets better with experience?

 

[Bob Denman]

An anti-sway bar will help...
But so will pulling your knees in against the tank; to help steady yourself on the bike!
Your "Best-Half" should just hang on to her grabrails a bit tighter...
It's not the bike that is getting blown around: it's you! :shocked:

 

[UtahPete]

New riders, both myself and my wife, so between the two of us have total of 525 miles on RT Limited. She does not like the lateral wind either from just nature or from semi's she meets.

Will sway bar make much difference in helping this, or is it merely something that she has to get use to over time and can tell her it gets better with experience?

Nothing is going to protect her from buffeting winds, but maybe you mean the effect it has on the bike, not the wind on her person?

If so, what is the effect on the bike that she finds so discomforting? Apparently, you are not bothered by it - just her? As a passenger, she has grab handles to hold onto; she just has to trust they will keep her from being blown off the bike.

Cross winds affect the Spyder much less than they do a 2-wheeler, but it's still a relatively small vehicle and will be impacted somewhat by buffeting winds.

If you are finding the Spyder is being blown off course and you have to wrestle it for control in those situations, then a sway bar could help. But first, make sure the bike is properly aligned and the tires properly inflated, with good rubber.

 

[BigGuy66]

We were buffeted by 30 MPH sustained winds and 40 MPH gusts on our way home from Spyderfest 2017. We had the sway bar installed while in Springfield. I could tell that the bike was affected a lot less laterally and that both Karen and I were the ones being pushed around. Really glad we had the sway bar on our 2010 RT.

 

[Pirate looks at --]

It's you not the motorcycle

The BajaRon bar will help with stability of the motorcycle. If the cross winds are strong enough you are going to start to be a Sail! You will catch the wind and you will be blown in such a way you may feel you are being blown off the Motorcycle. We had 45 and 60 mph crosswinds in South Dakota, and Wyoming and my wife had a very hard time holding as she was driving. When we turned into the wind the RT was totally wide open and all it could do was 70 mph and drained the gas tank in 89 miles. There are some times when you just have to stop and wait for it to blow over. The impact is far less than what you would experience on a two wheeler!

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I just rode through a lot of wind on my way home from Homecoming. I have the Baja Ron sway bar and Ron's shock adjusters installed. The winds did not affect me much at all. Mostly you just have to relax, both your body and your hold on the handlebars. The Spyder will stay quite stable but it will move some, and your body will move in the wind. You can't prevent it, but you can tolerate it.

 

[AeroPilot]

Passenger seat is a B**** with strong crosswinds

Have riden many miles in the drivers seat and as a passenger on the RT with the wife driving when we're two up and switching off with the driver duties. With strong cross winds the driver has it made with good wind protection, and we've enjoyed Ron's swaybar upgrade on the 11 RT for 70,000 miles. Usually the strongest crosswinds seem to be coming across Kansas from SpyderFest in the Springtime, and I would much rather be the pilot than the rider in those conditions. Just part of riding. Bad crosswind days just make you appreciate the tailwind days when they come.. not much you can do about it other than try to "tuck in" behind the pilot.

 

[JayBros]

I agree with all the other responders regarding the value of a BajaRon sway bar.

You say you and your wife have a total of 525 miles on the Spyder(s). For your own safety, get lots more miles more of experience, particularly in the crosswinds. You will eventually get more accustomed to them. At the extremes they are not going to be fun but with experience your comfort level will increase.