Another Wild Iowa Ride

[gpolakow]

My wife and I and a group of other motorcyclists rode from SE iowa to Elkhart Lake, WI for some races weekend before this past one. We dodged some bad weather on the 8 hour ride until on our last leg very close to home we got blasted by a wicked thunderstorm in Washington, IA. Not sure but seemed like we got hit by a 50 or 60 MPH cross wind as we rode into this storm. Blew us all into the lane belonging to the oncoming traffic. Fortunately no oncoming traffic at the time. Had to lean very hard to get it back into our lane. Could not have stopped because I don't think I could have held the bike up in that wind. A very nice elderly couple invited us into their garage (ex bikers). Lesson learned: don't keep riding into very obvious bad weather if you have any choice at all. Stop and find shelter until it passes.

[pdrstraw]

Glad you survived, Greg! I often start scanning for open barn doors, car wash bays, or any shelter that looks inviting when oncoming storms look threatening. That's another reason I prefer two-lane highways when I'm not in a hurry. It's hard to find shelter on an interstate!

Regards,

[sonnata]

Normally the LT handles very well in cross winds, but I don't know if I've been in blasts as high as 60mph, but I've certainly been in 40mph cross winds.

I find keeping my arms loose helps a lot. Because the bike is a little top heavy, it just tilts itself into the wind. Bike barely moves out of it's line of travel.

What I hate is the combination of high winds and rain. THAT freaks me out.