Three Proven Tips to Ride Safely in Strong Crosswinds

Riding in the wind can be absolutely terrifying. Gusts can shove you across the lane—or worse, toward oncoming traffic or off the road entirely. Your first instinct might be to grab the bars tightly and fight the wind, but that actually makes things worse. The good news? There’s a better way.

1. Stop Gripping the Handlebars So Tightly

When the wind hits you, you are what gets blown around—not the bike. If you’re holding on tightly, all your involuntary flinches and reactions get transmitted directly into the handlebars, making the bike twitch and wander.

Instead:

• Relax your arms and hands.
• Squeeze the tank with your legs.

Let your upper body float. Use your lower body—your core and legs—to stay anchored. This isolates the bike from your upper-body flinches, allowing it to do what it does best: go straight.

2. Trust the Physics—Let the Bike Do the Work

Motorcycles are naturally stable at speed. That’s thanks to kinetic energy and gyroscopic forces, which resist quick changes in direction. In fact, the faster a motorcycle moves, the more stable it becomes.

This is why:

• Higher speed = More stability
• More stability = Less likely to be tossed around by wind

Now, this doesn’t mean you should go flying down the freeway during a hurricane. But moderate speed, within safe limits, can actually help you cut through gusts rather than be buffeted by them.

3. Use Counter Steering to Lean Into the Wind

When crosswinds are strong enough to push your bike sideways, you don’t need to fight them—you need to lean into them.

Counter steering lets you do this with precision. Here’s how:

• To lean left, press forward on the left handgrip.
• To lean right, press forward on the right handgrip.

This small input shifts the bike’s contact patch and initiates a lean, letting you nudge the bike back into your lane or compensate for sudden gusts—like those you might experience crossing a bridge or riding through open plains.

Bonus Tips for Windy Conditions

• Park Smart: Always park your bike so the wind pushes it into the sidestand, not away from it.
• Watch Your Stops: Be mindful of which foot you put down at a red light or stop sign. A strong gust could knock the bike over if you’re unbalanced.
• Know When to Call It: If the wind is dangerously strong, it’s perfectly okay to wait it out or skip the ride. No shame in being smart.

Final Thoughts

Riding in strong winds isn’t about fighting your bike—it’s about trusting the physics, staying loose, and using precise techniques to stay in control.

Remember:

• Relax your grip.
• Trust your bike’s natural stability.
• Use counter steering to lean into gusts.

And finally, while wind can definitely rattle your nerves, it rarely causes crashes on its own. So breathe, ride smart, and stay calm.