avoid them. In most other cases involving UFOs streaking onto the road, adjust your speed, time them properly, and they will scurry on past you.
Riding posture: The smaller I make myself, the better. I tend to lay myself on the tank like I’ m in the middle of a MotoGP race to help reduce my surface area. This settles the bike, reduces wind noise in my helmet, and connects me more to the motorcycle. Of course, good control of the motorcycle can never be compromised in the process, so I make a concerted effort to really squeeze the bike with my legs. While this is always a good idea, the added variable of heavy side gusts makes it all that much more important to stay connected to the motorcycle. I also slightly increase my grip on the bars but not so tight that it degrades my ability to safely manipulate the controls.
Breathe: I take ongoing deep breaths( box breathing) to calm both my body and my mind. Honestly, if you hear nothing else, hear this: Good breathing alone keeps you calm, reduces tunnel vision, improves decision making, and maximizes the likelihood that you will get home safely.
Sitting at a stop: Remember what I said about the benefits of momentum to keep you stable? Well, because we’ re coming to a full and complete stop, that’ s off the table. The first thing I do when I come to a stop is roll into it at an angle so I’ m not fully sideways to the wind gusts. You know how ships approach large waves at a 45-degree angle to avoid getting pounded? Same idea here. I’ m cognizant to stop within the lane in such a way that if my motorcycle blew over it wouldn’ t hit any other vehicles or pin me between a bike and a hard place. For example, if the wind is blowing hard to the right, I’ ll angle into the left portion of the lane.
In addition to stopping at a 45- degree angle, I add a mild lean towards the wind to preempt the impact from the gusts. This will work your inside leg due to the added weight of the bike, but it’ s a small price to pay to stay upright. Just in case, be prepared to immediately counter the inevitable gusts by keeping your outside leg on the ground too.
If you want a gold star, make yourself MotoGP-small like we discussed above and rest your upper body on the tank.
Taking off from a stop: When it’ s time to take off from the light, I like to get up to speed assertively so I can generate some momentum to generate stability. I’ m not suggesting you channel your inner Ricky Gadson and power wheelie off the light, but get moving.
Now at the risk of being a buzzkill, I’ m going to close this out by offering this last bit of advice: If you can grab the keys to your dad’ s Ford LTD Country Squire and avoid this entire situation altogether, go ahead and do that. Seriously, heavy wind gusts are no joke, and there’ s nothing worse than being pinned down in the middle of nowhere when you finally realize it.
Quinn wears Schuberth helmets, Richa apparel, Lee Parks Design gloves, and Indie Ridge boots. Find out more at Quinn’ s website, PoliceMotorTraining. com. Send feedback to rider @ ridermagazine. com.
Avoid becoming a human sail( left) in heavy wind by making yourself small( right) to reduce your frontal area. Leaning toward the wind also helps.
RIDERMAGAZINE. COM / JUNE 2026 / 63