OH MY!

[mrjlube]

Hello everyone!! Yesterday was my first trip on the freeway and man it scared me! So windy, it felt like i was going to blow off the machine!! lol. I was doing about 70mph and was holding on soooo tight! Does this get better with experience or is the x500 not really good on the freeway! Just asking for your advice.
Thanks everyone and take care!!

[griffon_j9]

The Xciting is awesome on the highway!  Much much better then the grandvista! I enjoy riding on the highway... no wind problems at all.  when I had the grandvista I almost got sucked under a semi!! but with the xciting no sucking at all!! ... Maybe you just need more practice

I drive 15 miles every morning now on highway in rush hour"ish" traffic  (driving between 6:30 am and 7:00 am so not full on rush hour but still lots of cars)

night!

[art]

A wind screen can help out also,but nothing makes up for time on the bike

[Hoolander2]

It's pretty much always that way around traffic.  I've ridden powerful bikes on interstates and none were any better than the Xciting.  Haven't ridden a real big tourer like a goldwing, though.

You do get used to it and you won't be hanging on quite so tight. 

If you think that was scary, wait for a nice WINDY day!!  Oh yeah!  It's enough to make ya pull over and let the ol heart slow down a bit.  Or just pull over period. 

[OLDRIDER]

I think it will take some time to get use to riding on the freeway at 70. I have been on the freeway over 70 closer to 85 and I have noticed the wind but I am a big guy. I thought the bike handled really well and tracked beautifully. In fack on my last freeway trip I actully passed a truck which was new experience as they usually fly by me out in the open road. Get some more time on the bike and you will feel fine.

[sidthesloth]

More time on the bike, that is the best thing to do. If you dont have much experience,take it easy, trying too much too soon can be dangerous, just step it up as you feel comfortable and you will be fine.

[winginman]

A good windshield like the tall Givi will make a lot of difference.  I ride regular on the expressway and the Xciting behaves quite well.  I have found that if there is enough wind to blow the Xciting around it will blow around even much bigger bikes.  We also have an Aprilia Scarabeo 500 and it is a handful on a windy day.  I have found that pretty much any two wheeler with the windshield mounted on the handlebars is more sensitive to the wind.  The Xciting with the windshield mounted on the frame is less sensitive.

[TPococke]

Just remember the big rigs are going to affect the air, if they are coming at you or you come up behind them. Just be ready for it. And if the rearend of the 500 starts feeling like it's fishtailing even a little, pull over right away and check your back tire. I had a flat on the rear going about 80 and got it pulled over just in time. I had just passed a truck being driven by an experianced motorcyclist (who pulled over to help me) and he said he was praying I would pull over in time because the bike will throw you if the tire goes all the way flat..

[sissy mary]

I just rode over 4,000 miles, all freeway on my x500. Windy almost all of the time. I know of many goldwing riders that have to pull off and get a motel if the winds get to bad! I have friends who have big harley's with the huge ugly bat wing fairing that is mounted to the front fork legs. They get blown all over the place. A frame mounted fairing, as the x500 has, is the only way to go. 

[Hoolander2]

Yeah, sissy, it would seem the Xciting doesn't have a large cross section exposed to side winds.  Partly just from being a scooter.  Also it doesn't have a large frontal exposure and what it does have is very aerodynamic.  I'm wondering if the Downtowns and especially the new Myroad 700 might not be more prone to wind in that regard since they look more bulky from the side. 

I've never had a rear tire go flat at high speed but it's my worst nightmare.  The only time I remember it happening, I was going pretty slow and bike became really unstable and almost uncontrollable.  Nearly took a tumble.  I wonder how many riders have had serious accidents or got killed due to blow-outs at speed? 

[TPococke]

I wonder how many riders have had serious accidents or got killed due to blow-outs at speed?   I really never had a thought about it until it happened. When the Xciting started fishtailing my first thought was that something else was going on but luckily I pulled it over anyway. When the motorcyclist pulled up behind me and told me what would have happened it really shook me because I really had no clue. Like art said "nothing makes up for time on the bike" Amen.
 
 
 

[wordslinger]

I've never had a rear tire go flat

.i have, but at 40 mph...

..and it went down slowly, still it kinda stopped my heart...

..can't imagine a blow-out at 70mph....

 

[winginman]

Keep your head, lay off the brakes and let her roll to a stop.  If you have to use brakes do it very, very gently.  I have had a blow out on the Goldwing at highway speeds. (Hit a small piece of metal and it took out rear tire.  Lost almost all air immediately.)  Bear in mind some rear tires have a really stiff sidewall and will almost run flat, but tend to let the bike fishtail a bit.  Had a flat on the Scarabeo 500 at about 50, but it went down slower. (Picked up a nail.)

I was with a friend in the Colorado Mountains on the Interstate about 125 miles west of Denver.  At 70 in a long sweeper curve his rear tire on a 1500 Goldwing blew.  He was pulling a trailer and riding 2 up.  Bike fishtailed a little and he got her straight and coasted to side of the road.  Tire was worn down to the cord and it blew a hole about the size of a quarter right in the center of the tire.  He did a great job of controlling the bike.  Note: There is a lesson in this one.  We traveled a bit over 6400 miles that trip.  When he left, the tire was in good shape but had a few miles on it.  It wore out while we were on the trip and we were not checking tires as we should have been.  Mine were worn enough that I ordered tires when I got home.  I just replaced the rear tire on my Xciting 500 last week at 5100 miles.  That trip was longer than the life I got out of the OEM tire.  Keep that in mind on those long trips.  We were talking as we were waiting for the service truck to get there.  The day before we were running 70 and 75 up through Utah and outside of Vegas it was 107 F.    I am surprised the tire did not fail then.  Guess we are not outrunning our guardian angel.    Don't take the chance check tires often on long trips, it can sneak up on you.

[sissy mary]

I forgot to mention that I have the big GIVI shield. All kind of winds blew me all over the place with the stock shield. With stock shield alot of the wind hit's your upper body, it make's it feel as if the bike is being pushed around. But it's not, it's pushing you around. The bike is rock solid. The GIVI will make all the diff in the world.

[TechGuy]

I rode over a year on my P250 with no windscreen. Much of what you are taking about is getting experience, knowing what "normal" feels like.  Once you get the feel for it, you will notice "not normal" and you will know what to do to address it (if it needs to be addressed).