Menu Content/Inhalt
Home arrow Search

Search SMA

Articles: 714
WebLinks: 109
Visitors: 7802492
Total Hits: 16074023
Wind Chill on a Motorcycle Print E-mail
Tuesday, 23 January 2007



Calculating the wind chill while riding a motorcycle depends greatly on whether or not you have a windsheild and if you do not, whether you are heading into the wind or if it's at your back.

All things equal however, you can use the following charts to guage the wind chill you might experience while riding - especially if you are riding without proper attire built for travelling in the cold.

If you know the temperature outside, you can estimate the wind speed by observing the movement of trees and flags, and then find the wind chill on the second chart.

 

Wind Speed
WIND SPEED (km/h) WHAT TO LOOK FOR
10 Wind felt on face; leaves rustle; wind vanes begin to move.
20 Leaves & small twigs constantly moving; small flags extended.
30 Dust, leaves, & loose paper lifted; large flags flap; small tree branches move.
40 Small trees begin to sway; large flags extend and flap.
50 Larger tree branches moving; whistling heard in power lines; large flags extend and flap more wildly.
60 Whole trees moving; resistance felt in walking against wind; large flags extend fully and flap only at the end


Wind Chill Index
Temperature (°C)

Wind Speed (km/h)
0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 -45
10 -3 -9 -15 -21 -27 -33 -39 -45 -51 -57
20 -5 -12 -18 -24 -31 -37 -43 -49 -56 -62
30 -7 -13 -20 -26 -33 -39 -46 -52 -59 -65
40 -7 -14 -21 -27 -34 -41 -48 -54 -61 -68
50 -8 -15 -22 -29 -35 -42 -49 -56 -63 -70
60 -9 -16 -23 -30 -37 -43 -50 -57 -64 -71


Notes regarding wind chill

1. For a given combination of temperature and wind speed, the wind chill index corresponds roughly to the temperature that one would feel in a very light wind. For example, a temperature of -25°C and a wind speed of 20 km/h give a wind chill index of -37. This means that, with a wind of 20 km/h and a temperature of -25°C, one would feel as if it were -37°C in a very light wind.

2. Wind chill does not affect objects and does not lower the actual temperature. It only describe how a human being would feel in the wind at the ambient temperature.

3. The wind chill index does not take into account the effect of sunshine. Bright sunshine may reduce the effect of wind chill (make it feel warmer) by 6 to 10 units.


Related Articles:

The Sportbike Engine of the Future: Other Valvetrain Options
Staying warm on your motorcycle
MCN Reports Honda Cruiser Will be Turbocharged
Do you carry a flashlight?
Riding a Motorcycle in Cold and Snow
Everything you ever wanted to know about chrome plating
Motorcycling in the Rain
Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 September 2009 )
 
Advertisement

Support Saskatchewan Motorcycle Association by making a donation: