Tips for Riding Your Motorcycle in the Heat
Riding motorcycles when it’s baking hot outside is one of the best and worst feelings. It’s fantastic when the road conditions are optimal and your tyres have grip, meaning you can corner with confidence, there’s wind on your face and bikes are all around you enjoying the weather.
It is, however, very warm, causing you and your bike some additional fatigue. Being too hot can also add to this, making you feel slightly unwell at times instead of enjoying the moment.
Here are some tips on how to survive the heat and make the most of the weather:
Inspect your tyres
Hot weather can have an adverse effect on your tyres; the warmer temperatures heat up the tarmac, leading to increased wear and tear. It’s important to be cautious about this and ensure your tyres are running at optimal temperatures to prevent any additional wear and tear.
ATGATT – All The Gear, All The Time
In these moments when it’s warmer outside and you are also boiling hot—your hands are sweltering underneath your gloves; your jacket is boiling you alive; and your riding boots aren’t helping either—it could be all too tempting to trim down the riding gear and go out in some shorts and a T-shirt.
If you’ve ever typed ‘road rash’ into a search engine (not the video game) and seen images, you’ll soon see why this isn’t a bad idea and why being peeled off the pavement isn’t much fun.
If you want to feel a little cooler while riding, you might want to buy some summer gear. There are lighter jackets, pants, boots, and gloves, and many brands offer versions that are perforated with thousands of tiny holes to help airflow.
Alpinestars also sell a cooling vest that can be worn under your jacket; you simply fill the vest with 500 ml of cold water, spread it throughout, and enjoy the coolness throughout the day. The vest can be reused, so you can keep replacing the water throughout the day to stay nice and cool.
Take extra breaks and plan your journey
Taking extra breaks and planning your journey is vital when you’re battling the heat. Being wrapped up in warm riding gear can cause fatigue incredibly quickly, especially when you cannot have a drink of water.
So, it’s important to stop whenever you can to drink water since being dehydrated can make it hard to concentrate.
Drink lots of fluids
As mentioned in the previous point, drink a lot of fluids, especially water and sports drinks, to boost your hydration. It’s also generally a good idea to avoid caffeine, as it has been known to cause dehydration.
Apply suncream on your neck
If you don’t want to get burned, apply sun cream to your neck and any other parts of you that are exposed. You will be exposing your neck to the harsh sun the entire time you are riding, and we all know the dangers of what sunburn can do to you.
If you are wearing short gloves, it may be an idea to apply sun cream to your wrists and your face as well.
Tinted visor
If you don’t want to wear sunglasses under your helmet, a tinted visor can protect your eyes from the sun if you don’t plan to ride when it’s dark. It may also protect your face from getting sunburnt.
Wear sweat-wicking base layers
You may think these garments are for athletes and pro riders only, but you can use them too, and they are easily available to purchase from the top brands too. You may also ask yourself why you’d want to wear more and not less when it’s baking hot outside, but it’s the same reason the top MotoGP riders wear base layers even when it’s scorching hot because these products are designed to remove moisture from the skin and cool you down. Having bare skin under your jacket or trousers can actually make you sweat more than wearing a base layer.
You can simply wear a base layer under your jacket and nothing else, and the same for your legs (we’d recommend you wear some underwear though, at least), and you will find yourself a lot cooler than wearing jeans and a T-shirt under your gear.
Park in the shade to stop your motorcycle from overheating
Parking your motorcycle in the shade when you are not riding it will help to protect it and the paint from any additional damage. This will also help to cool down the motorcycle and prevent it from overheating.