As the temperatures top out during the summer months, motorcyclists really feel the heat. While most bikes are designed to take temperature extremes in stride, blazing hot summer weather can make rider safety challenging and confusing.

 

The following tips are intended to help motorcyclists make good choices to keep cool when the temperature soars.

 

#1 Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

 

Drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated. This isn’t just good advice for riders, it’s great advice for everyone dealing with the heat of summer.

 

Dehydration is easily the top concern in hot weather, especially in warm dry (desert) climates, where it is easy to lose moisture without realizing. But dehydration is also easy to avoid. Just remember to up your hydration whenever it gets hot outside.

 

Unfortunately, riders are often hesitant to drink extra fluids because they’re worried about having to make more pit stops to use the bathroom. After all, there’s no way to tell how much liquid you need to consume to keep hydration stable within your body, so you may choose to err on the side of too little rather than too much.

 

That’s a bad idea, because dehydration can lead to a slew of problems that can make riding very dangerous very quickly. Take my word for it, it is far better to have to stop and use the bathroom than it is to deal with a leg cramp at 80 MPH.

 

Also, depending upon how much you sweat, cramps may occur even if you drink lots and lots of water. Your body doesn’t just lose water when you sweat, you also lose electrolytes, which can cause cramps to come on suddenly.

 

For this reason, you should not just rely on water for hydration. Salty foods, bananas, and sports drinks that contain electrolytes can help restore your electrolyte balance and keep you safely hydrated when on the road.

 

#2 Know the Symptoms

 

Cramps are also one of the lesser heat-related illnesses a rider might have to deal with in hot weather. Exposure to the heat and sun can also trigger heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can be life threatening, even when you’re not on your bike.

 

The best way to avoid heat-related illnesses is to keep hydrated and cool, and to limit your exposure to the elements. Of course, that can sometimes be hard to do, so it’s important to be able to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses so that you can better understand your personal limitations, and stop, rest, and cool down as soon as they appear.

 

#3 Dress for Safety

 

The greatest challenge to riding a motorcycle in hot weather is how to dress safely without overheating.

 

Most motorcycle attire is designed to protect the rider – from falls, airborne bugs and debris, and from the cold. For this reason, it’s usually thick and padded or armored, making it hard to keep cool in, no matter how cool it might make you look.

 

A lot of motorcyclists ditch this kind of attire in hot weather, relying instead upon light clothes and short sleeves to help stay cool. By doing this, riders are effectively choosing personal comfort over personal safety, and that’s not an even trade-off.

 

While falling on a motorcycle is ALWAYS dangerous, the difference between falling with protective gear and falling in shorts and a t-shirt is absolutely massive. You may not like sweating, but it’s definitely better than leaving your skin on the pavement.

 

You should ALWAYS dress for safety when you ride, even when the temperature soars.

 

Invest in a good mesh motorcycle jacket that still offers protection while letting air flow through to keep you cool. Wear mesh motorcycle pants or kevlar motorcycle jeans to keep your legs protected. Wear short motorcycle gloves to give your wrists more air. To keep cool underneath, wear a special cooling vest, or try wearing a t-shirt made of wicking material that will draw your sweat away from your body and help keep you cool.

 

ALWAYS wear motorcycle boots and a helmet. But make sure you open any vents your helmet might have to help keep your head cool. Remember, your brain is the part of your body that needs to be most protected – from the heat as well as the road.

 

#4 Keep Moving

 

Fortunately, every motorcycle on earth has its own built-in air conditioning system. It’s called the wind. When you ride, the air rushing past helps keep you cool whether it’s 19 or 99 degrees outside. 

 

Keeping your bike moving is probably the simplest strategy for keeping cool when riding on hot days. But not just for you, for your bike as well.

 

Fortunately, your bike was designed to handle a lot of heat from your engine’s internal combustion. And while hot weather may make it harder for your bike to keep itself cool, it should be up to the task – provided your coolant and other fluid levels are full.

 

But your engine also relies on air-cooling to a degree, so keeping moving will help keep both you and your bike cool at the same time.

 

One concern that your bike may have when riding in hot weather is tire pressure. Bike tires are designed to handle a range of pressure, but temperature extremes can make it difficult to keep pressures within specified limits.

 

Filling your tires to max air pressure in hot weather is a bad idea, because those tires will heat up as you ride, causing the air inside them to expand. This can cause a blowout on older tires, so be careful when making any adjustments to your tire pressure, especially when it is hot or cold outside.

 

#5 Take Breaks Regularly

 

If you are driving a long way, don’t be afraid to pull over and take a break once every hour or so. Not only is this a good way to cool down, but it’s also a great way to remember to keep hydrated, and keep yourself alert as well.

 

While you may be tempted to pull over somewhere where you can soak up some air conditioning, you’re better off not putting your body through the extreme of cooling all the way down on a break. Instead, find an overpass where you can spend a few minutes safely parked in the shade. This will make it easier to get moving again after you’re done cooling down a little.

 

#6 Enjoy

 

It may be hot outside, but riding your motorcycle is still a great way to enjoy a summer day. After all, most riders prefer riding on a hot day to riding in rain, snow, or icy conditions, and it’s easy to see why.

 

As long as you take the proper care to protect yourself as you ride, riding in the heat of summer can be as good as it gets.