Heat can be extreme and sometimes lethal which is why AMERiders wants to give you some Tips to Stay Cool While Riding Your Motorcycle This Summer. We know we have given you some tips about staying cool before but it is always good for a reminder. Just like the same five heat-loss mechanisms – radiation, respiration, conduction, convection, and perspiration that can harm you in winter can also work to cool you down in hot weather.
STAY COVERED
Ever seen a picture of a Touareg tribesman in the Sahara? They are covered from head to foot. Only a soon-to-be-broiled tourist goes out wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Riding a motorcycle through the hot air is like standing in front of a blow dryer. Riding a motorcycle in shorts and a T-shirt is even worse Cover up, or you’ll end up as beef jerky or worse.
Heat can be a killer, Your body loses the ability to shed heat to your surroundings once those surroundings get close to body temperature—roughly 98°F or 37°C. Humidity has a lot to do with it because your ability to stay cool off by sweating depends on the ability of your sweat to evaporate. At high humidity, sweating becomes much less effective, allowing you to overheat even if the air temperature is a bit below body temperature.
VENT YOUR ANGER
Controlled airflow is your friend—, especially through your helmet, gloves, and jacket. Look for clothing with vents you can zip open. Even better are nylon mesh jackets with removable cold-weather liners. Like our Women’s Naked Cowhide Racer Vented Jacket is made from top grade cowhide leather. This beautiful jacket has great features like a zip out lining which runs through the sleeves, air vents on front and back, as well as side laces on both sides of the jacket for better fitting.
Or our Men’s Cowhide Racer Jacket With Air Vents features two air vents on the front of the jacket and two air vents on the back of the jacket. Multi pockets outside and inside of the jacket and zippered cuffs that allow putting the gloves inside of the jacket.
HYDRATE YOUR CLOTHING
Soak your clothes before you hit the road (we don’t recommend the jeans though). If you can’t water down everything, then pay special attention to your neck. Damp bandanas can make a big difference. Trust us we know we have done it enough. Another great trick is to keep a wet bandanna in your freezer maybe even two and then throw them and an ice pack in a lunch bag. Put them in your saddle bags or whatever you’re carrying and switch them out as your ride. They act as a helper to cool you off. Some of these little tricks are key to helping you stay cool in hot weather.
HYDRATE YOURSELF
Think of your body as a motorcycle if it runs low on fluids, it seizes up. Your body does the same thing. Your brain will shrink to the size of a pea and will rattle around in your skull. Poor decisions immediately follow. and even worse things after that. Keep a water bottle or some hydrating fluid close at hand, soda isn’t as good for hydrating as water or Gatorade.
To help keep that bottle close at hand you can buy a cup holder to attach to your motorcycle like our Diamond Plate Stainless Steel Motorcycle Cup Holder and Vacuum Bottle. This nifty accessory features an adjustable clamp to easily attach to motorcycle or bike, foam cup insert and hex key wrench plus extra screw. Vacuum bottle holds 9.5oz and features internal straw/external spout, and screw-down top for easy filling. Fits both 1″ and 1-1/4″ handlebars. Limited lifetime warranty. A great item to help you stay cool on your summer ride.
TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS
Need to wait for your buddies who are back down the trail flopping like carp and blowing bubbles? Find some shade, unzip your jacket, and take off your helmet.
COOL OFF WITH CHEAP TRICKS
Motorcycles don’t come with air conditioners (yet! we’ve heard of one but it is expensive), but you can improvise your own. How? At your next gas stop, fill your pockets and daypack with ice. You don’t need much, and you can often score enough for free out of the soft-drink vending machine. The ice itself is cold of course, and as it melts, the water evaporates and takes the heat with it. Works best with synthetic jackets. Alternatively, take along some of those soft, re-freezable ice packs used in coolers and put them close to your hide under your jacket.
We hope these tips have given you great ways to stay cool on your next and many rides this summer.
~And as always….
~Live Free Ride Hard~
~AMERiders
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Let AMERiders give up some Tips to Stay Cool While Riding Your Motorcycle This Summer.
And as always don’t forget to send us your stories, pictures, and events for posting to GALLERY.AMERIDERS @ GMAIL.COM and we will post them for you. The more people that know about your event the better and we are offering free advertising. We would also love to hear about your rides and love to see those bikes so send those stories and pictures.
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