Need advice on riding in hot weather

[NEWHD74FAN]

In the height of the afternoon, do not push too hard, try to get all or most of your "hard" riding done early in the moring when you are "fresh". Make sure you stay hydrated and get some recommendations from the long distance riders out there to be sure. Do not ride impaired...if you are tired, been riding hard in high heat, be sure to allow extra time to rest and hydrate. Riding with GPS and other riders (w/ intercom) is nice, but not necessary. Calculate your trip based on 40-45mph (sorry Rob) but this is realistic from a rest stop/fueling and foot stops and expected mileage coverage. I say this because you are not trying to run a marathon, and riding fast and out of your comfort zone is the last thing you should want or need.

 

[Darmon]

I freeze water bottles and stick one inside my jacket while I'm riding - it really helps with the cool down and by the time I stop I can drink it - I replace with another one that was kept in my little lunch cooler I always pack around in my saddlebag! I always wear my gear which is an HD Switchback jacket (with zip out lining to mesh with armour in all the right places!), gloves, chaps and 3/4 helmet in the summer.

 

[JPHarley]

Try a cooling vest. Soak it in water for a few minutes...put it on over a t-shirt and put a mesh jacket on top of that. I have the new bright orange Harley mesh jacket with the armor (removable) and full fingered gloves. Wore that combination about 100 miles in 104 degree heat here in West Texas. I was cool. I stop about every 40 min or so and if the vest is drying out, just re soak it.. The vest is only about 35 bucks from Amazon. Works for me.

 

[walleye]

Great advice given here, and I can't add much that has not been said. Basically cover all your body, drink lots of WATER and use plenty of suntan lotion . Ugly John is right on about covering your face and lips, not only sun but in hot weather the wind burn can be terrible as well. I found this out the hard way.

 

[hammerhead pat]

Wear a bandana around your neck and at every stop get a extra glass of ice water and soak it. That cold water feels real good running down your neck and back on a hot day. Defenitly use sunblock and some type of lip balm.

 

[RetiredJake]

An evaporative cooling vest is the hot setup (pun intended ). I wore one crossing Oklahoma this June in 100+ heat. It felt like the temps were in the 80's with the vest. They work better in low humidity, but will help even on the east coast.

 

[jwoo1800]

bungee cord a camel back to the pass. seat and stick the hose behind your back. Every 15-20 minutes take a big pull off of it. If you fill 1/2 ice 1/2 water it'll stay cold all day long. Then refill with ice the next a.m. and start again. Never have to much aqua on the hot rides.

 

[joel]

The cooling vest sounds really good, a couple weeks ago I tried to buy 1 while in VEGAS, all sold out, temp was 112 during the day, we found that with a water bottle you could cool down with a couple of shots arround the neck, evan after the water got too hot to drink, this works for about 25-30 miles. And if the rider behind gets in the right spot you just shoot the water over your back and surprise him with a cool down. Not much to do in between towns in Nevada, so we had our share of the water fights.

 

[billnapabill]

Good advice from all you guys..........I just ordered the evaporative cooling vest, gonna try that on the way to Oregon this month. I rode up to Reno a coupla weeks ago and rode over Carson Pass down into Mindon on 395, it was 115 in Mindon, I just about died. I had the neckerchief on and was slathered up with sun screen but I baked anyway. I got into Reno and had to go to my room and get in a cold shower to feel normal again. Anyway, more to come on the Cool Vest. Any good DOT vented hardhats out there you know about?

 

[Jim B.]

Just wanted to thank all of you for the good advice on riding in the heat. I am now sitting on the porch outside my hotel about 10 miles from Sturgis. The weather here is in the low 80's but it was 110 degrees between Barstow, CA and Las Vegas. Frequent stops to cool off and rehydrate along with alternating neck cooling ties worked great.