Riding in the Heat
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, GA
Intersting tibits of info here yall!! Thank you, gives me some ideas here in S. GA....been brutal heat for the last few weeks, we definately drink LOTS of water and I know I drink PZero at just about every stop, the 32oz ones at least...LOL, wear 70 spf, but will have to try the wetting the long sleeve jacket and see about wearing my under armor spandex under a pair of pants to see how that is!
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 164
Likes: 2
From: Rural Northern CA
At the suggestion of Ron Hall, the owner of the HD dealership in Chico, CA, I purchased a "cooling jacket." It comes in a zip-lock bag. When it's hot, I pour in a little water into the bag, get the jacket wet (but not dripping), put it on over a T-shirt, put my mesh HD armored jacket on over it, & ride. It lasts about 45 minutes around Norther CA, but we are also on the dry side.
I've also used a large bandanna around my neck that I get soaking wet.
Wearing just the cooling jacket, it's dry in 15 minutes or less at 90+ degrees.
The rice-rocket guys put it on under their leathers & say it lasts up to 2-1/2 hours.
BTW, if it suddenly turns cold & I have the (dry) cooling jacket in one of my bags, I can put it on under my normal jacket for added insulation.
As for the "drink plenty of water" thing, when riding solo, I have a "camel back" in the rear seat & loop the hose into the left side chrome lid-guard, well within reach to shoot some water into the mouth as I ride. I've soaked the pack of the camel back so that evaporative cooling lets me drink relatively cool water as I go.
When I stop, I try to drink a sports-drink with electrolytes.
I've been successful in temps at 107+, but don't make long rides at those temps because you really can't tell when you're brain-fried. So, unless I'm going to an evening baseball game where I know I'll be riding home after dark, on 100+ degree days, I'm thinking "air conditioned car."
Why? "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. But, there are no "old, bold pilots."
My $.02.
I've also used a large bandanna around my neck that I get soaking wet.
Wearing just the cooling jacket, it's dry in 15 minutes or less at 90+ degrees.
The rice-rocket guys put it on under their leathers & say it lasts up to 2-1/2 hours.
BTW, if it suddenly turns cold & I have the (dry) cooling jacket in one of my bags, I can put it on under my normal jacket for added insulation.
As for the "drink plenty of water" thing, when riding solo, I have a "camel back" in the rear seat & loop the hose into the left side chrome lid-guard, well within reach to shoot some water into the mouth as I ride. I've soaked the pack of the camel back so that evaporative cooling lets me drink relatively cool water as I go.
When I stop, I try to drink a sports-drink with electrolytes.
I've been successful in temps at 107+, but don't make long rides at those temps because you really can't tell when you're brain-fried. So, unless I'm going to an evening baseball game where I know I'll be riding home after dark, on 100+ degree days, I'm thinking "air conditioned car."
Why? "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. But, there are no "old, bold pilots."
My $.02.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 20
From: Salem, Or
I ride every day and we will be seeing 110 by Wednesday. The only thing I do different is drink more water and make more stops. On a 110 degree day the average person will loose 26ozs of water every hour they are outside.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
+1 one the cool vest. They are great and if you wear them under a mesh jacket the water doesn't evaporate as fast. If they dry out, just stop somewhere and soak 'em up some more. I sometimes wear mine over a t-shirt. Looks kinda hoaky, but what a difference.
6th Gear
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Omaha, NE
There are lots of good ideas here. Definitely keep covered up during sunlight hours, sunburn makes things much worse. Plenty of sunscreen, too. One thing I do is bring a CamelBak water backpack system filled with cold water. It is like a backpack with a long water tube. Strap it to your seat, put it in your saddlebags, wear it, whatever, you have cold water for the whole ride. I did this on a ride from Sturgis back to Omaha years ago on my 81 FXEF. It was around 550 miles, temps peaked at 108 according to one bank, humidity in the 80% range, no windshield. It was like riding with someone holding a hair dryer in your face. It was miserable but we made it.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 3
From: Chattanooga, TN
I have the seat beads on both my bikes, they really work, you can feel the cool air around the seat area.
http://www.beadrider.com/
http://www.beadrider.com/
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,615
Likes: 31
From: Charlotte Area
96 today here with high humidity but didn't seem that hot riding. Just double the amount of fluids you think you need. Good advice " drink until you have to whizz and then keep drinking about double what you think you need. Light colors ( no black tees) spray on sunscreen and head for the mountains.
Bub
Bub
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,456
Likes: 11
From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
I made an 800-mi trip to San Jose last year in the middle of July. The stretch from Redding to 580-cutoff, the Formotion Thermometer on my Wide Glide was showing 113-degrees! Man, that was torture but I had to get there in one day, so I couldn't just wait out the heat.
Makes me cringe just remembering.
Makes me cringe just remembering.