Riding motorcycle is my passion so thoughts for today are about "Summer Riding."
Most parts of the country are feeling extreme heat in this riding season.
In my many years of riding motorcycles in all kinds of weather, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
In the past I can recall only one time I cut a ride short because of the weather – and it wasn’t what you might think.
I’ve done rides in rain and hail, but the one thing that made me think twice about completing the route I had planned was intense heat.
In the summer of 1998, the Arizona desert had an unusually intense heat wave.
As I left my home in Scottsdale at 6am for a ride to Cave Creek and beyond, it reached a touch over 110 degrees in the shade at about ten o’clock in the morning.
By the time I got out about 40 miles further, the thermometer on the Bank showed 114 degrees.
On that scorching, cloudless day, despite having already taken in one of the two bottles of water I had brought along, I began to feel nauseated and woozy—definitely not a good combination any time, but potentially catastrophic on a motorcycle.
I found some shade and stopped, my skin was hot and dry.
These things told me it might not be a good idea to try to ride for several more hours, not to mention what a mess I might be in if I had a breakdown on some shadeless stretch of road.
So, I took in my last bottle of water and headed immediately for home
I found riding with a textile mesh or ventilated jacket allows for some cooling effect by channeling air inside the jacket, which achieves that cooling effect by evaporation of perspiration.
However, riding a bike at highway speed can have an effect similar to what wind chill does in very cold weather.
It intensifies the effect of heat on the body and increases the rate of evaporation of sweat from the body.
In extreme heat, the body loses fluids at a higher-than-normal rate, which can cause dehydration.
When that happens, the body produces less perspiration, or even none at all, and, in combination with physical exertion, certain medical conditions and high environmental temperatures, hyperthermia, and heat stroke can develop!
I have found for extreme conditions, a cooling vest can be a great option to consider and quickly bought one after that summer day.
They have the advantage of working to cool body core temperatures which is the key to helping prevent nasty heat effects.
I can tell you this vest saved my fanny in the California Mohave Desert Heat too!
The helmet is one of the items of riding gear most often cited as uncomfortable—and dispensable—in hot weather.
It’s true that a heavy, non-ventilated helmet of an older design can be something of a pain on a hot day, but then again, a lot of lightweight, well-ventilated alternatives are now available today.
Moreover the modern helmets offer a lot of value-added features that not only provide state-of-the-art comfort and protection, but convenience, as well.
For example, helmets made with carbon fiber or some composite hybrids of fiberglass, carbon fiber, polycarbonate or other materials can be light, meet the most stringent impact protection standards, cool well with flow-through ventilation.
Even if you forget your sunglasses, they have internal slide-down sun shades, and also can have installation of Bluetooth communications gear.
Plus look pretty cool in the bargain.
My Hot Weather Motorcycle Boots:
The footwear tends to be tougher to find in terms of great summer ventilation with protection for foot, ankle, shin and Achilles tendon as well, but they are out there.
I encourage and know to don protective gear from head to foot no matter how hot the weather or how short the ride.
On a motorcycle, even the most mundane, low-speed mishap can cause a variety of injuries and wearing protective gear can help reduce severity and in some instances prevent those injuries.
Of course, no gear, no matter how well-designed can prevent all injuries—including serious injury, but with so many options available, there’s really no good reason not to protect ourselves.
I try not to forget water, electrolyte drinks or other things to drink— I may not be able to count on being close to a source to buy something in the event of a breakdown or unplanned stop.
I also bring some sunblock and maybe a light long-sleeve cover shirt and hat in the event I end up spending more time in direct sun than anticipated.
If I have a passenger that is allergic to bee stings or other things that we may encounter, I always encourage them to take the Epi-pen or other medications that may be prescribed along.
In fact not one summer has gone by where I haven’t had a close encounter with a wasp, bee or hornet.
I’ve been stung more than once on the bike; fortunately, I’m not allergic, but a lot of people are.
A serious allergic (anaphylactic) reaction out in the middle of nowhere could be life-threatening.
Also, something to think about is tire air pressures is absolutely critical at any time, but when pavement temperatures are in triple digits, under-inflated tires (which are prone to blow-out failures to start with) become a disaster waiting for a place to happen.
Time to tire failure gets even shorter if the bike is loaded with luggage and a passenger.
Manufacturers may recommend different tire air pressures depending on load, so I always check those out for my ride and adjust accordingly.
In fact I have made it a habit to bring a portable compressor with me in my saddle bag.
Last but not least by a long shot— All this rambling is to to wish ya'll keep your cool and ride safe!
Nana
P.S.
Check Out My Snippet Of A Summer Ride...
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