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Article: Riding In Hot / Warm Weather
#1
https://www.fix.com/blog/motorcycle-ridi...t-weather/




Copy pasted content in case link is broken:
Riding In Hot Weather
Keeping Cool On Your Bike
Being a year-round rider, I’ve encountered my fair share of both hot and cold weather conditions. Since riding with full protective gear, or ATGATT (all the gear all the time), is always the best option for safety, I have learned how to keep cool properly while riding in hot weather.

The Science of Sweat
Your body regulates heat by sweating. As sweat is released from the body onto the surface of your skin, evaporation occurs. Evaporation is the primary method by which sweat cools the body, and it works by the principle of “latent heat of vaporization.” Latent heat is the amount of heat absorbed or released when a substance, like water, changes state, such as from liquid to vapor. One gram or milliliter of water requires approximately 580 calories of energy to vaporize. This energy is drawn from the body in the form of heat. Thus, as sweat vaporizes, it pulls heat out of the body, cooling you down.

Sweating by Evaporative Cooling and Convection
My riding jacket and pants are made of air mesh Kevlar, which vents well while still protecting me from the sun. But no matter how “vented” your riding gear is, you‘ll start to sweat when stopped for traffic lights and other obstacles. Once you get moving again, you‘ll be grateful for that sweat.

This can be explained through a process called convection. Convection is the transfer of energy by means of moving air that surrounds the body. When the air and the skin are at different temperatures, heat transfer occurs from the place of higher temperature toward the place of lower temperature. As heat is pulled from the body through evaporation via sweat, it warms the air directly around the skin. Wind pulls this air away from the skin, constantly replacing it with cooler air, thus constantly pulling heat from the surface of the skin. This is commonly known as wind chill. Unfortunately, when the air temperature is above 93°F, wind will actually heat up the body.

In a sort of reverse wind chill, when the air temperature is higher than the skin temperature, you will see the opposite effect. As you travel at high speeds in high heat, the amount of heat entering the body through convection drastically increases. One might think that wearing more clothes in such heat would be a bad idea, but the opposite is true. The amount of heat that has to be lost through evaporation, or sweat, also must increase.

Wearing wind-breaking material dramatically reduces the amount of heat inflicted on the body through convection, thus reducing the amount of heat that your body must lose through evaporation (sweating). The illustration below depicts three scenarios of sweating at high temperatures (103°F).

Keeping Cool Riding Motorcycles: Covering Up With A Jacket In Hot Weather
Tips for Riding Cool
In these high-heat conditions, I wear a long-sleeved, tight-fitting exercise shirt made of moisture-wicking material. I know that it seems counter-intuitive to wear long sleeves, but as long as you have air moving over the fabric, it will work great. Just think of the evaporation process described above. As sweat evaporates, it takes your body heat with it. Moisture-wicking material draws sweat away from the body to be evaporated through the shirt, aiding the cooling process. Conventional materials can simply trap sweat next to the skin, limiting evaporation. The key to these materials is air flow. If there is no air movement over the material, then the shirt will become oversaturated, and sweat will not evaporate.

When air temperatures are high and the reverse wind chill is in effect, wetting down clothing will increase the amount of moisture near the skin. This moisture is now available to be evaporated, drawing heat from your body. Although much of the evaporation will be caused by the high air temperature itself, there will be enough water on the skin to reduce the amount you need to sweat.

Some techniques for wetting down include neck bandanas (particularly those with water-absorbing crystals), wetting down a regular cotton t-shirt, or even pouring water directly into your helmet.

Keeping Hydrated
Now that we know how much water the body needs while riding in high temperatures, we can deduce that staying hydrated is one of the most important things to do while on the road. As covered in the above graphic, the difference between covering up or not is about 20 oz./hour and 40 oz./hour, respectively. Here are some tips to help ensure hydration.

Wear a Camelback: For longer rides, I wear a camelback-type water bag on my back. I usually fill mine with half ice and half water before the ride, and those cooling sips do add up to make the difference. If you‘re doing it right, you‘ll run out of water in the camelback before your next gas stop.

Carry Extra Water: I carry a gallon jug of water in my side case on longer days of riding. Be wary of taking in ice-cold water too fast. In my case, it causes an upset stomach. Swish it about your mouth to bring its temperature up a bit before swallowing.

Urine Test: Go for the clear. Dehydration is not something you can tough out – it will kill you if you don’t remedy it. Deep-colored urine and headaches are early signs that you are in need of water. If you stop sweating, heat stroke is not far behind. Drink water often!

Only Water is Water: Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, which cause you to urinate and lose more water. When it’s hot, steer clear of sugary drinks, caffeine, and alcohol. Also, never drink alcohol directly before or during your ride.

Tar Snakes
Tar snakes are a hazard for both motorized and pedaled two-wheeled vehicles and their riders. Many states use a tar-like material to fill in cracks on the roads; these can become quite slippery when it’s hot. Avoid them if possible. Treat them the same as railroad tracks by crossing them at 90 degrees and in an upright position. Slow down if your rear tire starts sliding out from under you – stay calm – and the tire will grip again. Don’t try to over-correct, keep your line, keep your head up, grip lightly, and keep your body steady for when the gripping action returns.

If there’s a large patch of tar snakes and there is no way to avoid them all, I will sometimes pull in the clutch and treat the obstacle as I would a large patch of ice, coast through it, and after ensuring that the rear wheel is clear, re-engage the engine. This helps to keep from slipping.

How To Ride Your Motorcycle Over Tar Snakes In Hot WeatherEmbed Image
Riding in really hot weather is not bad when you’re prepared for it. Remember to hydrate, keep your skin covered, and avoid hazards. Don’t let the heat weaken you to the point where you’re not fully attentive to traffic conditions and the road. Basically, you must consider how your body will deal with the heat. Reducing the effects of convection, through covering up and wetting down, will reduce the amount of heat that your body must deal with through evaporation. Covering up in the heat will keep you cool.

Hot weather usually means lots of sun exposure, so get some good sunglasses or a darkened visor to prevent headaches caused by sun glare. And don’t forget to put sunblock on the back of your neck where your riding gear leaves the skin exposed.

Ride safe. Ride aware.
---------
Brose
Reply
#2
https://ridermagazine.com/2015/08/04/10-...cle-rides/


Article:
10 Tips to Stay Cool on Hot Motorcycle Rides
By Greg Drevenstedt -August 4, 2015
Summer is made for epic rides.

Warm, sunny weather and long days make summer an ideal time for motorcycling. But with 2015 on pace to surpass 2014 as the hottest year on record, you need to be prepared to deal with above-average temperatures, especially on multi-day tours where you’ll be riding several hours per day. These tips will help you keep your cool.



1. Stay Hydrated.
According to WebMD, heat exhaustion “is a heat-related illness that can occur after you’ve been exposed to high temperatures, and it often is accompanied by dehydration.” Heat exhaustion can include water depletion and salt depletion, so you should drink plenty of water supplemented by sports drinks (to restore electrolytes lost through sweat) and salty snacks. The easiest way to drink water while riding is to wear a hydration backpack, which includes a water bladder and a drinking tube that can be used on the go, even with a full-face helmet. One of our favorites is Klim’s Nac Pac ($99.99), which comes with a 3-liter Hydrapak bladder and multiple compartments for carrying snacks, tools, maps, sunblock, a hat, etc. The Fuel Pak ($49.99) uses the same high-capacity bladder but without all of the storage pockets.


2. Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine.
You should always avoid drinking alcohol until after you’re done riding for the day. Not only does alcohol impair your ability to ride, it also accelerates dehydration. Even if you only drink after your ride, consuming too much alcohol can leave you dehydrated (and possibly hungover) the next day, which means you start off at a disadvantage. Whether caffeine contributes to dehydration is debatable, but the general consensus is that consuming plain old water (plus the occasional sports drink to restore electrolytes) is the best way to fight dehydration.
Drink lots of water to replace lost fluids.

3. Wear Wicking Base Layers.
Sweating is how our bodies regulate temperature. When sweat evaporates, it cools the surface of the skin, and the hotter we get, the more we sweat (which is why we need to make a concerted effort to stay hydrated). Wearing synthetic base layers wicks moisture away from your skin, which increases the efficiency of evaporative cooling. Stretchy, snug-fitting base layers, like those from Forcefield, also provide light compression for better circulation and less fatigue. Trust us—once you start wearing base layers, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without them.

4. Wear Full-Coverage Riding Apparel.
When the summer heats up, many of us love to wear shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops. However, none of these make sense on a motorcycle, unless you wear shorts and a T-shirt under your armored riding apparel (carry flip-flops in your saddlebag so you can kick off your riding boots during breaks and let your feet breathe). Rider has long subscribed to the philosophy of ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time) for safety reasons. No one ever plans to crash, but accidents happen and good motorcycle gear can reduce the severity of injuries. Full-length gloves, jackets and pants, over-the-ankle boots and full-face or modular helmets also protect the skin from the ravages of sunburn and dehydration. By all means, stay comfortable by wearing something that’s well ventilated or has large mesh panels to promote airflow, especially in lighter colors. During the summer, we stay cool by wearing Olympia Moto Sports’ Avenger one-piece mesh suit, which is lightweight, has huge ballistic mesh panels and can be worn over street clothes (or base layers!) but has good abrasion resistance and CE-approved armor in key locations.

5. Wear an Evaporative Cooling Vest.
On really hot days, boost the power of evaporative cooling with a special-made vest that can be worn under your riding jacket to keep your core from overheating. When you soak the TechNiche Hyperkewl Cooling Vest in water, its polymer-embedded fabric allows evaporation to occur slowly, over several hours. (Ridecool.com sells them for just $29.95 with free shipping.) Instead of soaking the Silver Eagle Outfitters Kula-XD Cooling Vest, you fill it with water like a bladder, and its “dry evaporative cooling” uses patented Inuteq technology. We’ve used both with excellent results, though evaporative cooling is more effective in dry than humid climates.

6. Wear an Evaporative Cooling Neck Wrap.
Go a step further by adding an evaporative cooling neck wrap, like Aerostich’s Kool Off Tie ($6). The 100% cotton neck tie is “filled with water-absorbing polymer crystals which can hold 350–400 times their weight in water and they release it slowly (over a period of days).” You can also wear a bandana or neck gaiter soaked in water, but they dry out much faster. Neck wraps have the added benefit of protecting your neck from sunburn.

7. Avoid Riding During the Hottest Part of the Day.
Since the hottest time of day is usually between noon and 5 p.m., if possible, plan to ride during the cooler morning and early evening times. Wake up early, have a light breakfast and cup of coffee, then hit the road. You can ride for several hours and then take a break for lunch, nap in the shade (that’s what Clem Salvadori likes to do), catch a matinee in a cool, dark movie theater or do some sightseeing. Early evening rides can be a real treat, but beware that dawn and dusk times often see greater wildlife activity, such as deer crossing the road. Stay cool, but also stay safe.

8. Take Frequent Rest Breaks.
If you’re like us, on scenic, back-roads rides we often don’t stop until the low-fuel light comes on. But on a motorcycle with 200-mile-plus range, that often means riding for several hours between stops. On hot days, you should stop more often. If you’re not wearing a hydration backpack, frequent stops allow you to drink some water and have a snack. Take off your helmet and pour some cool water on your head. Walk around and do some light stretches to get the blood flowing throughout your body. Sit down in the shade for a few minutes. Or, like many people do these days, take a selfie and post it on Facebook.

9. Use Common Sense.
If you start to feel lightheaded or dizzy, have a headache or cramps, or feel your skin becoming unexpectedly cool and clammy, your body could be overheating. Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which can be extremely dangerous, even fatal. Don’t try to be tough and “ride through it.” Pull off at the next exit or stop as soon as possible and immediately find a way to cool down. Remove your helmet and put a cold, wet towel around your head. Walk into an air-conditioned store or restaurant and order a pitcher of ice water. Take a dip in a cool lake, river or swimming pool. Give your body a chance to cool down.

10. Take a Day Off.
We go on motorcycle tours because we like to ride, but sometimes it pays to take a day off. Long, hot days in the saddle are more likely to leave you fatigued, dehydrated and sore than long days in cooler weather. Plan your next tour around a daylong visit to a national park, historic site or city that is best explored on foot. Or build in a rest day where you can hang out around the campground or lounge by the hotel pool. Americans are constantly in a rush, always on the go. Summer motorcycle rides are fun, but when it gets really hot sometimes the best thing to do is just put your feet up and chill out.
---------
Brose
Reply
#3
https://www.fix.com/blog/motorcycle-ridi...t-weather/

Riding In Hot Weather
Keeping Cool On Your Bike

Being a year-round rider, I’ve encountered my fair share of both hot and cold weather conditions. Since riding with full protective gear, or ATGATT (all the gear all the time), is always the best option for safety, I have learned how to keep cool properly while riding in hot weather.

The Science of Sweat
Your body regulates heat by sweating. As sweat is released from the body onto the surface of your skin, evaporation occurs. Evaporation is the primary method by which sweat cools the body, and it works by the principle of “latent heat of vaporization.” Latent heat is the amount of heat absorbed or released when a substance, like water, changes state, such as from liquid to vapor. One gram or milliliter of water requires approximately 580 calories of energy to vaporize. This energy is drawn from the body in the form of heat. Thus, as sweat vaporizes, it pulls heat out of the body, cooling you down.

Sweating by Evaporative Cooling and ConvectionEmbed Image
My riding jacket and pants are made of air mesh Kevlar, which vents well while still protecting me from the sun. But no matter how “vented” your riding gear is, you‘ll start to sweat when stopped for traffic lights and other obstacles. Once you get moving again, you‘ll be grateful for that sweat.

This can be explained through a process called convection. Convection is the transfer of energy by means of moving air that surrounds the body. When the air and the skin are at different temperatures, heat transfer occurs from the place of higher temperature toward the place of lower temperature. As heat is pulled from the body through evaporation via sweat, it warms the air directly around the skin. Wind pulls this air away from the skin, constantly replacing it with cooler air, thus constantly pulling heat from the surface of the skin. This is commonly known as wind chill. Unfortunately, when the air temperature is above 93°F, wind will actually heat up the body.

In a sort of reverse wind chill, when the air temperature is higher than the skin temperature, you will see the opposite effect. As you travel at high speeds in high heat, the amount of heat entering the body through convection drastically increases. One might think that wearing more clothes in such heat would be a bad idea, but the opposite is true. The amount of heat that has to be lost through evaporation, or sweat, also must increase.

Wearing wind-breaking material dramatically reduces the amount of heat inflicted on the body through convection, thus reducing the amount of heat that your body must lose through evaporation (sweating). The illustration below depicts three scenarios of sweating at high temperatures (103°F).

Keeping Cool Riding Motorcycles: Covering Up With A Jacket In Hot WeatherEmbed Image
Tips for Riding Cool
In these high-heat conditions, I wear a long-sleeved, tight-fitting exercise shirt made of moisture-wicking material. I know that it seems counter-intuitive to wear long sleeves, but as long as you have air moving over the fabric, it will work great. Just think of the evaporation process described above. As sweat evaporates, it takes your body heat with it. Moisture-wicking material draws sweat away from the body to be evaporated through the shirt, aiding the cooling process. Conventional materials can simply trap sweat next to the skin, limiting evaporation. The key to these materials is air flow. If there is no air movement over the material, then the shirt will become oversaturated, and sweat will not evaporate.

When air temperatures are high and the reverse wind chill is in effect, wetting down clothing will increase the amount of moisture near the skin. This moisture is now available to be evaporated, drawing heat from your body. Although much of the evaporation will be caused by the high air temperature itself, there will be enough water on the skin to reduce the amount you need to sweat.

Some techniques for wetting down include neck bandanas (particularly those with water-absorbing crystals), wetting down a regular cotton t-shirt, or even pouring water directly into your helmet.

Keeping Hydrated
Now that we know how much water the body needs while riding in high temperatures, we can deduce that staying hydrated is one of the most important things to do while on the road. As covered in the above graphic, the difference between covering up or not is about 20 oz./hour and 40 oz./hour, respectively. Here are some tips to help ensure hydration.

Wear a Camelback: For longer rides, I wear a camelback-type water bag on my back. I usually fill mine with half ice and half water before the ride, and those cooling sips do add up to make the difference. If you‘re doing it right, you‘ll run out of water in the camelback before your next gas stop.

Carry Extra Water: I carry a gallon jug of water in my side case on longer days of riding. Be wary of taking in ice-cold water too fast. In my case, it causes an upset stomach. Swish it about your mouth to bring its temperature up a bit before swallowing.

Urine Test: Go for the clear. Dehydration is not something you can tough out – it will kill you if you don’t remedy it. Deep-colored urine and headaches are early signs that you are in need of water. If you stop sweating, heat stroke is not far behind. Drink water often!

Only Water is Water: Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, which cause you to urinate and lose more water. When it’s hot, steer clear of sugary drinks, caffeine, and alcohol. Also, never drink alcohol directly before or during your ride.

Tar Snakes
Tar snakes are a hazard for both motorized and pedaled two-wheeled vehicles and their riders. Many states use a tar-like material to fill in cracks on the roads; these can become quite slippery when it’s hot. Avoid them if possible. Treat them the same as railroad tracks by crossing them at 90 degrees and in an upright position. Slow down if your rear tire starts sliding out from under you – stay calm – and the tire will grip again. Don’t try to over-correct, keep your line, keep your head up, grip lightly, and keep your body steady for when the gripping action returns.

If there’s a large patch of tar snakes and there is no way to avoid them all, I will sometimes pull in the clutch and treat the obstacle as I would a large patch of ice, coast through it, and after ensuring that the rear wheel is clear, re-engage the engine. This helps to keep from slipping.

How To Ride Your Motorcycle Over Tar Snakes In Hot WeatherEmbed Image
Riding in really hot weather is not bad when you’re prepared for it. Remember to hydrate, keep your skin covered, and avoid hazards. Don’t let the heat weaken you to the point where you’re not fully attentive to traffic conditions and the road. Basically, you must consider how your body will deal with the heat. Reducing the effects of convection, through covering up and wetting down, will reduce the amount of heat that your body must deal with through evaporation. Covering up in the heat will keep you cool.

Hot weather usually means lots of sun exposure, so get some good sunglasses or a darkened visor to prevent headaches caused by sun glare. And don’t forget to put sunblock on the back of your neck where your riding gear leaves the skin exposed.

Ride safe. Ride aware.
---------
Brose
Reply


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