You know it’s too hot to ride when...

[squidworth]

The thermometer in the pits at a recent day at Chuckwalla showed 118. That was not comfortable at all.

 

[Hank Wong]

When you put on more clothes to shield from the heat and to prevent moisture loss and dehydration.

 

[bikeama]

This happened to me coming back from the Hot 2006 MotoGP at Laguna.

Air temp gauge on my ST1300 started to blink on and off. AT 116 degrees. :wtf

I stopped in Santa Nella and bought 3 bottles of water. One to drink, One to pour down my jacket and One to pour down my pants. :rolleyes

Hit I-5 and the gage started blinking again :mad

I was bone dry in two miles. Ridding when that hot not fun. :thumbdown Watching Nicky win was worth it. :thumbup



EDIT: took a 170-mile ride today, only 95 not too bad.

 

[RT_Russ]

When it's 100 or above I ditch the mesh gear in favor of solid gear, only open the vents 1/2 way and douse the shirt with water. Helps with evaporative cooling a bit. On an adventure bike it's easy to stand occasionally for better air flow. When on long days or multi day rides I carry a half gallon picnic jug strapped to my top case full of ice, gator/poweraid with a 5 hour energy in it. I have a callback tube and bite valve into the jug. Cold fluids feel good.


In 2015 after a group trip to Fortuna, we were running South on 101 in 107 degree heat. We stopped at rest stop to soak our gear, a Harley guy pulled in wearing shorts and a tank top. He told us "take that year off. It's too hot for that". Thanks.......you ride out ride, I'll ride mine. 2 hours later the little red headed girl ran me down. All of my gear got cut off by the paramedics. It had done it's job (as much as it could). I cringe when I see folks riding in shorts and tank tops but that is their choice.

 

[littlebeast]

yeah - after being hit and cartwheeling down the freeway several years ago and getting seriously fucked up, i only ride in full leathers ever since. in the heat, have sweated so much it literally poured out of my gear. am totally not into it. am now something of a moto trout (a relatively narrow temperature range is a condition of my survival).

 

[doc4216]

13 years in SE, mainly FL and SC. Triple digits and 100% humidity makes you question life choices.

Wake up shower, leave house at 0630, only to arrive to work drenched in sweat. I drove on those days.

 

[bikewanker]

You ask to use the hose at a gas stop to soak your helmet and shirt. Know how if your cotton unders get damp they never dry out, that’s kinda my theory with an all cotton long sleeve Beefy T soaked under the stitch with ventilation according to the temperature. Plus getting my man breast cool gets a few more miles of comfort.

 

[Pushrod]

When my side stand punches through the asphalt and into the clay underbed, it's hot.

 

[ST Guy]

117 in the high desert of Oregon. I emptied all the pockets in my all black Darien, soaked my cooling vest and pants and helmet with water, and then filled all the pockets with as much ice as I could stuff in. Put the rest of the ice in my trunk for later.

Then I fried my VRR.....

 

[mrmarklin]

A little surprised in the Iron Butt article that hydration vests we’re not mentioned.

I have used this invention many times with my leather perforated jacket. :thumbup

I makes riding in the heat doable.

 

[Blankpage]

I know it's too hot to ride when the thermometer hits 80. Beyond that its 4 wheels and AC.

 

[CocoLoco]

...the heat coming off a warmed up engine feels cooler than the blast furnace you're riding through.

Rode through the Mojave in late June once. A liter of water/sports drink every hundred miles or so. Still felt like a crunchy, dried-up leaf by the time I made it to the hotel at the end of the day.

 

[dravnx]

A little surprised in the Iron Butt article that hydration vests we’re not mentioned.

I have used this invention many times with my leather perforated jacket. :thumbup

I makes riding in the heat doable.

Last page of the article

Other Sources of Cooling
Evaporative and “phase change” cooling vests are two options for supplementing the evaporative cooling available
from perspiration.

 

[tzrider]

I have a phase change vest that works amazingly well for about eight hours. The advantages are you don't get wet and it lasts eight hours. The disadvantage is you can't "recharge" it quickly if out for more than eight hours.