How to Stay Cool While Riding a Motorcycle in Summer Heat

Motorcycle rider wearing a Harley Davidson jacket

Motorcycles are fun, get great gas mileage, and are easy to park.

But there's one thing that makes them even better: they're mobile air conditioners. This makes riding a motorcycle an ideal way to stay cool on a hot day.

Still, ensuring you're prepared for extreme summer weather conditions is important. When you ride long distances in the intense summer heat (say, on your way to Sturgis or Daytona), dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke can sneak up on you before you’re aware of what’s happening.

So, it pays to know the warning signs, how to react when you experience them, and, most importantly, how to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Your Body is Hot

The human body has a remarkable thermoregulation system. Under most circumstances, it does a great job of keeping your innards at an ideal 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Not 98, not 99; 98.6. When things outside your body get too hot or too cold, it has ways to accommodate.

Understanding how to cool your body properly starts with understanding how it maintains such a consistent inner temperature. You might wonder: If our body temperature is 98.6 degrees, why are we so comfortable at “room temperature”? Simply put, it’s because the chemical reactions occurring inside your body are continuously producing heat, which must be dissipated.

At 70 or so degrees, wearing a modest amount of clothing, your body sheds heat at the same rate it produces it.

When you start moving around, your body generates more heat. You start to feel warm as your body tries to cool down. The same thing happens when the ambient temperature goes up. If the air conditioner breaks and the room temperature rises to, say, 85 degrees, your skin doesn’t cool as effectively, so your body finds other ways to shed the excess heat.

The first thing it does is sweat. Glands in the skin secrete moisture, which draws heat from the body through evaporation. That’s why the phrase “it’s a dry heat” really does have meaning. In the desert, this process works quite efficiently. Sweat evaporates from your skin before you even know it’s there, taking excess heat with it. If you find yourself thinking, “I’m not even sweating!” – you are. You just don’t feel it.

In more humid environments, your body sweats, but the air is already so moist it can’t evaporate easily. And if it can’t evaporate, it can’t do its job. The sweat and heat that stay on your body make you feel hot, sticky, and uncomfortable.

Your body is also cooled through “convection.” Scientifically speaking, this means the removal of heat through the circulation of air. Motorcycle-ly speaking, this is that wind-in-your-face feeling we all love. And in the heat, the wind can be a lifesaver.

Skin is Not In When Riding a Motorcycle in Hot Weather

One of the most common mistakes of riding a motorcycle in the heat is thinking that exposing more skin by wearing less clothing will help you cool off. And while riding in a T-shirt or tank top may help you feel a little cooler in the short run, it’s bad practice for the long haul.

For starters – and this may seem obvious – more exposed skin puts you at greater risk for painful sunburn. And let’s face it: While it works for some people, not all of us are in a hurry to sport that “grizzled biker” look!

If you’re going to be riding a motorcycle in the extreme summer heat, the most important thing is to take care of your skin. This means wearing sunblock and applying it regularly throughout the day.

When it comes to sun protection, there are a few things you can do

Wear high-quality sunblock that has an SPF 30 or higher rating. Sunscreen with a higher SPF will last longer than other types of sunscreen on your skin, so look for one that lasts at least three hours before reapplying.
Whether you are riding a motorcycle in summer or fall, apply sunscreen before you start riding and every few hours during your ride (or whenever you stop for more than 10 minutes). It's even better if the sunblock has water resistance so that it doesn't wash off when sweating from the heat (you'll sweat more than usual!).
Find an unscented version of sunscreen; scented kinds may irritate some people's skin areas around their noses and mouths (and worse yet, they could attract bugs!).
And even if you’re wearing full riding gear, be sure not to overlook places like the back of your neck, your face, the backs of your hands, and your throat.
Do the sleeves of your riding jacket ride up at all when you reach for the handlebars? If so, check and ensure that the sliver of the bare wrist between your sleeve and glove isn’t taken for granted.

Stay Hydrated to Prevent Dehydration

When you head out on a summer motorcycle ride in the heat – particularly when you go without a fairing or windshield – the wind in your face draws moisture from exposed skin, even as it provides a cooling sensation. This helps deplete your body’s water supply. The old axiom “Drink before you feel thirsty” certainly holds true on a motorcycle trip.

How Much to Drink to Stay Hydrated

Drink small amounts frequently—a little bit of water every 20 minutes or so will help keep you hydrated and feeling good throughout the day.

A good rule of thumb is to drink at least eight ounces of water every hour while you’re riding in the heat – a full pint, 16 ounces, would be even better. Plain water is best, but sports drinks are a good option. However, since you’re not burning many calories on your motorcycle (unlike those triathletes), replacing your electrolytes and “refueling” are not as critical. Plain old H2O is what your body needs most.

Know the Warning Signs

When your body starts to run low on fluids, it loses some of its ability to cool itself through the evaporation of sweat, and a process called “vasodilation” begins. This simply means that the blood vessels near your skin get larger, resulting in increased blood flow closer to the surface, which helps dissipate heat. The problem is that this results in decreased blood flow to other important body parts, such as your muscles and your brain.

With that in mind, if you start feeling a little weary, hang out in the air conditioning for a while; it’s best not to hurry when the heat’s on. And be alert for other signs of heat stress. According to cdc.gov, these can include:

Heavy sweating
Extreme weakness or fatigue
Dizziness, confusion
Nausea
Clammy, moist skin
Pale or flushed complexion
Muscle cramps
Slightly elevated body temperature
Fast and shallow breathing

If you start to experience any of these, get off the road, find some shade (or air-conditioning), and plenty of water. Drink it. Pour it on your head and neck. Do whatever you can to lower your core temperature. Lie down if you need to and elevate your feet to help increase blood flow to your brain.

In the Heat of the Day

Let’s say your plan for the day is a 500- mile ride across the desert. Your first heat-fighting measure is to start early when it’s cooler. In fact, you may even need to bundle up a little to start; it can get really chilly overnight in the desert.

Dress in Layers

Dress in layers that can be shed easily as things heat up. Ideally, the layer next to your skin should be a breathable synthetic that will draw moisture from your skin. A long-sleeve (more on that in a moment) synthetic tee is a great choice. Layer up from there, as needed. If it’s nice and chilly, a top layer that breaks the wind may be necessary. In warm weather, a mesh jacket over-layered with a rain jacket in cooler morning air works well.

Now, as the temperature rises throughout the day, you can shed layers as needed. But don’t take off too much. In the blazing heat, it may be tempting to strip down to your T-shirt or less, but covering up can actually help you stay cool.

Limit Skin Exposure

For starters, exposed skin dries out very quickly in the sun and wind. Yes, this can help with the cooling effect, but it also makes it harder to keep your body hydrated.

Keeping your arms covered (remember that synthetic long-sleeve T-shirt) helps reflect the sun's heat, prevents sunburn, and helps keep your sweat from evaporating too quickly.

What to Wear When Riding a Motorcycle in Hot Weather

What you wear on a motorcycle in the summer will go a long way in helping to keep you cool.

Cooling clothes for motorcycle riding start with a riding shirt, ideally with venting on the back of it to allow airflow through your shirt and into your back while you ride.

If there's no room for ventilation in the back of your riding shirt, consider wearing two riding shirts: one on top of another so that there is space between them to allow airflow through both layers as well as around your neckline and underarms while protecting against UV rays from above and below (if you're going fast enough).

Beyond the mesh jacket and long-sleeve T-shirt, other motorcycle gear choices can help you keep cool. Something as simple as a wet bandana around your neck or under your helmet can do wonders. Soaking your T-shirt helps a lot.

If you ride in high temperatures frequently, consider investing in a “hydration vest” lined with crystals that absorb and hold water to keep you cool while you ride.

Many of the newer Harley-Davidson® Touring models have vents that open and close, allowing you to control the amount of air that flows across your body. Many full-face helmets also have adjustable vents.

Remember, both you and your motorcycle are air-cooled. When you’re stuck in traffic, the airflow stops. If it looks like a long delay, sometimes it’s best to get off the road and wait it out. And make sure to keep up with your oil changes to protect your engine.

As mentioned above, don’t forget to use sunscreen on any exposed skin, especially covering spots like the back of your neck, the backs of your hands, or that little gap you might have between your gloves and the ends of your sleeves.

Finally, your eyes are very sensitive to UV rays, so don't forget sunglasses!

Bottom Line on Riding a Motorcycle in Hot Weather

We hope you find these tips helpful if you’re riding a motorcycle in hot weather. We also want to remind you that safety comes first!

If it feels too hot for your comfort level, pull over and wait until the weather cools down before continuing on your journey.

Your body does a great job of cooling itself. With a little help, it can do even better. And make the hottest rides safer and a more comfortable, cool ride.