How to stay cool and safe while riding your motorcycle in hot conditions

Once upon a time we ran an article about a foolhardy (foolish) man pulled over in Germany for riding his scooter completely naked, resulting in much amusement and several helmet-related puns in our office.

Nevertheless, his naked ambitions do come from a true place because as temperatures soar across the United Kingdom following a damp winter, keeping cool on your motorbike is certainly a pause for thought if you are considering hitting the road in this weather.

We implore you continue following safety first, which means wear your helmet, gear up and keep water on you at all times. Riding for hours in a ‘polystyrene hat’ in baking sun can go very wrong very quickly if you don’t stay hydrated and take regular breaks! Remember, it’s not just your safety you need to watch here, it is others out on the road too.

Trust us, we’re motorbike doctors. 

How to keep cool while riding a motorcycle:

However, that doesn’t mean stripping off because there are other ways you can keep cool that don’t involve getting a nasty seat on your delicate region.

1. Take it easy and enjoy the view

Riding quicker will inevitably increase the air circulation around you but ‘cracking on’ – particularly on twisty roads – will just make you work harder physically and increase the temperatures inside your suit, not to mention use up those vital electrolytes more quickly. 

2. Take regular breaks 

If you are going on a long ride, be absolutely sure you pull over, take your helmet off and hydrate regularly. We suggest every hour in this weather, maybe even more regularly – be sure to listen to your body! If the adventure is the journey rather than the destination then plan your stops before you go so you can enjoy a Cornetto in a beauty spot. If you need inspiration, check out these brilliant motorbike routes to enjoy across Europe.

3. Open those vents 

Those vents are there for moments like this and while they don’t look like much, they concentrate air flow around you and can make a huge different on a hot day

4. Get yourself some vented riding kit

For those who want to really take the sweat out of riding on a hot day Spidi offer the curiously titled Evorider Wind 8, which has been designed specially to improve air circulation and manufactured with materials intended to keep you as cool as possible, without compromising on safety. More information HERE

5. Wear your black gear

So we’ve all been told that black absorbs heat, making it the worst colour to wear… that’s actually a common misconception. Physics tells us that absorbing actually keeps you cooler, whereas white reflects heat back and whilst it it may certainly be hot in the sun out there, remember your body temperature is also pretty high and that’s much closer to the material. Thus black should be your choice if you have one. Head here for a more scientific definition…  

Although if you must take a dip, please be careful!

6 MOST IMPORTANT – Stay hydrated

We’ve mentioned it a couple of times already in this article but that’s because it is just that important. Always ensure you are travelling with water and you are taking on fluids as regularly as you can – before, during and after. Keep it simple with a bottle in your bag or invest in a hydration pack, which is a convenient way to stay hydrated and cooler out on the road.