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Rwven
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 10:09 am: | 
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CamelBack bladder in my tank bag. Sugarfree flavor packs to keep the nasty plastic taste away, you'll drink more if it tastes good.
Handi-wipes to clean salt off face at gas stops.
Mesh Jacket and Pants (TourMaster Flex)
As long as I'm moving I feel fine even on 100+ days. Sitting in stop & go traffic sucks very much bad. In those situations I stand up on the pegs as much as possible to get some airflow around my legs and to get as far away from the engine on the bike as possible. |
Paint_shaker
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 10:43 am: |
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Living in Florida, I deal with 80-90 degree with 80% plus humidity weather for most of the year. IT sucks!! Though I wear a perforated leather jacket, it is still a tad uncomfortable. Sometimes I wear partial mesh riding pants (with armor) with shorts. Still sweat like a stuck pig.
The bike seems to handle it without much issue. |
Xl1200r
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 11:18 am: |
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However, if this is as hot as it gets up here, then there's no sense buying mesh gear.
Well aren't you a tough guy, lol.
Anything over 80-85 I bring out the mesh gear. At a certain point, the mesh isn't a good idea anymore. Most of us live in humid climates (for the record, I've been all over the south and have yet to find anyplace with humidity substantially higher than we get here in Upstate NY), so we all sweat some and the moisture in the air has a better cooling effect in the wind.
I found on my ride through AZ, Southern Utah and Southern NV that when you get over 95-100, having mesh or open vents hurts more than helps. The air is so dry that you don't sweat - it evaporates instantly. Because of this, the wind just feels hot, and moving isn't all that much better than not at mid-day. Best thing I found was to soak my t-shirt and put it on under my regular riding gear (not mesh) and close all the vents. With the vents open it would be BONE DRY in 20 minutes. Closed I could go well over 100 miles. |
Odie
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 11:35 am: |
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People ask me everyday if I'm not hot wearing my Vanson leathers. I tell them, yes, I am, but once I'm moving it's cooler. Sweat I can deal with- skin grafts and pain- not so much. Panhead Dan had very good advice. Today it is supposed to get up to 101 degrees and 106 heat index. It almost sucks riding home after work but it's just sweat and I'm riding so I'm happy. I'm from Michigan but I'll take the heat any day down here in lower Alabama. I don't like being cold as I get older. |
Jpgrego
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 12:33 pm: |
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As to the original question, I've never been deterred from riding by heat, quite the opposite for cold though. I've always lived in the southeast and it's just what I'm used to. Should be about 97 on the heat index when I get off work today and thankfully the humidity's only around 40%. It's the >90% humidity days that aren't a whole lot of fun.
The fan definitely runs a lot more during the summer but the bike doesn't seem to have any issues with heat soak unless I get stuck in stop and go traffic for a long time. Even then, once I get moving again the engine seems back to normal after just a mile or so. It's never gotten hot enough to go into skip spark mode, but has gotten hot enough to ping when rolling back into the throttle after sitting. YMMV but these bikes are designed to handle this kind of stuff and I don't think there's any problem with riding them year round. |
86129squids
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 12:44 pm: |
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Look for parking in the shade.
Use a "camelback" hydration bladder- I'll be heading out with mine shortly, the temp is forecast to be 99 today. I like mine in my tankbag instead of on my back...
Gatorade!!
Pack some shorts in case you find yourself beside a creek or a cool swimming hole...
Keep moving... |
Firebolt020283
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 01:35 pm: |
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Before I got my buell/vanson jacket I would just fight threw the heat with my other leather jackets but now that I have that jacket life is so much better as long as i am moving but once stopped i hate life. |
Britchri10
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 02:51 pm: |
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Flip-Flops, shorts, wifebeater, sunglasses and sunscreen! |
Spiderman
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 03:07 pm: |
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are those kevlar wife beater an flipflops? |
Jeepinbueller
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 03:43 pm: |
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I ride in my perf leather Fieldsheer jacket and find it tolerable in he 100ºF+ weather we've been getting here in MD. As said, it only works if you're moving! I also plan my routes going through valleys ... the dense/chill air feels like AC for the briefs moments you're riding through them!! I also ride a lot with my visor up and the sunshade down on my Scorpion EXO-1000 ... that way my eyes are protected but I'm still getting über airflow. Drink lots of water throughout the day (which actually helps you lose weight if you're working out regularly).
I also started to get back in shape recently ... I've gone from 255 to about 239 now, and I can definitely tell a difference when I ride (takes longer to start sweating and improved endurance). |
Loki
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 03:58 pm: |
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Being as since I ride in warm southern summer time.....
Going out to play, I wear full leathers. Even though the jacket is perfed, the armor makes it unperfed. I wear silk long johns(top and bottom) under it all.
Make more frequent gas stops and hydrate big time.
Was asked once by a squiddy if I was hot in all the leather. I simply replied; "It was mind over matter. I don't mind , so it don't matter." |
Britchri10
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 04:39 pm: |
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Spiderman: Yes they are and they are cleverly disguised as a pair of armored jeans, a perforated leather jacket from River Road, mesh gloves, boots & a Shoei RF1000. I'm from the UK and the heat here in Fla takes some getting used to but I don't ride unprotected!
Chris C |
Rich
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 04:41 pm: |
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Attgatt is shorts and a t-shirt. My left foot doesn't work well enough to wear flipflops, dammit. I still wear work gloves, though. |
Niceguyeddy
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 05:01 pm: |
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Carbon fiber flip flops are the answer, added stiffness makes all the difference. Plus they are faster.  |
86129squids
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 05:20 pm: |
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FZZZZZuuuuk it was HOT out there today!
Ran from Mur-vil down to Tellico Plains, stopped at the Cherohala SMHD outpost- they had a sign that said it was 75* up at the top of the Cherohala!!
On the way home, my bank sign said 101*.
Glad to be home, in the A/C, and out of my Buell suit. I may tool around later on the Shovel with a T-shirt and my Kevlar jeans- I'll take the risk to enjoy some skin to the wind every now and then.
Sure was fun to run TN360 down and back with my new Angel front and my Pilot 2CT rear...  |
Ourdee
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 06:34 pm: |
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This is the best weather. I'll leave the house between midnight and one o'clock to go for a ride tonight. Hardly any cars and the drunks drive better than the idiots on cell phones in the daytime. |
Jim_williams
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 07:44 pm: |
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Mesh is not the answer unless you're just bouncing around town. Dehydration is more serious than heat. This video pushes an excellent product. Look beyond the sales pitch for tips on staying cool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn8NocCkbJw |
Glitch
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 08:26 pm: |
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One thing I love about the Great South East, is the year round riding season.
There are about as many days missed riding because of heat as there are because of cold.
Not many of either.
Dehydration is a real danger, something I haven't thought about in a long time, mainly because it all becomes habit.
I don't like camel backs, but I always carry water, I'd just rather stop and have a drink rather than sucking a rubber hose while riding. |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 08:38 pm: |
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Humid hot, I wear mesh. Hot & dry, wet t-shirt under the not-mesh jacket. ( Joe rocket meteor with lining removed ) dehydration will kill you.
Mostly here in Upstate/western NY though, it's humid. Sweat just laying there humid.
Under Armor ( or your fav brand ) really helps. I learned that from the Fencers, who have to wear multiple layers of not breathing much cloth. I have a hard time with the skin tight stuff in winter, I get chilled.
Worst is stuck in stop and go traffic. I was with a buddy & his wife and got stuck in Golf Tourney traffic. He was on a Honda Sabre. When the cooling fan kicked in, boiling air was blowing over his legs....so he went bowlegged to let it pass. Then the wife starts beating him to put his legs back!
I prefer Coke's Powerade to Gatorade. Tastes better ( ok...not as foul ) warm. ( also tastes better cold, IMHO. )
Gatorade is best at half strength. If half strength gatorade tastes good? You need it. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 09:00 pm: |
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It a bit aggressive with heat temperatures. I have had a couple of bouts of heat exhaustion/stress. Not fun.
Mesh jacket
Camel pack with freeze pack in liner, ice in big main bladder
Agua Vest. (its a synthetic vest, you soak it in water, it retains the liguid and as it dries it cools your skin)
Wetted balaclava over the head
and of course mandatory lunch pit stops in the pure heat of the day.
best to get the riding done at night,... thats what headlights are for. |
Daschunk
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 09:10 pm: |
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Well, living in the southwest I have learned to just deal with it. Listen to your body, if you don't feel well perhaps stopping for some shade and water is always a good idea.
I generally wear a mostly mesh jacket (Buell Turbulent) and mesh gloves. A well vented helmet helps quite a bit too, I also take the hand guards off in the summer for the extra air on my hands. The 100+ days this last June here in New Mexico was terrible. I ride home in the heat of the day usually and I have found that just stopping if I feel bad is the best choice.
If it a longer ride, I try to drink at least a bottle of water every time I stop for fuel. Lots of water thru the day is your best friend.
Just my .02 |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 10:13 pm: |
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For the hydration side of things, I'm partial to the Propel mix. Pack of 10 tubes (20 oz' worth per tube) runs about $3; 30 cents per drink, prepackaged (no scooping) and they actually taste pretty darned good.
For the bike...my S1W got a little grumpy yesterday in traffic in Gettysburg. I just kept away from large throttle openings and lots of spark advance, and she ran just fine. Not quite as much oomph...but running without a hiccup. On the Uly, the fan runs a lot more. On the 1125...well, the radiators do their job  |
Lemonchili_x1
| | Posted on Friday, July 09, 2010 - 05:14 am: |
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Most summer days here it will get into the 90's, with a week or two of getting above 100, and fairly humid. I only got my first vented jacket about 5 years ago, don't know how I lived without it before that.
These days I wear an Ixon vented jacket with a removable waterproof liner and a removable thermal liner goes underneath that, but I've hardly used the thermal as the waterproof liner is usually enough for winter here. I try to keep my hands and feet cool too - I wear short mesh-back adventure gloves so I get some air flow up the sleeves of the jacket, and shorter boots around town.
Sitting in traffic sucks, but the X1 has never cut or played up, even when it's over 100°.
When I had an air-conditioned car I'll admit I used to wuss out in the peak of summer and drive, but now neither car has air-con so ride or drive depends what mood I'm in  |
Ourdee
| | Posted on Saturday, July 10, 2010 - 10:45 pm: |
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Just got in from killing mosquitoes with my face shield. Downed a bottled water when I hit the door. I took a hour plus ride up to Wisconsin to see a thunderstorm. The kind with lightning and rain. |
Fast1075
| | Posted on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 02:00 pm: |
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I normally wear my Buell Adventure jacket with all the zip-out panels removed...mesh overpants....sometimes my leathers...depends on where and who I ride with (or without)and where I ride...SOME roads just beg to be ridden hard...Having lived in Florida all my life, heat is a normal thing...I have found that as I get older I need to pay closer attention to hydration.
I usually make one or two stops to hydrate depending on the day...you sweat a lot...I guess some people don't like to sweat...you have to get past that and realize you will have crusty gear after a long ride...My helmets all have removable padding so I can clean those...and my textile or mesh gear gets laundered...nice and fresh for the next ride. (I'm not a commuter, I strictly pleasure ride). |
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