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Riding isn't so bad, it's the red stop lights where things start to cook.

I struggled believing that to stay cooler I needed to cover up my skin. But I had to do something in this Texas heat so my first experience was with a long sleeved shirt. I couldn't believe how much cooler I was. Now I put on my tourmaster jacket with the liners out leaving me with just the mesh jacket. I do sweat and then I feel the cool breeze over my skin. I'm cooler and more protected. Good video reminder Kevin!

This seems funny, but you can pay attention to what the people who live in deserts wear, Egyptians, Mongolians and others... When they go out on journey through deserts they always wear a very thick robe or even a cotton-wool jacket and thick pants that cover up the maximum area of the skin. You have to remember that your clothes are not warming you up actually, they act like a temperature insulation layer so they rather help you maintain your natural body temperature. The only requirement is that the clothes shouldn't be dark as they will tend to warm up themselves in the direct sunlight and will start warming up your skin.

Hydration is so important. One warning is when you suddenly stop sweating.

Along with drinking water one should actually eat their water. Fruits and vegetables are mostly water and also come with a host of other great things. Just drinking plain water isn't as effective because if you notice when you drink lots of water you will pee lots while if say you eat a whole watermelon at once you'll retain so much more of that water because it takes longer for us to break the water away from that food and absorb it. Another issue with drinking to much water is it can flush out vitamins and minerals. So I'd say the day before eat lots of fresh fruits and veg and the day of bring along water. Great video.

Kevin, Thank You For Your Service.

Very pertinent here in Australia, where temps in Summer are regularly well North of 40+ degrees. Thanks for the great tips Kevin, love all your videos. When riding in heat, I 3/4 fill my tank bag mounted Camel Bak the night before and put it in the freezer overnight. Before setting off, I top it up with tap water and have it covered in my tank bag. With a flip up helmet, I can easily have access the lovely cool water all day long while on the move as the ice slowly melts throughout the day. And just keep topping it up during the ride. On a ride Sydney to Melbourne (about 1,000 kms), I could not believe how much better I felt at the end of the long day's ride. And yes, I was fully covered in my Aerostich jacket and pants. The combination of the two was truly, a game changer for me.

Great thing about youtube is that videos are never old to the new subscribers. Thank you sir!

F9 and also my MSF instructor put ice cubes in their hydration packs, which gives them a cold pack up against their back. F9 says he also puts ice cubes in his pockets to keep him cool for an hour or so.

This works for me: 1. Camelback loaded with ice and water and a touch of gatorade. My passenger takes charge and makes sure we drink every 15 minutes or so. 2. A long sleeve white t-shirt worked until I discovered a mesh jacket. Not only is it cooler, but offers padded protection. The air blows right through it. 3. A small wet hand towel rolled with ice cubes around my neck works wonders. As the ice melts, it wets and cools my t-shirt under the mesh jacket. 4. When you take a break, always park in the shade. It keeps your motorcycle and your equipment cooler. 5. Sunscreen on any exposed skin. 6. Check your route for traffic jams. I use my smart phone with google maps to check traffic conditions often. Heat building up in an air cooled motor is not good. 7. If you experience any of the heat exhaustion symptoms, find somewhere to cool down. Crossing Kansas once at 107 degrees, I became overheated so I spend 15 minutes in a walk in cooler at a convenience store. It seems like there are no shade trees in Kansas.(At least on my route).

Hi, I had a chastening experience with this a few months ago. I live in Thailand and went out for the day on my bike. Shade temps were 38 deg C so would have been 40+ in the sun. I had a proper armoured jacket and FF helmet on but was wearing shorts. I was coming back home and on the highway, my vision started to blur and everything became bright. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to pull over (just in time) as I passed out even before I could get the kickstand down. In hindsight, I realise things could have been much worse and I could have ended up in a wooden box. Lesson learned now, I keep well hydrated. To back up your advice, the Thai people tend to cover up more the hotter it gets!

Great topic Kevin, I have had heat exhaustion before, it is no fun. Ride on and be safe everybody.

Great video and great advice Kevin, managing heat stress is essential for riders. The video covered a lot of good material about the effects on the rider and the dangerous outcome of becoming heat stressed, but one point I would like to add is that heat stress can effect your concentration levels too, which can have a serious impact on your overall safety on the road (and the safety of others). Lack of concentration, as you well know, is a major contributor in many of the accidents on our roads, it effects your decision making skills, can cause you to miss key details and information on the road, and can effectively render you a distracted rider. Stay safe out there everyone, and thanks again Kevin for another great video 👍

I am a Marine and was stationed in 29 Palms CA and I know all about water intake . I will be riding from west Texas ,Alpine, down to Rio Grand Valley thursday and the first time I rode down I wore a black helmet dark brown jacket and brown gloves and got a little fatigued so I bought all white gear for this ride. I also drink water at every gas stop about every hour and a half . Be cool be safe and may God be with you.

Thank you, Kevin. I appreciate the fact that you create videos from multiple angles of riding safety. The riding techniques are crucial, of course, but, topics such as this one are also very important. Keep up the good work. See you on the road!

Good common sense solution to a common problem this time of year. I've made some of those mistakes while riding cross country during the summer. Whenever i stopped to take a break i would eat a small bag of potato chips while hydrating to replace the salt i lost. It would also help to keep me going between meals. Thank you for the advice sir. It is much appreciated.

Great and informative video which I will refer to again and again and suggest to my buddies. A short story: an old biker in a fully zipped up leather jacket I met at a stop on a smoking hot day was smiling and looking at me in a bit of distress sweating bullets in a mesh jacket. He came over to me, unzipped his jacket, put his hand inside it like he was pulling out a holstered hand gun and pulled out a small ice pack. He said he had put them in the freezer the night before and puts them in all his pockets including the outside pockets just before he goes out for a ride. Great idea, and reusable too.

I ride all the time with gear, use light jacket in the summer, but always a helmet and gloves. I get warm but not to the point where I'm near heat exhaustion. I have an ice bottle and water bottle on me all the time. Many times I won't ride if it's just too hot and humid just not comfortable for me.

I've been trying to follow ATGAT and wearing a black mesh padded jacket with a reflective vest on top in 95 degree heat in SC. Turns out that I'm not that hot. In fact, when I sweat at a stop and the take off, the sweat and mesh act like a swamp cooler an it's not bad at all.

Ft. Hood 198th Inf, training for Vietnam. We did village recon in the same temps, I got a bloody nose so bad I was hospitalised. Heat is very dangerous

Great video Kevin. I'm an Emergency Medicine physician, and your tips are spot on. I live in a very hot part of California, and have found that using the long sleeved t-shirt from LDComfort, wetting the garment down, then closing all the vents on my textile jacket, and loosening the cuffs to allow air to enter while moving, creates a layer of cool air within the jacket. Very effective and I re-wet when necessary just by pouring water down the jacket sleeves and onto the shirt.(hose works better if you can find one at the gas station) If you open all the vents, (or wear a mesh jacket) evaporation dries out the shirt too quickly. I get about an hour of bliss, and an hour of tolerable riding before needing to re-wet in 100+ degrees. In my experience, the various "cooling" neck bandannas are pretty useless. As you said, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink at least a pint or more of water at every stop and drink before you feel thirsty.

We just toured your great state of Texas, Kevin. And it was fairly toasty! Dallas to San Anton in route to Corpus Christi. Currently on our last stop in Oden AR. LOTS OF WATER! Frequent stops. Boots, jeans and a Leather, ALWAYS. Oh yea, and a helmet😉. Ride on and be safe!

Big thing is you got people talking and thinking about it. I am an RN and you can't say enough when it comes to heat. People often have compromised cognitive abitity when the temp goes up, something to consider while riding. Job well done and another fine video.

All good stuff. Just yesterday I was on my Super Tenere for 450 miles in +90 weather. I was all "geared up" and had one of the "cooling towels" as you mentioned. Drenched it at a gas stop, then didn't stop for 225 miles with several towns of stop lights but just wanted to get home! It was hot but I was able to stay away from the heat induced "symptoms" you spoke of. Won't ride again without a cooling towel.. only draw back is getting the interior of the riding jacket damp.. but, it will dry.

I have two different sets of riding gear for winter and summer. The summer gear consists of mesh pants and mesh jacket. I also ride with my visor completely down with all vents open on my helmet and my windshield completely lowered. Hot wind to the face is definitely a problem when riding especially since the air is super heating your head.

I noticed you eventually say, "This works in dry heat." The humidity down here in Houston is bad. When the humidity is up, the sweat does not evaporate as well, thus limiting the cooling.

Kevin, I agree with this video, i used to roof in South Carolina and long sleeves and pants really does work much better than anything else.

Thank you for this very informative video. You are absolutely correct in your comments. But one of the biggest things you forgot to mention is the color of the clothing. Avoid black or dark colors. More heat is absorbed with darker materials, lighter colors tend to reflect some of the heat. One should also try to wear materials that wick the sweat off ones body and evaporate them as a cooling layer. So try the newer synthetics vs cotton. If the conditions are just too risky, avoid mid-day travel, or just use an air-conditioned vehicle on those dangerous days. It all boils down to good judgement.

Color matters, white or light colors are much cooler than dark when in the sun

The wind on your bare skin also accelerates dehydration because it dries your skin out fast so your body is constantly pushing water to your skin (largest organ) in attempts to keep it hydrated.

FYI there was a professional rugby player who died from heatstroke in January (I think) while he was doing preseason conditioning in New Guinea...he was already a super fit guy, but you really can’t exert yourself during hot weather without taking precautions...hydration, clothing, and rest at required times

For sweat evaporation and air flow bare skin is best, but clothing takes the radiation, which can keep skin cooler in direct sunlight. On a motorcycle you get so much air flow that you really don't need to worry about that, so no point in bare skin. And while asphalt is softer when it's hot, it's still harder than elbows and knees.

Hi Kevin. First.... I love your channel.. I'm new back to riding, after 30 plus years off a bike. Just waiting on getting scheduled to take the beginner's safety course. Second..... I live about an hour way in Alabama from Ft McClellon so I understand how heat and humidity are here !!! Keep up the great work sir! quick idea that I see on another channel, maybe you could incorporate into your videos,, this particular channel showcases the owner riding bikes that he sells and just before the actual ride you quotes a Bible verse. I believe if God rides with you then your odds certainly exponentially increase in staying safe.

I had melanoma 13 years ago so I’ve covered up ever since. One thing that makes a big difference in staying cool is wearing compression t shirts under your vented long sleeve skirt. Those t shirts wick up the sweat and have a cooling effect as the water evaporates. If sweat is running down your bare skin and puddling in your shorts it’s not cooling your body as well as it should be.

Wow, Kevin, this is your best article yet. We were on a long ride couple of weeks ago, almost 300 miles and nine hours with stops in between and lunch, none the less, 9 hours. The heat was horrible. The result, this is my opinion. We lost one of our buddies at the end of the ride in a bad crash. He simply missed the last exit turn as he was existing towards home. No one saw the wreck because we had all split up in seperata ways at this point. I'm convinced he had "a medical moment" of some type. It was reported that he had been acting unsual thrui out the day. He waa 69. I am 65 and was completely exhasted. I had on a short sleve shirt and so did he. I had a full face helmet he was wearing a shorty. We are heartbroken over the loss. Your article speaks to the care of riding in this stuff in Oklahoma when it is over 100 degree's. Blessings to you, Kevin and keep up the good work.

Once a person has a heat stroke (a true heat stroke, not just heat exhaustion). They will never be able to handle the heat again. They have to be very mindful of the heat they are in , because of the damage their system has already suffered. I had a heat stroke in 2008 that put me in the ER. I have to watch it very close when the temp outside are, in the mid to upper 80's and above. The heat can sneak up on you before you know it. And then it's to late. Just be careful and drink lots of liquids and take plenty of breaks and get inside and cool off. Been There and its not pleasant.

the cooling towels which were mentioned in the video - "called the rags" really do work. I use in Middle East for riding and golfing. trick is to soak in cool water, squeeze out lightly the excess water and then put the towel around the neck, on the head (under the helmet) or whatever you wish. Thanks for the video - really applicable for temps of greater than 40degrees!

Midland, Texas here and yes, riding can be a real bear in the area when the weather tops 100. Stay hydrated, carry some water and keep covered. The sun is not your friend, lol. My gear in summer is a mostly white mesh jacket (armored) black/ white helmet and white black gloves. No need to wear dark colors that absorb heat. By pants are armored jeans but not really a huge issue. Evap vests are great in low humidity areas like our area. Great video. No need to look like a pirate, be smart and wear gear that actually does something. We ride Motorcycles for fun, for the image for a lot of things. We are the last rebels, do your thing and be awesome.

Great video. Heat can be the silent danger on a motorcycle. It does not always seem so hot when riding until you stop and the sweat just falls. Dehydration can sneak up on a rider. Great tips. Thanks for sharing.

I like a gatorade cocktail 1/3 gatorade and 2/3 water gives you some salt and sugar and the water you need works like a charm. another great video Kevin thanks.

I also took training at Ft McClellan in the dead of summer (July 77) and you are right, the heat was brutal. Also did the same exercise you described in the field maneuvers. Many folks dropped out due to the heat. Did a two week cross country trip to Cali from Ga in May. Wore light colored long sleeve shirts and khaki pants. No issues.

Good information Kevin. I live in Las Vegas and the summers here can get brutal. Since I'm retired I don't have to ride in the extreme heat (over 100 f). But when I'm in the heat I always wear the gear. I use a textile jacket and also have breathable leather gloves. The neck water gator works really well. I carry two metal thermos bottles with water and drink them throughout the ride. Good tip about hydrating the day before. The tough part is waiting at the long lights.

I also ride in SC I bought the fly hydration vest for 35 bucks wet it in the sink and it keeps my cool for a hour and a half. It keeps me much cooler.I wear a water bag on my back.

When I was much younger I worked as a roofer for one summer. I wore thin material with long sleeves, but the work is hard, hot, potentially dangerous and the company didn't pay well enough to risk getting hurt. The owner liked to take short cuts and would often expect us to do something that should have required two people. Near the end of the summer he tried to pick up a 4x8 sheet of plywood by himself and a gust of wind hit that panel like a sail and off the roof and to the hospital he went. That was it for me. Nice vid and valuable information. Well done, Kevin.

I'm a roofer in Illinois we wear basketball shorts and socks and shoes and that's basically it. But we also have jugs and jugs of water and Gatorade and take shade breaks but when I'm on my bike I wear full gear and stop often to hydrate. Great video as usual.

Sorry for my late entry. A similar issue I experienced was working or standing in high heat, my foot gear and my feet would feel a burning sensation; 100/110+ degrees in Arizona low country. After trying many possible remedies, I found that my above ankle or higher, boots that were insulated were the coolest! I took grief from coworkers but I also made a believer of a few. My riding boots now days are always waterproof and insulated with great protection and no burning. Good Riding

I ride for fun like everyone else, but my bike is also my main transportation. I only take the car when I have to. My rides home this week have been in 110 degrees. The mesh jacket, jeans, boots, and helmet are always worn. When moving, it does feel a bit like riding into a hair dryer but I haven't worried about being a heat casualty. Thanks for the video, Kevin. Absolutely spot on as usual. Ride safe!

For direct cooling, i found a duel layer shirt that holds the water nicely. keep a bottle handy and keep weting your shirt. turns hot water into AC even in 100º plus temp. I ride two up mostly and the wife keeps us wet without stopping.

Kevin, first let me thank you for putting together MCrider. The homework you've done really shows in the great quality of the videos ! From my perspective, a key value is that it causes the viewer to think...about safety, logistics of good cycling, and just how fun it can be. Thanks for producing The Field Guide and the patron program....nicely done ! As a rider since the early '70s (first baby was a Triumph TR6R (single-carb) babe magnet....always needing to keep your advice in mind ! As a pharmacist, I can't sign off with your NaCL in H20 recommendation, but let's just assume it was a blooper...but a bit salty let's say... Living in Atlanta, we have all been trained that PowerAde with its electrolytes is the way to go to prevent dehydration and heat exhaustion. Congratulations on a great site for bikers !

I just finished a 5000 km ride from Central Ontario out to the east coast and the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. Crossed into the States and rode through NY, VT, NH and Maine before crossing back into Canada at St Stephen New Brunswick. The first four days we had temps close to 40 Celcius or approx 104 F. Wore full gear the entire trip. Something we did that really helped was be on the road very early to beat some of the heat. Right at the crack of dawn we would be rolling and by noon when it would be sweltering hot, we would either be at our days destination or close to it. By the time we got out to the coast the heat had broke and the rest of the ride was in normal temps.

Kevin - Thanks for ‘riding in heat tips’. I was surprised there were not comments on ‘Circulating ice water under riding gear’ to control the body core temperature - a very effective solution for riding in the heat. The idea was developed by NASA in the 1960’s for cooling under space suits. Race car drivers have used this system under their race suits for the last 20 years. Motorcycles have a more difficult set-up, but it can be done by strapping a cooler to the bike or using a pannier to hold an ice bag. You transfer your body heat to the ice and need to expect to fill ice at every gas stop. Here are a few companies that sell cooling systems or you can buy a $100 shirt (with tubes sown in) and make a cheaper version yourself. I found the cooling systems too expensive and did a DYI system that was effective. For examples, Google the following 1) Cool Shirt 2) HogCooler 3) Veskimo 4) F.A.S.T. Motorcycle safety is highly dependent on a clear thinking mind which cannot happen when the body is too hot. I highly recommend looking into a cooler way of riding. Thanks for all the great tips - Keep up the good work Kevin!

Your the Best I was riding today practicing braking and swerving

I'm a US ex-pat riding in Thailand where April (our hottest month) may see temperatures over 110. Although I can't get on board with salt, everything else you said was spot on. Regardz!

Kevin, Love your Channel!! I'm retired Army National Guard. While in MOPP 4 on Pelham Range - Ft McClellan, AL I had to take two bags of IV from the Medics after falling out. Fast forward in Death Valley, CA 118 degrees on my Indian Roadmaster I had to drink 2 gallons of water in that first store back into Nevada. I thought I was well hydrated going into each case. Great video!! Reminds me of a lot to do!! Thank You!!

For me, a mesh jacket is a must for riding in the heat. I really do not know how i ever rode without one until i bought one and tried it. It just makes riding in the heat almost a joy to do. As for hydration, i bring packets of Pedialite to mix in my water. It has served me very well over the years.

I live in Las Vegas and ride every day in 100+ degree heat (sometimes 118!!!). Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!! I also use “Cool-danas” soaked and wrapped around my neck. Keeps me comfortable and added bonus, keeps the sun off my neck. I still have a bikers tan though, neck and wrists.... unavoidable! LOL awesome video, thank you for sharing.

I just replaced my helmet with a very unfashionable all white helmet. I watched a couple of videos on KZfaq that measured a significant temperature difference between white and black helmets.

As a uk Police Officer (and member of the Blue Knights(shameless plug)) recently dealt with a single vehicle road traffic collision where a biker (less than 1 years riding experience) clipped a curb and came off the bike. The rider ended up with some fairly serious gravel rash to legs torso and limbs -simply because they did not wear appropriate kit. The rider wished to keep cool in the unusually warm UK summer we are having. The only bike kit this plumb was wearing was a modular helmet - which failed and the bikers chin was grated... the rider didn’t even wear gloves! Lots of blood lost that didn’t need to be and at a crash at less than 20 mph!

Kevin, I think you have a mistake that should be corrected: you said add 1 Tablespoon or half a tablespoon of salt to every cup of water. Most professionals say only a pinch of salt for every cup. Please let us know where you got the advice of 1Tbs. The advice I was taught in the Army, from doing Iron Butt rides, and my own research would indicate a pinch is fine. This would mean about 1 teaspoon for every gallon is sufficient in most cases. The second thing I'd like to point out is what you said regarding skin temp. You said it's around 98-99°F (37°C), but much of our skin that would usually be exposed to the elements is a little cooler, starting around 93°F (32°C). My magic number is 93F -- when it gets to 93F, I begin to wet my shirts down under my gear (I'm ATGATT 24/7/365 anyhow). And if I don't have a full bladder with clear urine at every rest stop, I know I'm not hydrating enough. Great video overall, however, keep up the good work!

When I first started to ride on the roads in summer in Ft. Worth, I was surprised how it was so hot with the heat coming off the roadway.

one thing not mentioned, wind chill works the opposite once the temp gets over 98.6 so 105 at 60mph will feel like 119 on your bare skin. rode the top end in australia, soaking your shirt at every roadhouse works really well.

Awesome information thank you Sir. Thank you for your service. Have a great week

I ride out of Arizona and the Kevin is spot on. To help cool off, as Kevin mentioned is get wet. Pour water over yourself, down your shirt, down your pants. Arizona is like riding into hair dryer so cover up and get wet.

Mesh jackets and the new cool out underware work very well for staying cooler.. the wet shirt method works well also but when it's 106 degrees they dry out quickly.

Hi Kevin, I am a farely new subscriber to MCrider and I am very thankful I decided to be a supporter. Its is one of the best investments I've made in bettering myself as a rider and helping others in our community become more skillful and aware. Your tips and insight on your Friday videos are invaluable. I live in the NYC area and we've had a spell of above 90 temperatures with high humidity. I try and compensate with riding early in the day or later in the evening. But most times I get caught out in the midst of the hottest point of the day in stop and go traffic and not having the understanding you've imparted to us today, I was about to make a critical mistake and shed off some gear. The only advantage I have is that I love to drink water and usually drink a couple of gallons a day. Thank you Kevin, your videos are the best part of my Friday mornings. My name is James and I'll see you on the road.

I ride in the Phoenix area year round. All your tips are right on. The cooling vests last about an hour when it's hot, so stopping every hour to get out of the heat, hydrate and re-soak the vest and helmet liner make it possible.

I picked up a pair of Nike solar sleeves. Those things are fantastic

Great advice!! I am here in Sac, where you once visited. The one time I took a spin around the neighborhood without full gear, on a 90+ degree day, I was surprised it wasn't much cooler. But I ride with a Dianese City Guard vented and armored jacket. Only other thoughts on cooling: I have a spray bottle with battery powered fan built in. That can help in cooling. And when super hot, ice packs or super cold wet towels under the arms cools super fast. These tactics are used in medical situations. We are going to have 95 degree days at the track this weekend. I always bring a large cooler full of ice water.

Here in Phoenix, AZ, all the roofers and landscapers wear long sleeves in the summer. Yesterday I had 1.5 hours in AZ, almost all highway, had a Joe Rocket Summer Jacket on with helmet on. 2018 Goldwing DCT. outside temperature started at 90 in Prescott,, by the time I got home it was 106. I felt fine after a water bottle and a couple of beers. I did wish I had the cooling neck towel, but I couldn’t find it. They work well on a bike, the neck is a great place for them

I live in Costa Rica where we have an average temperature of around 80 degrees fahrenheit with 80% humidity on top of that. Heat is a major concern when riding. My friends and I all use lightweight mesh jackets, with long sleeve T-shirts underneath and either jeans or mesh riding pants. You can also get medium weight boots and shoes which offer decent protection but also allow airflow. The key is airflow for sure. I am quite comfortable when riding at 40 mph plus but the moment I get stuck in traffic it is hell. I often carry a pair of shorts and a spare T-shirt to change into when I break for lunch etc. Light coloured gear and helmet also helps a lot. We tend to ride early and late stop during the heat of the day. That happens to coincide with a ride down to the beach through mountains with amazing views and great twisties from 8am - 10 am followed by a day lazing in the sun and a ride back from 6pm - 8pm - life is not all bad!

It's July in Oklahoma. Thanks for the tips.

Thank you so much for sharing 13 minutes of wisdom. You really help me with that knowledge. Even though I’m a cross country rider for years I learned a lot from this clip .

Some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion you mentioned, such as nausea and headaches, can actually be caused by a lack of salt, even if you're drinking plenty of water. Another symptom of too little salt is that you're pissing the water out as fast as you drink it. Plain water is the best replacement for water that is lost through the urine. But when you sweat, you're losing electrolytes as well, and those electrolytes need to be replaced. Personally, I don't like sports drinks, because of what the high fructose corn syrup does to my blood sugar. But even a bag of potato chips can help. Runners often carry dried apricots, which are loaded with potassium. I think that would be a great idea for bikers as well.

Love your vids, Kevin! Great reminder! Fellow north Texas rider here, too. We got some welcome summer rain this week, but next week we’ll be back to 100 and higher. I’m an ATGATT guy, and in the Texas summer, I’m in a long-sleeve UA HeatGear shirt and Klīm Apex Air jacket. They work well together, giving me air conditioning and shade everywhere I go! Be safe, brother!

I have had heat exhaustion twice in my life. Once while riding. I ended up pulling over and walking full gear into a river. The relief was instantaneous! Then it was like A/C riding home. 😄. But, even though water is important, taking along sports drinks is also VERY important. You don't just lose water when you sweat. I freeze a few bottles of both water and sports drinks and take them along on summer days.

When the temps in NC break 80, my (mostly) black textile jacket gets way too hot, even when moving. I picked up a mesh jacket in a sand color and that helped. Then I found a yard sale where there were full mesh suits, so I added matching pants to the mesh jacket. I have heard that light colored helmets with tinted visors (daytime) help you keep cooler as well. My hi-viz helmet (modular) with a smoke visor has never felt overly hot, even in the upper 90s. I do ride with the visor open an extra click sometimes. Only in extremely stop & go traffic will I open the helmet while moving. Also, if I can stop in shade while waiting for lights and intersections, I stop there, it's the closest thing to A/C I can get standing still.

Hi Kevin, Another great video thanks. When riding long distances I find it very helpful to carry a camel back, so you can easily top up your fluids on the go. I find particularly when your feeling a little tired a good hit of cool water really helps with your concentration.

For fitness I ride my bicycle nearly everyday, its been in the 90s everyday for most of July. Obviously I don't wear leathers but I do wear a helmet and sometimes gloves. If you find yourself overheating make sure to stop and take off those two items. Your body likes to expel its heat from your head and your hands and even though you might not notice right away the helmet and gloves will block that when there's no airflow.

Kevin, what you shared is spot on! Keep up the great work of accurate information on the topic here!🤓. Doug

I'll wear a lighter jacket with lots of ventilation and also sometimes wear a camelbak which carries about 2 litres of water (I will also freeze about half of the water in the bag the night before) I also have a cup holder on my bike that fits a thermos of cold water. Lots of good tips in your video, thank you for sharing.

If the ambient temperature is over your body temperature the wind chill factor acts in reverse. the faster you ride the hotter you will get. Covering up will cool you down. Cooling vests help as well.

I'm also in Texas. I wear an athletic base layer for the moisture wicking and switch from leather and riding jeans to mesh but still full gear head to toe. I have a couple hydration packs depending on how long I'll be out and don't have any problems. Just continually sip on the water.

Guilty as charged, Kevin. I do need to pull on that jacket. I do wear gloves, thick jeans and boots, but obviously not enough! Thx again, and have a great week. 🏍👍🏍

Modern helmets all have air vents in them so in hot weather, pour some water inside the helmet and when you drive off, the evap cooling effect just might give you head freeze. Another thing. Stop at a convenience store or fast food place and fill your front pockets with crushed ice. It too helps the evap cooling effect when riding.

You can buy an evaporative cooling vest. One soaks it in water before putting it on. I've found it to be very helpful. It has to be periodically re-soaked. The easiest way to do that is to put it into a zip lock bag and add water. For more information, do a google search on "motorcycle cooling vest". They are also available for dogs in case you want to take your dog for a walk in hot weather.

Wish all those non believers could see this! I have gotten tired of trying to explain. if it is one thing I have learned after 54 years of riding it's this. Thanks for putting it out there!

One detail you didn't get quite right was the drinking. You shouldn't be drinking water when it's that hot, you should be drinking a solution of water, potassium and salt in order to avoid the possibility of water intoxication. Sugar free sports drink is great for these situations. Drinking too much water in an effort to replace the water you're losing can easily lead to the point where you're out of sodium and potassium in a relatively short period of time. That's what led me to spend several days in the ICU as my brain had run so low on sodium that I literally couldn't think. Now, I make my own sugar-free sports drink by mixing 100mg of potassium with 1/8 teaspoon of table salt in 1 liter of water. Basically doing that drastically reduces the likelihood of running low on electrolytes and for those of us that live in less humid areas will help the body cool itself much more effectively.

Shorts and a t-shirt is a sure recipe for serious injury in a crash, dehydration, not to mention, serious sunburn.

Hi Kevin, I ride in the heat with my mesh coat on. It is white and reflective. I sweat when I stop sometimes and then when I ride it is actually cooling. Of course, there are the wet things you talk of. We probably don't have the heat here in Idaho you do in Texas but we do get hundred plus heat. I think I will get mesh pants this summer and I can ride with them and lose the pants under them. Occasionally if it is too hot you can pour water on self and that helps with evaporative cooling. I never ride in short sleeves or shorts. I have been down on the pavement in the summer heat. You want to be fully covered if you ever have that problem. And of course, I always have two or three containers in my bags of water, sometimes with ice. The liquid is key. I also drink water in the evening even at bedtime because the hydration is actually good for your heart at night. If you have to get up and go then just do it. The water is smart anyway.

US ARMY 25/Inf. myself whooora i live in Las Vegas i bought a thin long sleeve shirt to wear with a HD/cool vest & i dont ride in the heat of the day & I NEVER WEAR SHORTS & TANKTOP or FLIPFLOPS before 10am or after dusk i have custom cvo '07 streetglide...great vid Kevin!!

Helmets are also a priority in keeping cool just like covering your head with a bee ice during extreme colds I wear a thinsulate or silk balaclava on my head it gives a layered insulated coolness between your head and proper fit helmet.

Ice cubes in the internal mesh pockets of your summer riding jacket. All those storage areas are made for ice cubes on intense heat days . They melt fairly fast here in East Texas but then they turn into water! Humidity does play a big part of which way to go. Thanks for bringing this up.

I graduated MP school at Ft. McClellan March-July 1986 hot humid and nasty

Hello Kevin, As I mention to you months back that my Grandson and I were holding up a family tradition of crossing the country on our bikes. Well we did just that and when we got to the Mojave and Death Valley the temps were 120 plus. The local motorcycle shop in Las Vegas gave us a great tip, drink Pedialyte first thing in the AM, drink the entire bottle not just a glass. We had replaced the air in the tires with nitrogen before we started so bikes and riders made the hot ride just fine, but that pool at the end of the day was sure welcome. Ed Boutwell, Mendon, Vt.

Excellent session. An ounce of prevention of course is always worth a pound of cure.

Excellent reminders and new info. I usually read down the comments a bit and was glad to read someone else noticed and mentioned about the amount of salt needed in water, I also thought the amount "1 tablespoon" was a LOT. Turns out it's just a small amount is needed, but it is important when hydration levels become stressed. Thanks Kevin, your videos are a must for my riding re-start. Cheers Always

This is a really important subject. I wonder how many people have been riding all day and at the end of the day they are starting to suffer from the heat and they are riding impaired. In South Ga we had a doctor ride with us, he made sure we stayed hydrated, and before rides and if a long ride, at lunch, he would try to get us to do stretching exercises. Stay hydrated and at the end of the ride you will feel a lot better.

Here in San Antonio I use a mesh jacket in the summer with my gloves, helmet, and boots. It gets toasty warm and my head is usually wet when I pull my helmet but worth it if a crash happens. ATGATT live by it. I also have some of the heat out gear from cycle gear it works ok as it spreads the sweat out for maximum cooling and some compression which helps with fatigue. Be safe out there y'all

Amazing tips! Thanks from Texas.