How to ride a motorcycle in the heat
The short answer
To ride a motorcycle in hot weather, drink water before you feel thirsty, keep your protective gear on but open its vents, ride in the cooler morning hours and stop at least once an hour in the shade. Learn the signs of heat exhaustion, such as headache, dizziness and nausea, and stop riding as soon as you notice them.
Heat doesn't feel dangerous the way rain does. It works slowly. You get tired, your reactions slow down, and you make small mistakes you wouldn't make on a cooler day. Riding well in summer is mostly about managing that.
Drink before you're thirsty
By the time you feel thirsty, you're already behind. Wind dries sweat off your skin so fast that you may not notice how much fluid you're losing.
- Drink a good amount of water before you leave.
- Drink at every stop, even if you don't feel like it.
- On long, hot days, add electrolytes or eat something salty. Water alone isn't always enough when you sweat a lot.
- A hydration pack lets you sip on the move, if you're used to riding with one.
- Go easy on alcohol the night before and on strong coffee during the ride.
Keep the gear on, vent it
Riding in a T-shirt feels cooler for ten minutes. After that, sun and wind dry you out faster, and a fall on hot tarmac is far worse with bare skin.
Better options:
- Mesh or vented jackets and trousers with armour, made for summer.
- Open every vent on your jacket and helmet before you set off.
- A light, wicking base layer under the jacket pulls sweat away and helps it cool you.
- Light colours absorb less sun than black.
When the air is hotter than your skin, more airflow can warm you rather than cool you. On those days, partly closing the vents and using a wet layer works better. See our gear guide for what to look for in summer kit.
Ride early
Start at first light and plan to be off the bike, or in the mountains, by early afternoon. Mornings are cooler, the light is better and traffic is lighter. If you're hosting a group ride in summer, an early meeting time is a kindness to everyone.
Stop every hour
Plan a short stop about every hour in hot weather. Get into shade, take your helmet and jacket off, drink and eat something light. A café, a viewpoint with trees or a fuel station with a shaded bench all work.
Mountain roads are your friend in summer. Every few hundred metres of height brings cooler air.
Wet a layer
Evaporation is how your body cools itself, and you can help it. Soak a neck tube or a thin base layer in water at a stop, put it on under your jacket and close the vents part way. A cooling vest does the same job for longer. This works best in dry heat. In very humid weather, water evaporates slowly and the effect is smaller.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion
Stop riding if you or a friend notices:
| Sign | What it can mean |
|---|---|
| Headache, dizziness, nausea | Early heat exhaustion |
| Heavy sweating, cramps, weakness | Your body is losing fluid and salt |
| Feeling irritable or unusually clumsy | Your concentration is going |
| Confusion, hot skin, slurred speech, fainting | Possible heatstroke, a medical emergency |
For heat exhaustion, get into shade, take off layers, drink water and rest until you feel normal again, not only a little better. For signs of heatstroke, call the emergency number straight away and cool the person down while you wait.
Watch the road and the bike too
- Soft tarmac and tar repairs can feel greasy in strong heat. Treat shiny tar lines like paint in the rain.
- Tyre pressures rise as tyres warm up. Set them cold, as the manual says, and don't let air out because they read high when hot.
- Coolant should be at the right level before the trip. Avoid long idling in traffic where you can.
Questions riders ask
What should I wear on a motorcycle in hot weather?
Wear protective gear made for summer: a mesh or vented jacket and trousers with armour, summer gloves, boots and a helmet with good vents. A light wicking base layer underneath keeps you cooler than bare skin.
How often should I stop when riding in the heat?
About once an hour. Stop in the shade, take your helmet and jacket off, drink water and eat something light before you carry on.
What are the signs of heat exhaustion on a motorcycle?
Headache, dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating, cramps, weakness and feeling clumsy or irritable. Stop riding, get into shade and drink. Confusion or hot dry skin can mean heatstroke, which needs emergency help.
Is it better to ride with the vents open in very hot weather?
Usually yes. But when the air is hotter than your skin, extra airflow can warm you. On those days, wear a wet layer and close the vents part way to keep the cool air in.