More on Riding in Extreme Heat

I came across an interesting article today -
http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/ExtremeHeat.html

The gist of this article is that when the outside temperature reaches 95 degrees - the wind - rather than having a cooling effect - actually makes you hotter. According to sources cited in the article, a 33.6 mph breeze actually makes the outside temperature feel almost 6 degrees higher.

So - according to this article - a mesh jacket in high temperatures would actually make you feel warmer than a standard textile jacket with vents. This goes against everything you would think.

I will say that it has always been my experience that riding with a mesh jacket made me feel cooler than riding with no jacket at all. I attributed this to the idea that the constant wind was actually drying my skin out and not letting me cool off. Well, the article mentioned above seems to corroborate that theory. Thus, it would seem that if you wore a textile jacket that let wind in only through vents, then the "breeze" flowing through the jacket would be greatly reduced, the body would sweat normally, and the evaporative cooling effect would be greater.

The real question is - do I have the guts to try this theory out? The answer is - yes - I'm going to try it with the Cortech Accelerator jacket. This jacket is constructed for adventure touring - with a built in hydration pack. The sleeves zip off, and the venting is plentiful. I've always loved this jacket.

I'd be interested in other people's comments on this one. I just spoke with a man in the store who said he wore a full leather jacket during the summer.

It's Hot

Yeah - that's an understatement. There are ways to deal with the heat, though. Here are a few items of apparel that might help keep you a little bit more comfortable while riding.

Tourmaster Tracker Pant - This lightweight pant is largely mesh yet still has the protection of CE Armor. The thing I love about this pant is that the bottom of the legs unzip (just above the knee) to make the pants into shorts. So - when you're out riding and come across that stream with nice clear cool water - you're set.

TCX AirTech Touring Boot - Waterproof but breathable boots that pull the sweat away from the foot.

Cooldanna or Frogg Toggs Chilly Pads - Either of these products provide long-lasting cooling relief. Just activate the cooling with ice water then place the rag or bandana around the neck. They say the fabric will be as much as 25 degrees cooler.

Of course, as most bikers will tell you - it's not uncomfortable at 75 mph - it's when you have to stop that it gets really hot!!

Our first blog!!

This week, we (High Definition Powersports) introduced our Twitter page, a rejuvenated Facebook page, and now - our blog. To be honest - I'm still trying to figure out how this is going to help business - but I've been assured this is the "way to go."

We're going to try to use this venue to talk about all aspects of motorcycling in Austin. I have very knowledgeable employees who want to share some of their expertise. In addition, I want to introduce some of the interesting people I've met in the industry. Between the technical, the informative, and the entertaining - I hope you'll find something in the blog to interest you.