Warm temperatures, sunshine, blue skies and gentle breezes are all siren songs to the motorcyclist looking for a perfect day’s ride. The heat can quickly wreak havoc on a rider, though, if you’re not prepared to handle it. It’s important to dress for hot weather conditions and keep yourself from developing dehydration and heat stroke or exhaustion, which you can easily avoid with a little planning. Even riding in the hottest Texas summers is possible when you think ahead! The Texoma Harley-Davidson® dealership is located in Sherman, Texas, and we’ve gathered some of the best riding tips to help keep you safe while you’re cruising.

When you see the thermometer soaring into the 80s and 90s, you may be tempted to wear the lightest and breeziest clothes possible, but these clothes, while great for a day at the park, aren’t going to cut the mustard when you’re on a motorcycle. Ideally, you should wear long pants and long sleeves to offer yourself a little protection from the road, but wear lighter-colored natural fabrics that breathe well, like cotton and linen. A ventilated riding jacket can protect you with some padding without being as sweltering as black leather. Light colors will let sunlight bounce off you instead of sinking in, so leave your all-black ensemble at home when it’s toasty out. Wearing a bandana under your helmet to keep sweat out of your eyes is a good idea, too.

Sunscreen on any exposed skin like the back of your neck is another important step for sun protection. You should also wear sunglasses if they’ll fit under your helmet. Failing that, a helmet with a tinted or sun visor can also protect your eyes and improve your visibility on the road. You won’t want to ride with one hand constantly shielding your eyes, after all!

The most important thing anyone can do in the heat is drink plenty of water. Dehydration can set in quickly when you’re pouring sweat, so you need to replace the fluids your body is losing so you don’t get fuzzy and lose focus on what you’re doing. The thicker clothes you’ll need to wear on your motorcycle will also trap some heat and make dehydration even more likely. So keep a few bottles of water on your bike or in your backpack to drink throughout the day. Investing in a wearable hydration system that keeps your hands free with a straw attached to the backpack might be another option if you want to hydrate while you ride.

As you sweat, your body loses salt and electrolytes in addition to water, and these also need to be replenished. Consume some salty snacks or a sports drink that offers vitamins and electrolytes in addition to replacing the salt you’re losing. To stay cool, you can also dip a T-shirt or bandana in cool water and wear these on the road to enjoy the breeze from the evaporation. Tying the wet bandana at the base of your neck can cool you down quickly as it will rest over your carotid artery.

Finally, as you’re riding, you’ll want to use some common sense to stave off heat exhaustion. Don’t ride during the hottest parts of the day, generally mid-afternoon. If you can get in a ride before noon or as the sun sets, you’ll be much cooler. Stop frequently when riding in the heat to allow both you and your bike to cool off, because a hot bike means a hot rider. Use your brakes to check out the scenery around you, rest in the shade and drink water. If your bike’s windscreen is adjustable, you can put it down to get more ventilation.

Successful summer rides depend upon you being prepared to stay cool, focused and hydrated on the road. Having gone through these riding tips, are you now tempted to check out some great bikes for a summer’s ride? Come visit our dealership to see the new and used Harleys we have for sale! Texoma HD is in Sherman, serving the Texas cities of Denison and Gainesville, plus Durant, Oklahoma, just across the river!