I've just come back from what is probably the worst riding experience I've ever had, temperature-wise. It's midsummer here in Durban, and we decided to head inland this morning to try and escape the coastal heat - WRONG MOVE !!
At 11 am the temp on one of the bikes air temp gauge read 44 C, and the tar was MELTING......
I removed my jacket and rode 80 miles home in my T shirt, and it was like riding past the door of a blast furnace. The bike started to misfire about 10 miles from home, and I realised the fuel was atomising before it could get to the carbs........
Eventually got home, after stopping in the shade for a few minutes, and fell in the pool, after ripping off the rest of my gear. I hope I NEVER have to ride through that again......
C'mon guys, who else out there has ridden in extreme heat or cold, and cares to share ?
The temp on my front verandah is now 45C+, and it's 13.38 hrs .........

 

First day of real snow here now. Linky:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av6OGwUVY4s

It looks as my neighbor have arranged a small graveyard, there are three cross at the end of the video that can be seen now when the hedge is cutted back and the leaves have fallen.

 

Wow, here in Buenos Aires temperatures in summer, specially in january, go around 40 to 45°C, I've ridden in hot days like that and I have to admit, taking off my leather jacket was never a good option! Hot air blowing into your skin at more than 150 km/h can make you feel just like that... like you're getting cooked! best to keep the jacket on, it will protect you from all that heat, even if it doesn't seems like a reasonable option, it actually is
Also rode with temperatures below -10°C or less, did 300km in one day, had to wait like 15 minutes to get rid of the numbness on the tip of my fingers (and I was wearing gloves!).
The key in both cases is to wear the right clothes.... riding in a t-shirt always proved to me that's not the best choice, even when sometimes your mind tells you it is [:-]

 

That is correct. It is better to sweat under leather or Gore-Tex than to cook your skin. One trick, if it is a dry heat, is to soak your t-shirt in water and allow evaporative cooling to keep you comfortable. Some businesses sell evaporative vest, throat mask, bandanasfor this purpose. Also, drink plenty of water and avoid caffine. Always protect your throat from windblast no matter the tempurature.

On the cold side, wear an electric vest or electric jacket. I have installed heated grips and a Powerlet in the steering stem of my CBR many years ago. I prefer to use my Warm N Safe electric jacket as it is a better design than the two electric vest I have owned in the past.

Robert Bashaw
LoweST Mean Climate Arkansas

 

In hindsight, you are both right - I should have worn the jacket, but it felt sooo much better at slower speeds, I left it off. (until I hit the freeway, and the blast furnace kicked in)My son does a lot of Quadbike enduro racing, and he also said wet your t shirt and put the jacket back on........so,
This old dog has learnt a new trick, or two...!
I will now be leaving home at 6.30AM, not 9 am, and will do all my riding before the heat sets in - perhaps I can convince my mates to get up earlier, if not, I'll do it alone.
I may even buy a small hydration pack for hotter days.....
One thing's for sure - riding in 44C heat + humidity will NOT happen in future. I'd much rather ride in colder conditions - at least you can dress for that....! (but not -10 Daniel_Arg.....too cold ! )
Thanks guys.[8D]

 

Shadow1,

Hi mate well here in Central Queensland Australia today it is 34 Degrees C and 93.20 F. I am still wearing my full length boots and also a medium jacket anything over this as it does get up to 40 C / 104 F and I wear my R Jays summer Jacket but always wear gloves.

I just love winter it gets down to about 15 C / 59 F thats when its Full leathers winter gloves and neck warmer only a few months of this heat left.

 

I used to work in a neighbouring town a few years back now and the only form of transport I had was a motorbike. Our summers get rediculous here in the South Australian outback. Normal to sit on high 40's (C) and break 50 in the heat waves. Anyway I would knock off at 4.30 in the afternoon just as the temps were peaking for the day and had a 20km highway trip home. I used to have a trick that worked remarkebly well at the time - mind over matter is key. I would close off my mind and imagine it was the middle of winter and that it was freezing cold outside and that I was outside with only a jumper on freezing my gonads, then I would go inside and imagine I was sitting infront of a hot blow heater warming me up as I was riding along!! Hey don't knock it, it got me through those trips!! LOL! I even got the shivers up at times.

yes I know... crazy.

But seriously... I concur, covering up is better in summer for sure. Not only to keep the hot air out, it protects your skin from the sun and wind burn - not to mention the tarmac as well if you come off [&:] I rekon there would be nothing worse than being stuck laying on a road in a 45oC+ day with nothing between ya skin the and bitumen.

 

Michnet76 I suppose I am lucky too as I leave at 6 am and dont get home till 7 pm so the Bite has gone out of the sun. Hey have you ever been to Marble Bar ??? in northern Western Australia, 52 C / 125.6 F in the shade and that big piece of marble in the main pub is soooooooooooo cool to place your body on Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !

 

No... furtherest West I've been is Ceduna on the great australian bite down this way. I really need to get out more and do some more extreme touring again... but married with 3 kids kinda puts a dampner on things when it comes to long trips on 2 wheels.

My wife and I want to tour around Australia one day on 2 wheels when the kids leave home in another 15-20 years (hopefully!). Till then it'll have to be short weekend trips unfortunately.

Certainly sounds like an interesting place to put on that itinerary though.

 

michnet76, Yeah all my tribe left a few ago and I suppose being nearly 51 helps too, so all those years I couldn't have a bike I have made up for it. I sold my 92 1000 F last year I had her for 8 months and did 30,000 Kls on her and last year for my 50th I got a new bird and we have had a couple of good rides, but no yet as good as two years ago we did 5,000 Kls on the 1000 F went to the Blue mountain then back up the new england and stopped at Manley for 4 days all up we were away for 3 weeks. Even though my bird is fantastic I wouldn't have lost any sleep if the bird hadn't arrived and I kept the F 1000. I think the 1000 had a WOW factor that most bikes dont have anymore, that was one of the main reasons I had the Bird custom painted. Check the red bike out! can I pack !!!! the bird is a piece of cake to load up, but the 1000 needed packing skills.

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