Commuting in the heat | GTAMotorcycle.com

Commuting in the heat

arogal

Well-known member
To everyone here that commutes 80km+ round trip in rush hour, have you been commuting on 2 wheels in the heat? Unfortunately my gear is all black, and my zx6r is black also which makes me feel like I'm in death valley.
I haven't brought it into work the last week or so. Call me a wimp, but I'd totally rather sit in a cage with AC for 1 hr in the 35+ heat.
Also, there hasn't seemed to be as many bikes as usual on the 403 in rush hour, so I can't be alone one this one!
 
Did Thailand last year in full gear @46+, this is no sweat. ;)

Wear base layers to moisture wick and you won't be feeling squishy on the commute. Trick is to keep moving, even slowly to get some airflow generated. Hopefully you aren't talking about full leathers and have some mesh/textile stuff on.
 
What kind of job do you have? I have an evaporative cooling vest that's good for about 1.5h in the heat but it'll need a refresh after that and you're going to be a little damp.
 
I haven't brought it into work the last week or so. Call me a wimp, but I'd totally rather sit in a cage with AC for 1 hr in the 35+ heat.

While every rider and commute is different, getting the right gear (and bike) makes all the difference. I switched over to a scooter and it's a pretty rare day I don't commute, even over the last few weeks. Those powerful crosswinds and naked lighting bolts were a bit crazy yesterday, though. Save the Ninja for the weekends, maybe? Oh and since you asked for it: WIMP!
 
I've been commuting daily, 40km+ one way, so close to 80km round trip. Though this week the bike is out of order, a broken engine bolt :(

I try not to think about the heat, and I wear a black leather jacket+thick cordura pants, come to work and change into shorts/shirt. I've ridden in the cold, under 7c, stuck up north, I remember those times and am happy to be in the heat.
 
I do 48 km each way from Pickering to Pearson every day. Start at 6:30 am, finish at 3. So I miss most traffic both ways. However with heat comes backed up traffic for some reason.
My gear is essentially fishnets with padding, so that helps, but 105° engine temps do not.
 
I commute from East Burlington (Appleby) to Dixie and Eglinton. I have only had the ZX6r for under a year now and it totally sucks for commuting....but I love it too much and can't afford 2 bikes :(
Full leathers only on weekend/evening rides (usually just the leather jacket lately) and a textile jacket paired with resurgence jeans for commuting and riding around town. My friend just gave me an Icon ARC mesh jacket that he hasn't worn in years cause hes fat now and it doesn't fit. It breathes some serious air (much better than my textile jacket) so maybe that will help :) Gunna headover to Sport chek tonight and get a heat gear compression long sleeve. I have 2 pairs of the heat gear pants and they work wonders under both leather pants and kevlar pants.
Thank you guys for retracting the wimp out of me....I will commute tomorrow! waiting on some anti rattle clips for my calipers, but I can ride fine without em...just a bit chattery at low speeds.
 
I commute 35km to work and back on 401 during rush hour with average speed of approx. 15 km/h. My mesh jacket is pink but when temperature hits above 28 deg. C I prefer sitting in a car with AC on...I saw some dudes riding on 401 in hot days with just T shirt and shorts and they swirled around cars. I just can't do that :(
 
For the moisture wicking shirt, get a long sleeve that fits tight on your body, so sweat actually gets wicked away from the skin. I'm a medium buy usually get size small for those. They're stretch enough and think of them as undershirts.

Actually saw one at Walmart for 15 bucks, but I have many so didn't pick up.
 
80km one way? My commute is 30km each way. I wear a black alpinestars viper air jacket. It's got mesh panelling on the front and back, and textile on areas that require protection, plus huge vents on the arms. So as long as I'm moving I don't feel the heat. But coming to a stop and sitting in traffic in 40+ feels-like weather is horrendous.

Last week I showered 2-3 times a day, on days that I rode (pretty much everyday).
 
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Stopped commuting to work unless the weather conditions are ideal.

Call it Fair-weather commuter. Between 13-30 degrees Celsius and dry, I'd do it. Otherwise, I just ride on the weekend.

Gardiner -> DVP -> 404 in rush hr is terrible in 30+ degree weather. 38kms door to door in 1h15-1h45m = at best an average speed of 40km/h and we all know most of the commute would be below that.

But hey, if filtering is allowed on Adelaide St, that may change. It would save me about 10-15mins.
 
I have several jackets and pant combos to choose from based on the type of weather we are having. I usually go with combo mesh gear with D3O, and underneath I would usually have those tight fitting compression gear to keep me cool in motion. It usually takes me 1 or 2 trips in super hot weather before I become acclimatized to the heat. As someone mentioned, we have so much cold weather here I try not to complain too much about the heat. The cold will come and push all this away soon enough.

+1 on the multiple showers.. lol
 
I commute along the lake for half my commute to work. So yes it still gets hot but it's more manageable.

Had a mesh jacket 2 seasons ago, it was DE-LIGHT-FUL. I also sweat very easily so mesh was a blessing as it would cool me down real quick...and sometimes even dry me up lol...

Now i'm back to all black gear (that's what i could find on sale...and mesh jacket zipper broke and could only get an instore rebate of that discontinued jacket :( ) so i can ride in much colder temps due to it being a 3-season jacket, but the hot days are pretty awful.

I've even started to pack my backpack under my cargo net because if i wear it, i'll end up with work clothes full of back sweat 100% of the time.

So if you can, get mesh and lighter colors for your gear.
 
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I will admit that I've been shedding gear this summer on a lot of rides. My argument for such is that I can't tolerate the heat and I'm more willing to accept the risk of riding in less gear than I am willing to accept the risk possibly passing out behind the handlebars because of heatstroke or something.

The other issue is that riding in 30c+ (especially with the 40c+ humidexes we've been having recently) I start sweating like a hooker in church in short order, enough that I would arrive at point B totally soaked through whatever is under my jacket. I'm not a pleasant person to be around in such conditions.

A few days I've just sat out riding, honestly. Got back from a few days in Niagara/Dover on Saturday, bike never moved Sunday whatsoever as it was just blargghhh outside.
 
To everyone here that commutes 80km+ round trip in rush hour, have you been commuting on 2 wheels in the heat? Unfortunately my gear is all black, and my zx6r is black also which makes me feel like I'm in death valley.
I haven't brought it into work the last week or so. Call me a wimp, but I'd totally rather sit in a cage with AC for 1 hr in the 35+ heat.
Also, there hasn't seemed to be as many bikes as usual on the 403 in rush hour, so I can't be alone one this one!
In the heat I commute - 110km round trip - from Miserysauga to Scarberia.
My bike is a V-Strom and it's orange which I find quite refreshing on hot days.
My gear is black too - Olympia Airglide mesh pants and jacket. Low in the protection, but high on the air flow.
Under the gear I wear a dress shirt and shorts - no moisture wicking stuff.
Now that I have a car, I take that only on days it's going to rain hard or I have other things to do.
 
just this year, and it may be partly because I've changed bikes and slowed down a LOT
I've been riding sans jacket quite a bit, stupid I know, but it's just been too damn hot
 
If my commute was just going to be rush hour traffic I would not take the bike. There is no enjoyment for me to be walking in rush hour traffic on a bike. My gear holds up well in hot temperatures as long as I am moving, standing well I would want to make sure I have plenty of water. Klim Badlands goretex jacket. On trips I usually insert a bladder into the jacket and keep ice and water in it to drink as I move.
 
9 months of winter is coming soon.

You'll be yearning for these humid days in February.
 
9 months of winter is coming soon.

You'll be yearning for these humid days in February.

I year for weather like today in February. The 35c with humidity thick enough to cut with a knife, not so much.
 

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