If you’re someone who has to go out on their motorcycle in the summer heat, you’d know how hot it is inside the helmet. Stopping yourself from sweating completely is nearly impossible, but you can prevent the sweat from dripping off your eyebrows and forehead into your eyes. In this blog, we’ll tell you a bunch of tips to reduce sweat under a motorcycle helmet and stay cool while riding.
Sweat is our bodies natural response in the face of excess heat. Wearing a motorcycle helmet in hot weather may result in a head soaked in sweat. Not wearing a helmet is not an option since it is the most important part of every rider’s protective gear, and compromising your safety is definitely not an option.
You do have a choice when it comes to helmets since there are different types of helmets, such as full face, modular, and open face helmets. While modular and open face helmets might keep you from sweating as much, they don’t offer the same level of protection as full-face helmets.
The Danger of Riding Dehydrated
Dehydration is the process in which our body loses more water than it takes in. Excessive sweating in hot weather might result in dehydration if you’re not drinking enough water. Dehydration can be very common while riding a motorcycle since you’re heavily sweating inside your helmet while also breathing. Both of these processes make you lose water from your body and even more if you’re a heavy sweater.
Dehydration may cause you headaches, tiredness, dizziness, and light-headedness, all of which can prove incredibly dangerous while riding a motorcycle.
The best way to avoid safety risks is to reduce the amount of sweating by keeping yourself cool and by drinking enough water. However, it is also true that if you’re going on longer rides, it might become difficult to drink enough water. Don’t worry, and try to keep yourself cool in this situation, so you don’t lose water might be the best solution to the problem.
Also Check: How To Clean and Wash Motorcycle Helmet (A Simple Guide)
10 Tips to Stay Cool While Riding A Motorcycle in Hot Weather
Keeping your body heat in check isn’t in any task, especially when you’re stuck in traffic under the sun in the summer. Fortunately, we’ve put together a few tips that might help you keep yourself cool and avoid any sweaty situations.
1- Drinking enough water
Keeping yourself hydrated is the best way to keep yourself cool. You’ll also be able to avoid dehydration and all its risks. It is also highly recommended to carry a water bottle with you, so you won’t have to look for a place with fresh water as you rest while cruising.
2- Avoiding soda, alcoholic, and caffeinated drinks
All these types of drinks might taste very refreshing when you’re tired and thirsty, but they do more bad than good for you. Drinking alcoholic, caffeinated drinks or soda can make you want to urinate, which results in your body losing even more water.
3- Be wary of heat strokes
Heat strokes and heat exhaustion can be highly dangerous for any rider. There’s a limit to how much heat a human body can take in. So, you’ll have to be wary of early symptoms of heat strokes and heat exhaustion.
These symptoms may be anything from headaches, nausea, cramps, dizziness, fatigue, and even heavy sweating. If you experience any of these symptoms during a ride, it’s your sign to take a rest and drink some liquid.
4- Wearing a balaclava
Wearing a balaclava while riding is an ideal piece of clothing for people who want to maintain hygiene while also keeping their sweat in check. A balaclava absorbs all the moisture, provides an extra layer of padding inside your helmet, and wearing it is also a great way to keep your long hair in check. It covers your head all the way to the skin around your neck.
The best thing about a balaclava is that it dries off very quickly. If you’re wearing your helmet without a balaclava under it, the chances are that your helmet will be drenched with sweat. A helmet soaked in sweat takes a long time to dry off, and it is a disgusting feeling when you put on your soaked helmet again after a short rest. On the other hand, you can also easily wash the balaclava, rinse all the water out and wear it again in a short while.
Since a balaclava covers you up to your neck, it can be worn in cold weather as well as in hot weather as it protects your neck against the cold, just like a scarf, while also keeping your head warm.
5- Sweatbands
Sweatbands are an effective way of preventing your sweaty eyebrows and forehead from dripping anything into your eyes. All you have to do is wear a sweatband under your helmets, and you’ll be free to ride without having to wipe the sweat from your eyes constantly.
6- Using a skull cap
Wearing a skull cap under your helmet can effectively prevent the inner liner of your helmet from getting wet. A thin skull cap can easily absorb all the moisture and sweat from your head underneath your helmet. It is also a great way to ensure your hair doesn’t come into your eyes. You can also wash it after using it once, and overall it is a great investment for bike riders.
7- Wearing Motorcycle Jeans
Kevlar motorcycle jeans are a great way to keep yourself cool under the summer heat. Regular jeans might keep you warm, but these Kevlar-reinforced motorcycle jeans are designed in such a way that they allow cool air to easily pass through them to keep your body heat down in the summer season.
8- Wearing a Cooling Vest
If it’s too hot outside, you should invest in an evaporative cooling vest. All you have to do is to let these vests soak cold water for about 5 minutes and then continue to wear them like you’d wear a normal vest.
A cooling vest can easily keep you cool for about 4 hours after soaking it once. It isn’t only good for bike riders but also for anyone who has to work long hours in the summer heat.
9- Wearing a bandana, headband, or headscarf
A headscarf functions similarly to a balaclava or a skull cap. It absorbs all the sweat from your head and prevents it from dripping from underneath the helmet. It also dries fairly quickly compared to how long it would take the inner linings of the helmet to dry. Another trick is to soak the headscarf in water and then wear it. The wet headscarf will keep your body temperature under control for a long while during riding.
10- Taking Rests
Taking proper rest is important in any weather condition, especially when it is scorching outside. If you continue to ride in the summer heat without taking any rest, the chances are that you’ll start getting dehydrated and feel symptoms of heatstroke and heat exhaustion.
Take a rest, drink water, take a shelter under someplace cool or maybe even take a shower, and be on your way again once you’re fully rested.
Conclusion
There are plenty of ways to keep yourself cool under the summer heat. If you follow the above tips and keep yourself hydrated, you won’t face any trouble under the sun and will be able to continue riding with maximum comfort. Also, if you love cruising, check out our guide on some of the best cruiser helmets out there.
What do I wear under my motorcycle helmet for sweating?
Headscarfs, balaclavas, and skull caps can drastically reduce the amount of sweat under the helmet. You can also soak your headscarf in water and wear it to keep your temperature under control.
How do I keep my helmet from sweating?
Wearing a well-ventilated helmet may help you reduce the sweat inside your helmet by ensuring the cool air goes inside while the warm air gets pushed out. You can also wear a balaclava or a headscarf under the helmet.
How do I stop my motorcycle from sweating?
The best way to stop yourself from sweating on your motorcycle is to keep your temperature in check. You can do so by wearing a headscarf, a balaclava under your helmet, or by wearing breathable clothes.
What do you wear under your helmet?
There are plenty of clothing accessories available that you can wear under your helmet to reduce the sweat. Balaclava, sweatband, headscarf, and skull cap are some things you can wear under your helmet.
Why does motorcycling make me so sweaty?
Motorcyclers tend to get sweaty because they’re wearing a helmet that is completely packed from all sides. All the inner padding, including all the warmth coming from the sun, along with your own breathing, make your helmet warm enough for you to sweat endlessly.