How the Heat Wave Disrupts Summer Travel for Bikers
Blazing hot temperatures have made summer travel dangerous, especially for riding across the country on your next motorcycle road trip. While hopefully the hottest days of the heat wave are behind us, certain states are still seeing record highs that are influencing vacation plans. Cycle Trader recently held a survey asking how the heat wave has disrupted summer travel for bikers. Here’s what the motorcycle community has to say when it comes to staying safe, changing plans, and hitting the road this summer.
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One of the Worst Heat Waves On Record
In late July, 78 million Americans were placed under heat alerts throughout the nation, according to Axios. While we may have experienced the worst temperatures of the summer, certain regions of the country are still at risk of extreme heat. In fact, this year has seen 13,000 high temperature records set within the United States, and many of these occurred in the previous month alone.
The New York Times reports that July possibly had the hottest two-week temperatures ever recorded on the globe. Phoenix, Arizona broke a record with temperatures over 110 degrees Fahrenheit for several weeks, while similarly Las Vegas and El Paso broke or tied city heat records with temperatures climbing over 100 degrees for days on end. The consequences are serious and shouldn’t be overlooked. Hospital numbers and cases related to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and death went up this summer. Heat waves also present dangerous environmental conditions like drought, wildfire, and poor air quality. This is troublesome for summer travel and time spent outdoors during the warmest months of the year.
About the Survey
Addressing both the concerns over the extreme heat advisory and the chaos surrounding travel disruptions, Cycle Trader conducted its survey for its recreational vehicle space, including motorcycle riders, after experiencing record-high temperatures this summer, from July 28–August 4.
Of the 1,698 responses that indicated whether the heat wave forced changes to travel, 492 survey participants (or roughly 29%) answered yes, indicating a significant effect on their riding plans over health, safety, and comfort concerns. The survey showed 37% of respondents canceled their travel plans altogether. To better gauge how the heatwave is leaving an impact on your travel plans now, what you can do to avoid riding in extreme heat, and still make the most of your summer vacation, we’ll break down your survey responses.
How Travel Plans Are Being Affected
Originally, bikers responded they had made plans this summer to visit some of the best states for riding your motorcycle, like California and Florida. Other destinations included Texas and Arizona, but unfortunately, these regions of the country experienced the peril of dangerously high temperatures. Bikers are vulnerable to the effects of the heat wave without air conditioning, even moving at a high speed. There’s also the possibility of dehydration and heat-related illness from over-exerting yourself as you ride down the road for a long period of time.
However, some bikers didn’t give up on their summer road trips, but instead made adjustments to travel plans based around the record high temperatures. Of all the survey participants, 31% decided to change their destination to somewhere cooler in the country not exposed to dangerous heat, including locations along the water or up in the mountains. Another 13% indicated they would spend their trip somewhere primarily indoors, which can limit the amount of fun you have on your biking trip.
A summer road trip with your motorcycle should be about the adventure and freedom of getting away. Instead, many motorcyclists have had to cancel or modify their routes and destinations. While there is the added stress with health concerns during heat alerts, and the potential for environmental hazards like wildfires and poor air quality, motorcycle riders are still finding ways to keep riding and experience new destinations.
Stay Safe Riding in Extreme Heat
As a reminder, take extra precautions this summer riding in extreme heat. Stay indoors with air conditioning when there’s a heat advisory, and seek medical attention immediately if you suspect the heat is causing health issues. Here are several tips to keep in mind when you ride while it’s hot out:
- Stay hydrated and drink around 2 liters of water per day.
- Bike in the early morning and later at night when it’s cooler out.
- Wear breathable riding gear to stay cool.
- Park in the shade and take breaks while you’re riding to let yourself cool off, allowing the engine to cool down.
- Wear sun protection for your skin and polarized sunglasses.
- Consider towing your bike on a motorcycle trailer with your air-conditioned vehicle.
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The record high temperatures from this summer’s heat wave are changing how bikers travel this summer. With heat advisories and health emergencies, be safe and make a change to how you get around on your motorcycle and where you plan to go. And don’t let the scorching highs stop you from shopping for your next bike so you can ride when it’s cooler out. Find a nationwide selection of new and used motorcycles on the nation’s largest marketplace at CycleTrader.com.
Ryan Miller
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