The majority of what makes us human is water. It provides us with life. The only reason we lose it continuously is so our systems can eliminate all the unnecessary waste while preventing overheating (via perspiration and urination). Extended bouts of dehydration can have a variety of physical consequences. However, since we ride bikes, the short-term impacts on the brain are likely more significant than the long-term physical ones.
Hydration Improves Your Performance.
The basic truth is that being hydrated improves blo-od flow. Water also enables your body to eliminate the garbage we previously discussed.
However blo-od also has a variety of goods that are necessary for your physiological systems to work properly. Thus, maintaining proper hydration allows rich, oxygenated blo-od to flow throughout your body and support all of your systems, including your brain, at their best. In addition, drinking water helps us stay focused and lessens the symptoms of weariness.
Common Signs Of Dehydration
In addition to the exhaustion and lack of focus indicated before, you may also experience any combination of the following:
- A headache
- Slumber
- Heat illness
- Feeling lost
- cramping in the muscles
- Feeling queasy
And what’s the worst aspect? It’s already too late if you’re exhibiting these symptoms.
What About Riding a Motorcycle While Dehydrated?
Now, let’s take a brief look at some of the consequences of dehydration in relation to motorcycling:
- a decrease in the capacity to look for dangers while driving Impaired judgment
- a decrease in fine motor control, or control loss
- a compromised equilibrium
- tingling in the hands or feet
- severe spasms in the muscles
- Absences from the capacity to focus
- Feeling lightheaded
- Observing but failing to perceive
Keeping Yourself Hydrated While Touring
Now that we’ve cleared everything up, what practical steps can we take to stay hydrated during motorcycle touring? Where can we get water when riding a motorcycle? As previously said, being hydrated involves more than merely downing several liters of water after a ride.
In a perfect world, you would never experience bloating or thirst. You can drip-feed water to your body all day long with little, regular efforts. Furthermore, they’re not too difficult to keep up with because they truly are little efforts!
1. Prioritize Hydration While Riding a Motorcycle
I take a big sip of water as soon as I wake up. To be honest there’s no excuse not to. Your body has been working hard in the background to maintain you in peak condition over the last eight hours of sleep.
It’s going to be parched. However the majority of people go to the kitchen to brew coffee. Now that you know where the kettle usually is next to the sink fill a glass with tap water and take a drink while you wait for the kettle to boil. It will certainly be difficult if you are inexperienced with anything. But if you stick with it, it will come naturally to you in a few days.
2. Examine the color of your urine
The color of your urine is one of the few visible indicators of your level of hydration without a doubt. You are more dehydrated if the color of your urine is darker. Having said that, the notion that your feces should be transparent is false.
If you go to the bathroom and your pee looks as pure as it has been filtered over thousands of years through a glacier canyon you are definitely drinking a little too much. The optimal color for your urine is straw. This indicates that you are well hydrated and that your body has enough water to do its duties.
3. Take Breaks to Maximize Hydration While Riding a Motorcycle
You most likely already know that I’m a little bit of a lazy traveler if you’ve been following my articles for some time! The days of cycling 400 miles a day are over just because I made a mistake in my plan. I love breaks almost as much as I love biking these days. And the best time to replenish your water intake is during breaks.
When I’m touring, I have a rule that states that I have a tiny bottle of water every time I stop for coffee. That’s the main point! When motorcycle riding, it’s this regular replenishment of fluids that maintains hydration levels stable. I also avoid sitting in the sun. Avoiding needless perspiration and water loss is achieved by sitting in the shade.
4. Fill a bottle with water before leaving.
I would have drunk my pint of water when I woke up in the morning before heading out of the hotel. However, right before, I used the tap to fill a couple little bottles with water. Everybody has a spot (tank bag, top box, pannier, cargo net, etc.) where they can keep a water bottle. So that you may drink during the day, fill it up and store it. This may also be used as “emergency water” in case you develop a puncture and are stranded in the middle of nowhere.
5. Change Out the Fluids After Returning
I have a glass of water as soon as I get back from my bike just as I do when I get up in the morning. I probably am not dehydrated because I would have been drinking water throughout the day. However due to heat and perspiration, you would have lost a lot of fluids if you had been on a summer trip. It’s better, in my opinion, to restore some of those fluids as soon as I return.
6. Water During Meals
As previously noted, I always have some water when I stop for coffee. However, I also discovered that drinking water throughout meals is another effective strategy for staying hydrated when motorcycling.
Obviously, consume your orange juice and coffee for breakfast. But sip a glass of water to complete. At midday, sip on your diet Coke along with a glass of water. In the evening, sip on a glass of wine or beer after dinner. However, make sure there’s a pitcher of water on the table so you may keep drinking during the meal.
7. Invest in a hydration system for touring motorcycles
When I am jogging in the fells or climbing up mountains, I always utilize hydration systems. But when I ride a motorcycle, I also wear a hydration bag. Though they differ greatly in size and form, they all fundamentally perform the same function.
While drinking water on the go is preferable than none at all, motorcycle touring hydration systems let you take many breaks throughout the day. Instead of storing the water in your bladder to be emptied at the next rest area, this allows your body time to determine what to do with it. Typically, hydration systems take the shape of a backpack. They are available in a range of capacities (often up to around 3L), and they include a tube that connects your mouth to the water bladder in your backpack.
About every 10 minutes, take a few drinks from the tube and put it in your mouth. If you wear a full-face helmet, you might require an angled tube. However, any tube will work if yours has a flip-front or an open face cover. You may also get a motorbike hydration tank bag if you don’t like the notion of carrying water on your back.
Before adding water to the bladder, try to fill it with ice. This will keep your water colder for a longer period of time in addition to giving you some relief from heat. Don’t be fussy either! I am aware that tepid water isn’t the most delicious beverage. But it’s difficult! Warm water is equally as hydrating as cold water, despite the flavor being different.
8. Restock on Electrolytes
We lose more than just water when we perspire. Thus, we need to replace more than simply water. The majority of sports drinks are effective in resupplying electrolytes. Additionally, you may purchase little sachets to add to your water bottle. In any case, choose one that has no added sugar and minimal to no caffeine.
9. Using Alcohol Moderately
I would never consider advising someone against drinking while traveling! Many individuals find that enjoying a beer in the evening or a glass of wine with their meal contributes to the enjoyment of traveling. And it would be the norm to do so in many nations! Is it possible to visit a Portuguese vineyard and not order a glass of wine? You would be pursued into Spain!
Having said that, don’t go crazy. As a diuretic, alcohol might have a negative impact on you the following day. It will, at the absolute least, leave you feeling miserable and listless. Once the bikes are raced for the night, the bar can seem like a great idea, but those additional beers might seriously spoil your plans for the next day. Avoid taking a chance. When it comes to drinking, water, and motorcycle travel, err on the side of caution.
10. Select Appropriate Riding Equipment
It’s simple to narrow the discussion of motorcycle touring and hydration to the benefits of adding water to the body. However, losing water is a major factor in hydration, not only replenishing it.
Choosing vented clothing can help you stay cool while riding. You won’t perspire as much if you’re chilly. Additionally, if you’re not sweating as much, your body is retaining and distributing more water to the organs than it needs. Steer clear of leathers at all cost. To some extent, leathers can produce their own small microclimate that deprives your body of the moisture it requires.
