Tips For Riding Your UTV This Summer

Taking your side by side out for a ride is a great way to spend a gorgeous summer day. Whether you’re commuting between job sites or enjoying a leisurely ride with family and friends, you can’t go wrong with a UTV ride on a beautiful day. As long as you’re properly prepared to take on the heat, you shouldn’t have any problems. It’s important to keep in mind some key factors of successful UTV riding in the summer. The heat can be your friend or your arch nemesis - it all depends on your knowledge and skill level for handling it.

At Road Track & Trail, we want to be sure all our riders have an enjoyable experience out on their UTVs during the summer.

Stay Cool and Be Safe

There are a number of ways to make sure you’re staying cool and being safe on the trails. For starters, it helps if you’re dressed for the part. It might be hot outside, but that doesn’t mean you should hop on your UTV in minimal clothing. It’s still important to wear long sleeves and pants so you’re protected from scratches and scrapes while riding. Choosing breathable fabric like cotton or linen helps combat overheating. You should also be wearing a helmet and goggles, or a face-shielding helmet. As a bonus, you can get tinted goggles and shields so you’re protected from harmful UV rays.

Another great way to avoid overheating both your UTV and your body is by sticking to shady routes. Riding out in the open with the sun beating down on you for long stretches can easily be your demise. Surprisingly enough, it’s actually several degrees cooler in the shade, so you’ll not only avoid overheating but you’ll also be less likely to suffer a sunburn. Always apply sunscreen to the back of your neck and your hands, if you’re not wearing gloves. In addition, if your helmet doesn’t shield your face completely, you’ll want to apply sunscreen there as well. If you’re dressed for the heat as we suggested, you won’t need to apply sunscreen to your entire body.

Drink Water

Keeping hydrated is essential to avoiding dehydration, heat exhaustion, and sunstroke. Remember that dehydration doesn’t just affect how you feel physically but it also slows your reaction time and impacts your focus, which makes you less capable of reacting quickly to obstacles, people, or animals in your path. Stay hydrated by bringing a few bottles of water and a sports drink with some snacks so you can replace any electrolytes you lost from sweating.

Take Breaks

Make sure that you take plenty of breaks when you’re riding your UTV in the heat. When the weather is cooler, you might not need frequent breaks but summer heat is not something to mess around with. Use your breaks to reapply sunscreen, drink water, have a snack, and cool your body off out of the sun. This is a great opportunity to regain focus before your resume riding. Find a trail with scenic views so you can enjoy those breaks.

Beware of Heat Exhaustion

You’re well on your way to taming the potential adverse effects that the summer heat can cause when you’re riding your side by side. You should still be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion so you can take corrective measures for you or your riding buddies if needed. Some common signs of heat exhaustion include cold and clammy skin, heat cramps, a weak pulse, dizziness, nausea, and weakness. Heat stroke, on the other hand, is more serious. If you or your friend stop sweating completely and seems to be disoriented or faint, you should immediately stop and get that person into the shade. You should rehydrate them and have your phone or radio available to call for help if you become stranded due to the effects.

It’s time to beat the heat. If you still need to find the perfect UTV for your summer adventures then visit us at Road Track & Trail in Big Bend, Wisconsin near Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Kenosha.