UTV Riding In The Summer
No matter what season it is or what the weather brings, a UTV is always a useful vehicle to have. Since it’s capable of tackling all manner of terrain, you can ride it through mud, through fallen leaves, in the rain and on the hottest days. However, if you’re riding your utility vehicle during the summer, you will want to take some precautions against the heat to keep yourself safe and healthy on and off the trail.
As your local UTV dealer, Brinson Powersports of Athens knows plenty about safe UTV riding practices, and here in Texas, we have to be particularly careful during our sweltering summers when we’re out all afternoon in the heat.
That’s why we’ve created this guide to UTV riding in the summer to help you learn what to do and what not to do during the warm months of the year.
Dress Appropriately
Despite the fact it’s probably 90°F or more outside, you shouldn’t board your UTV in shorts, flip-flops and a T-shirt if you want to ride wisely. Wearing clothes that don’t cover your extremities while off-roading is a fool’s errand, because you’ll soon find that, not only are you more likely to get badly sunburnt, you’ll be covered in dust, scratches and scrapes from the trail. Obviously, you should wear sunscreen on any exposed skin and re-apply it often as you sweat it off, but you should also wear breathable clothes that cover as much of your body as possible. Long pants and long sleeves, boots that protect your ankles and gloves are recommended. You should also have a helmet on; while a motorcycle helmet will work, it can make you sweat buckets and feel heavy on a hot day at low speeds, so go with a motocross helmet and pair of goggles for eye protection instead.
Ride In The Shade
Avoiding direct sunlight as much as you can will also go a long way towards preventing heat exhaustion. Try to shift your UTV route into shady areas where you can. Riding early in the morning or later in the day outside of the mid-afternoon when the sun is at its zenith is a good idea since temperatures are likely to be lower at these times and the sun won’t feel as hot. Again, sunscreen should be applied often on any exposed body parts like the back of your neck, your face and your wrists.
Drink Plenty Of Water
Staying hydrated is another key step for safe UTV riding in hot weather. If you allow yourself to become dehydrated, you risk losing your focus and your reaction times will slow, increasing the chance you’ll hit something or overturn your utility vehicle. You can make yourself very sick quickly if you don’t regularly drink water to replenish what you’ve lost through sweat, and try to have some sports drinks or light snacks to help replace the electrolytes you’re also losing.
Take Frequent Breaks
Finally, you should rest as often as you can, stopping your UTV in a shady place by a creek or going indoors for a bit to cool down. Giving your eyes, brain and muscles a chance to rest and recuperate will improve your focus when you get back in your UTV. Find a trail that offers you scenic views and places to rest along the way, where you can drink water, stretch, have a snack or meal, walk around and generally cool off. Don’t push yourself past your body’s limits and you’ll be able to ride without suffering ill effects.
If you’re in the market for a great utility vehicle, come down to our Athens showroom to see the new and used UTVs we carry. Our sales staff can answer any questions you have and help you to find the perfect UTV for your next off-roading adventure. Brinson Powersports of Athens serves the nearby cities of Tyler and Jacksonville, Texas.