I found myself enjoying lunch at the race track as my sweat-soaked suit hangs in the summer heat, I began to think what do motorcycle riders do to help keep their suits dry in between sessions?
One of the things riders don’t look forward to is putting back on their sweat-filled racing suits. This got me thinking and after some research, I found an inexpensive hanger fan that helps keep my suit dry between sessions. Let’s explore what has worked for me and how this can also help extend the life of your purchase.
How much sweat can a human lose in a track session?
I’ve read that humans can sweat as much as half to a full gallon of water per hour. Of course, some of us sweat more or less than others and a lot has to do with the weather and the activity we’re doing.
Riding a motorcycle with an engine between our legs, on a black tarmac race track, whether, and wearing a full leather suit, helmet, and gloves in the dead of summer can produce some perspiration.
That’s a lot of water collected in our gear, and more the reason to also deploy some countermeasures to reduce it.
Can sweat damage my leathers?
Racing suits are typically made from cow or kangaroo hides (skin), so similar to our skin they have pores and can absorb sweat and will need to breathe. Think of the last time your leather belt or watch band got wet.
Sweat is just not water, it also contains a few other chemicals and oils that over time could discolor, and weaken the fibers within the leather, degrading the performance of the protective gear in the long run.
Given riding gear is typically not cheap, this should be enough motivation to give our suits the best chance of being dry.
How to keep your suit dry between riding sessions
Airflow is your friend, even on the most humid days at the track.
After taking off your suit, even though you’re exhausted take that extra minute to unzip the center, arm, and leg zippers to give the air the best chance to make its way into your suit. Avoid throwing it down on the tarmac, hang it over a chair or toss it in the back of the truck.
Hanging up the suit is the best bet. If you’re able to pick up a hanger with a fan in it you’re a step ahead of the game. I’ve seen hanger fans selling for $200+ on motorcycle-focused gear sites. While I can agree with the importance of a dry suit, I was looking for a budget-friendly option.
I ended up purchasing and still use today the Underwater Kinetics HangAir Hanger. This is primarily purposed to try wetsuits, and rain gear but I’ve found works perfectly for racing leathers.
Keep in mind it does require a power source to run. It will easily plug into a track-side generator you have going or a power station if offered at the track you’re riding at.
What I love about this thing is the wide supports on either side, opening up the inside of your suit encouraging more airflow, while not encouraging any creasing in the leather.
I prefer to zip up the arms, legs, and chest zipper to ensure air is entering the suit from the top, pushing through the main cavity of the suit with its only exits being the arms or legs. I always get satisfaction when it’s turned on, putting my hand by the feet or arm open and feeling air escaping.
How to keep your helmet dry
At the race track, I’m a huge fan of reducing fatigue and increasing comfort. For me, this helps keep me focused on the drills and activities I’m working on out on track. Not worrying about the sweat running down my forehead or the discomfort of putting on a sweaty brain bucket.
I have a couple of these fans lying around the house and I make sure to always bring one to the track. These small fans work great when pointed 90 degrees in the air to support a helmet on top of them.
I keep the helmet fan plugged in and on during the entire day at the track. When I return from a session my helmet comes off and immediately goes on top of the fan at a 90-degree angle. I make sure I open up the vizor to ensure maximum airflow.
Pro Tip: This also serves as a power outage visual alert for my tire warmers. If the fan isn’t spinning that may also mean my tire warmers are not working.
You can keep this fan on the table right in your paddock, or if you’re worried about your helmet falling over in the wind or getting bumped I’ve put the fan on the ground to reduce the helmet falling a great distance if that were to happen.
🏍️ New to the track? Check out my beginner motorcycle track guide now available.
