Rider Fatigue
Rider Fatigue can be reduced by considering many factors, including correctly fitted motorcycle jacket and Kevlar jeans or Cordura pants. Combined with appropriate gloves considering the weather. Good quality comfortable and offering good protection. But you need to look after your health to keep alert when you are riding long distance. Don’t start your day with a hangover & consider nutrition to enjoy covering long distances.
ALCOHOL
Alcohol and riding don’t mix and should be avoided for several days prior to a ride. The toxic products of alcohol metabolism adversely affect brain activity long after the noticeable effects have disappeared. Alcohol also interferes with the body’s ability to properly process other nutrient sources.
Alcohol and caffeine are also diuretics – they cause increased urination. This has two negative effects for riders. Most important, it causes dehydration which can adversely affect performance and increase susceptibility to fatigue. Also, increased urination means more frequent unscheduled stops.
COUNTERMEASURES
• Unfamiliar roads
• Monotonous scenery
• Extended night riding
• Increased threats – wildlife and traffic
• Riding conditions beyond the rider’s ability
• Complex tasks required while riding
• Distractions – mechanical or family problems
A windshield sufficient to significantly reduce wind pressure and deflect rain will considerably increase fatigue tolerance. Fatigue ensues much more rapidly when a rider is continually bracing against wind pressure, using torso and leg muscles to remain
upright and arm muscles to grip the handlebars. Rain adds another significant level of stress that a good laminar
flow windshield will alleviate. Laminar flow windshields direct air up and over the rider and are designed to minimize a motorcycle’s aerodynamic drag.
Although many of these factors cannot be totally avoided, their impact can be somewhat controlled. Severe time constraints can be minimized by properly planning one’s route. Don’t bite off more route than you and your bike can swallow.
Eliminate those things which increase the ‘work’ of riding or contribute to developing fatigue. Your motorcycle and all its equipment should be second nature to you – as familiar in the dark and rain as in your garage.
HEARING PROTECTION
The din of road noise can induce fatigue. Hearing protection significantly decreases this stress. Although not intuitive, most disposable hearing protection cuts out the background noise of the road while allowing conversation and other meaningful sounds to be heard more clearly. They will also decrease the long term hearing loss associated with exposure to constant environmental noise.
The ride. There are many aspects of the actual ride which can affect the accumulation of fatigue debt. The more challenging the ride, the more fatiguing it will be. Some riding factors which most quickly produce fatigue are:
• Severe time constraints
• Bad weather
• Excessive heat or cold
Nutrition and hydration.
Maintaining proper hydration is essential in staving off the effects of fatigue. Dehydration can be deadly when combined with the summer heat and insensitive (non-sweating) water loss which occurs while riding. Dehydration significantly decreases mental and physical functioning and can accelerate fatigue and dramatically magnify its effects.
Symptoms of dehydration include headache, nausea, dry lips and mouth, muscle weakness, and decreased concentration. Many of the symptoms of dehydration are the same as those of fatigue.
Solution: Stay ahead of hydration needs. Drink beverages which will add to body water reserves. Plain or flavored water drinks as well as ‘electrolyte’ drinks (such as Gatorade®) will suffice. Don’t get behind. If you have a headache, you’re already behind and will need to drink at least a quart (liter) immediately. Many riders carry a convenient water delivery system which includes a hose from which the rider can drink while riding.
You cannot overcome fatigue! You must learn to recognize it and take effective action – REST!
No ride is worth your life!
Caffeine. Caffeine can be helpful in improving wakefulness.
However, people who drink caffeine regularly are less sensitive to its effects. To gain maximal effect from caffeine, a rider should stop ingesting caffeine for several days prior to the time when it’s to be ‘needed.’
Caffeine use can be strategically timed for maximum benefit. Caffeine is most effective in improving mental awareness in the 100-200 mg (4-8 ounces of coffee) range. It takes approximately 30 minutes to have a peak effect and the effects last 3-4 hours (although significant amounts of caffeine remain in the blood for many more hours).
Avoid caffeine within 8 hours of sleep since it will make falling asleep more difficult, shorten the duration of sleep, and disrupt restful sleep.
Drugs. Although the military has experimented with a variety of stimulant drugs, none has reduced the body’s fatigue debt or its need for rest. They may improve performance and wakefulness for very short periods but do not enhance long-term (days) performance and can significantly decrease performance after the first dose has worn off. There is no place in any sport for stimulant drugs, period.
Borrowed from Zen Motorcycle gear to benefit all motorcyclists for safety of all motorcyclists – Motorcycle apparel, Mobil 1 oil, gloves, jackets, pants & rossi boots.
