It was a scorching hot day with a maximum temperature of 35°C and humidity of 65%. The weather was clear, making for a perfect test environment…
Every year, Motorfan BIKES conducts an experiment and test to find out if there are any items that can help you beat the heat when riding a motorcycle in the scorching heat. In 2025, we will introduce some of the items that our editorial team found comfortable and purchased with their own money (we tested six items in 2025).
This time, in the third installment, we test a “cooling poncho” that, when wetted with water and worn over the head, will keep the upper half of the body cool and comfortable. If used while riding a motorcycle, it seems likely to flap about in the wind, but what will the results be?
[Experimental Data]
Test date: Daytime in early July 2025
Location: A city in Chiba Prefecture
Weather on the day: Sunny with occasional clouds
Maximum temperature: 35°C (as announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency)
Humidity: 65% (as announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency)
Heatstroke warning alert issued
Test environment: The glare from the asphalt was intense. The measured temperature in the sun was over 45°C
Feeling temperature: The sun was strong and it was extremely humid. If you didn't take a break in the shade every now and then, you'd get heatstroke. The heat was so unbearable that it made the tester wonder, "Is this a punishment game?" There was also a warning on TV to "avoid going out during the day as much as possible."
Test vehicle: Honda Super Cub 50
Cooling poncho…1,679 yen (tax included) / Shipping: 980 yen (Tokyo)
Just wet it with water and shake it to feel cool and comfortable. It uses the same special cooling fabric as existing “cooling towels.” By using the cooling effect of evaporation, you can quickly feel the coolness by simply “wetting → wringing → shaking.”
This cooling poncho is effective against both water and sweat. As long as the fabric is moist, you can simply shake it to restore its cooling effect. It’s machine washable after use, making it extremely hygienic. The fabric blocks over 95% of UV rays and has antibacterial and deodorizing properties.
Made with special cooling fabric. The photo shows the surface.
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Back side.
One button on the chest.
Product data
| Product name | Cooling poncho |
| color | There are seven colors in total, including yellow (pictured) and blue |
| size | Free |
| Length (excluding hood) x width | 60cm x 140cm |
| Material characteristics | UV protection of over 95% and antibacterial and deodorizing |
| Purchase site | https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/yayoi1-store/hc-250410ouhl3.html |
“Cooling Poncho” comfort index
When riding a motorcycle ★☆☆☆☆
Waiting at traffic lights ★★★★☆
Air-conditioned interior ★★★★★
Convenience ★★★★★
Compatibility with motorcycles ★☆☆☆☆
The moment you put it on, you’ll feel a refreshing coolness. This poncho is not to be underestimated!
Under the scorching sun, I splashed the cooling poncho under the water faucet in the park, shook it lightly, and put it on. And guess what? I was immersed in a refreshing sensation that penetrated from my shoulders down. I was so impressed that I thought, “This poncho is not to be underestimated!”
The cooling poncho’s special cooling fabric is very thin and feels great against the skin. It’s not at all stiff, rough, or itchy. Even when it’s soaked up with water, it doesn’t feel oppressive like wearing heavy clothing like a leather jacket; it feels light and airy, just like wearing a thin jacket.
The cooling poncho also comes with a hood that covers the head, but the problem is that when I wear the hood, most of my back is exposed, as I am 173 cm tall and weigh 60 kg. Depending on your build, it is safe to say that the hood may not be usable.
The poncho is open at the front and fastens with one button, so there is a high possibility that it will come undone by the wind while riding a motorcycle.
However, if you’re just strolling, walking, or jogging lightly, the front won’t come undone and you can move around while maintaining the cooling effect. It seems like it could also be used for light work both indoors and outdoors.
A cooling poncho is likely to be useful in a variety of situations, except for intense sports or hard work. For example, when watching sports outdoors, fill a cooler with water and add ice blocks purchased from a convenience store. If the poncho starts to lose its cooling power, soak it in ice-cold water from the cooler, shake it lightly, and put it back on! I recommend doing something like that. I think this method is extremely effective for outdoor leisure activities in the middle of summer.
The cooling poncho flutters backward like a cape in the wind as you ride…
I wet the cooling poncho and wore it over my quick-drying mesh sportswear before riding my motorcycle.
Because this poncho is designed to absorb water, the clothes worn underneath will also get slightly wet. If the material is slow-drying, such as cotton, the comfort level will be significantly reduced. When using a cooling poncho, it is recommended to wear quick-drying sportswear or quick-drying underwear that will allow both sweat and the moisture from the poncho to dry easily.
When I rode wearing the cooling poncho, as expected, the single button fastening caused the front part to come undone while I was riding. I had no choice but to tie both ends of the lower front part together.
However, after just a few seconds, or even a dozen seconds, the cooling poncho will be blown around by the wind as you ride, and will flutter backwards like a cape. The only time this cooling poncho is effective while riding a motorcycle is when you are stopped at a traffic light. You adjust the cooling poncho like a cape and feel cool for a while. However, once you are back on the road, the cooling poncho will flutter again in the wind, and the moisture will gradually evaporate…
In conclusion, this cooling poncho is completely unsuitable for riding a motorcycle. However, as mentioned above, I feel that it will definitely be useful in a variety of situations other than intense sports or hard work.
*Note: The above is merely the author’s opinion. Your experience may vary depending on your personal sense, constitution, health condition, weather conditions, etc.
[Preventing heatstroke on motorcycles] Fan-equipped work clothes are a standard item at construction sites, but when used on a motorcycle…they don’t provide much cooling.A scorching summer has arrived, with temperatures described as dangerously hot and even disaster-level. Temperatures have been hitting 35°C or higher every day, with some areas even reaching 40°C recently. Japanese summers are also characterized by high humidity and muggy conditions. For riders, the heat and humidity can be like a penance or austerity, as they ride in the hot, humid conditions while wearing helmets that turn the bike into a natural sauna. This article is an annual feature exploring “are there any items that can help riders cope with the heat?” For our fifth installment of 2024, we introduce “fan-equipped workwear,” a staple at construction sites. Perhaps using fan-equipped workwear while riding a motorcycle could make the heat a little more comfortable? With relentless sunshine and a clear, sweltering 36°C (according to the Japan Meteorological Agency), we set out to test the bike outdoors in the middle of summer, shivering with anticipation. PHOTO: YAMADA Shunsuke TESTER/REPORT: KITA Hideaki *Note: All data in this article is current as of June 2024.
Does it look like a bib? Or a number plate? This vest is made of absorbent towel-like material. It was surprisingly cool! | [Scorching Heat and Motorcycles]The heatwave season, described as dangerously hot and even disaster-level, has arrived. Temperatures have been hitting 35°C or higher every day, and recently, temperatures exceeding 40°C are not uncommon in some areas. Japanese summers are also characterized by high humidity and muggy conditions. For riders, the heat and humidity can be likened to a harsh, ascetic practice, as they ride in the hot, humid conditions, wearing helmets that turn riders into natural saunas. This article is part of our annual feature, exploring “are there any items that can help riders cope with the heat?” For our third installment of 2024, we introduce a “cooling vest” that cools the upper body simply by wetting it with water. Perhaps using this cooling vest while riding a motorcycle can make even the hottest days a little more comfortable? With great expectations, we set out to test the product on a relentlessly blazing sun in early July, with a clear sky and an outside temperature of 36°C (according to the Japan Meteorological Agency), shivering profusely outdoors in the middle of summer. PHOTO: YAMADA Shunsuke TESTER/REPORT: KITA Hideaki *Note: All data in this article is current as of July 2024.
A midsummer savior that cools riders’ bodies. “RS Taichi Liquid Wind” | Cools the surface temperature of undershirts by -5.2℃RS Taichi’s “LIQUIDWIND” delivers a specially designed cooling liquid from a spray bottle attached to the waist to various parts of a special undershirt. It is an innovative system that cools the chest and back intensively as the cooling liquid catches the wind while riding. The special cooling liquid, “LIQUIDWIND WATER,” was jointly developed by RS Taichi and Mandom, a manufacturer of men’s cosmetics. Also exhibited at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show 2022, this popular item that makes riding in the middle of summer more comfortable is worth checking out. PHOTO/REPORT●KITA Hideaki RS Taichi https://www.rs-taichi.com/
