Are YOU ready?  It has been a mild winter and an early spring with some folks riding pretty much all year. However, there are many that haven’t been on a bike for several months. We can get a little rusty if we haven’t done something for a while. The first thing is to make sure that YOU are physically and mentally ready for the ride. Enrolling in a motorcycle rider course, as a beginner or an experienced rider is always a good idea. 

Is your MOTORCYCLE ready?  The next step is to make certain that your BIKE is ready. It is after all a machine, so it can get “rusty”, too. If it has just been sitting since you parked it last fall, you need to check it out. Performing routine preventative maintenance is always a good idea, but especially after “hibernation”. Some people actually send their bike to “the spa” for the winter. Meaning, that they had their local dealer winterize and store their motorcycle and then prep it for riding season. 

Don't forget that pre-ride inspection  Remember that you should perform a pre-ride inspection every time you ride. This will aid with your safety and help to avoid the inconvenience of an unplanned breakdown (are there “planned” breakdowns?). There are plenty of suggestions, tips and systems available online. 

T-CLOCS  One of the easiest ways to remind riders what to check, is the good old T-CLOCS. Simply stated, this is a mental (or written) checklist to look at T- tires and wheels, C- controls, L- lights and electrics, O- oil and fluids, C- chassis and chain and S- stands (side stand and center stand). 

Post-Winter Surface Changes  During and just after winter, there are typically debris on the road that are not usually there. Things like residual sand and salt, as well as a large number of potholes and surface defects can present seasonal hazards. Be very aware of conditions and respond accordingly. 

Ride Defensively!  Perhaps most important, is that other roadway users aren’t accustomed to seeing motorcycles during the winter months. This carries over into spring, or whenever it is that motorcycles start to appear in greater numbers. Motorcyclists should always ride defensively, but even more so when drivers aren’t expecting us. 

We are hopeful that these early crashes are not indicative of what to expect for the rest of 2024. ABATE of Indiana encourages everyone to be aware of motorcycles and to share the road.