Spring Riding

Wow, the Winter weather in Alberta has been very mild for the most part, warm enough to tempt many motorcyclists out on the roads with the Spring like conditions but also putting riders in some dangerous situations associated with the start of riding season.

Mild Winter weather or the arrival of Spring gets motorcyclists out on the road but there are specific hazards to contend with, so plenty to keep in mind when rolling out on your two wheeled ride for the first time in a long time. 

Our roads have suffered all the usual effects of the cold and snow, meaning frost heaves and erosion caused by the scraping, salting and melting process. Throw in a large amount of gravel laying around, plus the fact that temperatures do still dip at night to refreeze any melted snow, and you can see that this makes for some dicey riding.

6 Tips To Help You Tune Up Your "Rider Radar" 

1. Be extra cautious around gravel, still prevalent on many sections of road and most often at intersections. Typically, straight ways tend to clear of gravel first but the grit ends up accumulating on corners where it's most dangerous.


2. Beware of potholes, cracks, and other damage, especially on main roads with higher volumes of traffic.


3. Light rain and snow flurries aren't enough to wash the grit and oil residue off the roads, making for slicker than normal conditions if it is wet outside


4. Roads will often still freeze up at night, and ice patches can show up in unexpected places. Often, that process is ideal for creating black ice, which is all the harder to recognise. 


5. And, just like in Spring, your bike needs to be safety checked for all the usual items, like tire pressure, brakes and signal lights.


6. Remember, not just your bike needs a tune up after sitting idle for a few months. The rider needs to get his head into the right space and get used to riding again, with special attention to adjustments required to compensate for the aforementioned road conditions. 

Use your 'Rider Radar" to see things like this well in advance.

Don't forget that not only are you, the rider, unused to being on a motorcycle but that there are also a whole bunch of drivers out there who have forgotten that they also share the road with people on two wheels, making it absolutely necessary to use your defensive riding/driving skills to protect yourself against their lack of attention.