Ready? Set. Go! - Some tips for getting back on the road

For those of us who put the bike away in the Winter, the first signs of Spring are a welcome sight. We spend our nights dreaming of being back out on the road. Plans are eagerly made for the big trips and gear is purchased in anticipation of this day.

But that first time out on the road? Most of us aren't ready for it, and what makes it even worse is that we don't realize this.

Riding a motorcycle is a skill. As with most skills, if you aren't practicing it, you're forgetting it. As such, when you jump back on that bike at the start of the new season you're not as good a rider as you were when you put it away last year.

To get past this, I tend to treat my first few rides out as "lessons". Here's what I do

1. Keep the first few rides short

Riding can be mentally fatiguing, especially if you're out of practice. For my initial three or four rides, I'll keep them to maybe an hour tops.

2. Practice for emergencies

Few riders react well in an emergency. For the most part, this is because they so rarely happen in every-day riding.

Practice is key here. Find a parking lot or a very quiet stretch of road and practice emergency manouevres, such as braking and swerving. Not only will this keep you warm by raising your heart rate, but it will also build muscle memory you can rely on.

3. Control is everything

When you talk to people about riding, most cite the love of speed. While I enjoy twisting the wrist as much as the next rider, I also love being able to control the bike, too. On my parking lot, I'll start by riding as slowly as possible without putting my feet down, getting used to the bite point of the clutch and using the rear brake. I'll also work on figure-eights and looking through the turn, as we as turning inside two car bays. It's as close to trials riding as most of us will ever get.

4. Watch the speed

It's an oft-stated fact that speed kills. I personally don't believe that as long as you're comfortable handling the bike at speed. Starting out the year, I'm not.

I alleviate this by finding some familiar roads and take it more slowly than normal, building up as I get comfortable.

5. Be mindful of your environment

This one should go without saying, as you really need to do this every time you ride. However, visualization is the skill most readily forgotten and the one that separates the good riders from the rest of us.

Road conditions this time of year can be especially treacherous - black ice may still be around, not to mention pot holes, sand, standing meltwater and buckled tarmac. Oh and watch for car drivers, too. Most of them don't see us at the best of times. After a winter without us, they see us even less in the Spring.

I'm not saying any of this will make you a better rider, but I've found thinking about it and planning for it has made me a better rider.

I'd love to know what you guys do to get ready.