RIDING SEASON - what does that mean? Well realistically it’s an ever changing date, christened by the first hot weekend of the year (especially a Sunday) where motorcyclists around the country will be wheeling out their bikes to enjoy their first ride for quite some time.
Plus, with the clocks going forward next week and British Summer Time officially beginning on the 28th March, it seems that the legendary ‘riding season’ is just around the corner. Really!
Yes, this is also a reminder that the clocks go forward on Sunday the 28th March at 1am.
We’ll lose an hour of sleep, but with it, we’ll gain an extra hour of sunlight in the evening! After work rides (and detours home) may soon become part of the routine again.
Of course, COVID-19 lockdown rules aside, when sunset moves forward by an hour and the sun sets later on in the evening, you’re gifted an additional hour to play outside on your favourite two-wheeled toy. That seems like a pretty good indication of riding season beginning to me.
Without a doubt you’ll have seen fellow motorcyclists poke their heads out on a Sunday blast, dusting off the leathers and squeezing in after a good winter. Particularly if there happens to be a clear day - I’d refer to this as ‘pre-season testing’ - but we all know that whilst it can be clear and even sunny, it’s often still absolutely freezing.
Another sign that riding season has arrived is the dealerships and manufacturers letting us know about their latest and greatest models, with PCP deals and finance options ready to get you on the road on a sparkly new motorcycle.
In a ‘normal world’, as of Easter we start seeing local and national events start to really pick up pace, with the calendar filling with dates for the year. If events were on the calendar at the moment, we’d have visited the London Excel Motorcycle show and the Manchester Motorcycle show by now - events that act as the first communion of the year, where riders from around the country will embark on their debut pilgrimage to see all the new metal with their own eyes.
This often follows up with rides and ride outs being planned for the spring and summer, and far flung destinations being plucked out of thin air to see if you could make it. London to Inverness? Say less!
When does UK riding season begin, then?
So with all that in mind, I’d pin the proverbial tail on the proverbial donkey and say that riding season starts at the tail end of March.
The weather is starting to get a bit warmer, days are getting longer and the motorcycling industry is starting to get in to full swing - would you agree that the clocks going forward (and British Summer Time commencing) indicates riding season is finally here?
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