Spring Is Coming, So Get Your Motorcycle License Now

Photo: Steve DaSilva/Jalopnik

We’ve crossed the halfway mark through February, which means spring is just around the corner. With that warm weather comes bike riding season, though, and you don’t want to miss out on that this year.

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Now, before the temperatures start reliably hitting 60, is when you want to start scheduling your MSF course. Get it done early, get yourself licensed to ride, and you’ll have the whole summer to practice up on your skills — plus a secret little bonus for doing it early in spring.

See, the MSF traditionally takes place in a wide-open parking lot. This is great for new riders, since there isn’t much for them to hit if they run wild while learning clutch control. It also sucks if you’re taking the class in July or August, since you’ll have the sun beating down on you without a lick of shade while you sit astride an air-cooled engine — while you’re draped in gloves, long sleeves, and a helmet.

Taking the course in the cooler weather of early spring means you’re saved that sweaty fate. You can spend your days in a parking lot in comfort, without worrying about how much liquid you’re losing out your pores while you ride. It also means that, by the time the weather gets truly unbearable, you’ll likely have enough experience under your belt to start heading out on real roads — where the flow of air through ventilated armor can keep you nice and cool.

Sign up for your MSF now, before summer temperatures kick in and make you regret spending hours in a local community college parking lot without shade or water. Some days just shouldn’t be spent on dark tarmac.