The best time to ride a motorcycle in Illinois

From Galena to Cairo, Illinois spans nearly 400 miles, and the season stretches with it. The far south sits farther south than Louisville and gets spring weeks before Chicago. Up north, Lake Michigan keeps the shore cool into early summer and adds wind off the water in spring and fall.

That gives Illinois riders a useful trick: when Chicago is still cold in March or turning cold in November, the Shawnee Hills often have rideable days. The best motorcycle roads in Illinois guide lists the best season for each road.

Spring is when Illinois is greenest, and when it's least predictable. Severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings come with warm fronts across the central prairie, so check the radar before a long ride and know where you'd stop for shelter.

Rain and snowmelt also raise the Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio rivers. IL 100, IL 3 and the low roads along the Ohio can close for flooding, and when the water drops it leaves mud and debris behind. Up north, potholes and cold wind off Lake Michigan make April rides around Chicago feel like March. In the Shawnee, the gravel LaRue Road, known as Snake Road, closes to vehicles for weeks each spring and fall so snakes and amphibians can migrate.

July and August are hot and humid across the state, more so in the south. Ride early, carry water, and save the afternoons for shade. Lake Shore Drive and Sheridan Road are best at sunrise, before traffic and heat build, and the river roads are pleasant in the evening.

Summer storms pop up on hot afternoons, and Chicago's expressways are heavy all season. Weekday evenings are the best time to have Galena's hills or the Shawnee's back roads to yourself.

September and October are prime in every part of Illinois. The humidity breaks, the bluffs along IL 100 and IL 84 turn color, and the Shawnee Hills usually peak in October. Galena and Grafton get busy on color weekends, so go early.

Fall is also harvest. From September into November, combines and grain trucks share the rural roads, often wide and slow, and they track mud onto the pavement at field entrances. Pass only when you can see well ahead. Deer move more in fall too, especially at dawn and dusk.

The Illinois overview covers each region in more detail.

Northern Illinois riders mostly store their bikes from December through February. Snow, salt and cold make the roads a poor bet. Southern Illinois gets more mild, dry days, and a sunny 50-degree Saturday in the Shawnee is a real thing. Wash off salt after any winter ride, and watch for ice in shaded corners and on bridges.

Storing it? Fill the tank with stabilized fuel, put the battery on a maintainer, change the oil, set tire pressure and cover the bike. In spring, check tires, brakes, fluids and lights before the first ride.