The best time to ride a motorcycle in Indiana

Indiana is about 270 miles from the Ohio River to Lake Michigan, and the season runs on a slight slope. The southern hills around Bloomington, Brown County and the river towns usually get rideable weather a little earlier in spring and hang on a little later in fall. Northern Indiana, especially near Lake Michigan, runs cooler and can see lake effect snow in winter.

The best riding is in the south, so the south's calendar is the one most Indiana riders plan around. Our guide to the best motorcycle roads in Indiana lists the best season for each road.

Spring in Indiana is beautiful and unpredictable. Redbuds and dogwoods light up the Brown County hills in late April, and the first warm weekends bring everyone out. They also bring severe thunderstorms and the occasional tornado warning, so check the radar before a long ride and have a plan for where you'd shelter.

Heavy spring rain can push the Ohio River and its creeks over low roads near Madison, Vevay and Tell City, and leave mud and gravel behind when the water drops. Winter potholes and loose gravel in the corners make the first few rides a time to take it easy. In late May, the Indianapolis 500 brings huge traffic to the west side of Indianapolis around Memorial Day weekend.

Indiana summers are hot and humid, with July and August the toughest. Ride in the morning, carry water, and pick the shaded forest roads of Brown County and the Hoosier National Forest for the afternoon. Pop-up thunderstorms are common on hot days, so keep rain gear handy.

Summer weekends also fill Lake Monroe, the Dunes and the Ohio River towns. If you want the roads to yourself, a weekday evening ride through the hills is hard to beat.

Fall is Indiana's best riding season. September dries out and cools down, and color in the southern hills usually peaks in mid to late October. Brown County is the star, and it knows it: IN 46 into Nashville can back up badly on peak weekends, and the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival packs the roads around Rockville in October. Ride weekdays or early mornings if you can.

Fall is also harvest season. From September into November, combines, grain trucks and tractors share the rural roads, often wide and slow, with mud tracked onto the pavement at field entrances. Pass only when you can see well ahead. Deer get more active as the season goes on, especially at dawn and dusk.

The Indiana overview covers each region in more detail.

Most Indiana riders store their bikes from December through February. Salt, ice and cold make the roads a poor bet, though a dry, mild day does come along, more often in the south. If you ride in winter, wash the salt off afterward 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.