Speed the Wheel: The Rites of Summer

Nothing excites the senses quite like the arrival of summer. Spring has thawed us and stripped us of our winter clothes and once again enticed our youthfulness with promises of long days and warm nights. I believe this is true for even the least romantic or sentimental people. During our times of rigid school bell-structured regimes, we learned to anticipate the arrival of summer, which signaled an escape from the confines of the classroom and delivered us to the joys of the outdoors, where we were seemingly in perpetual, urgent movement. This time of year—with those jubilant associations to the kinetic energy of our youth—tends to foster memories of freedom. As a result, it’s hard for motorcyclists not to fall prey to the season with the pursuit of motion.

Summer is a time for motorcycles, regardless of where you live. Whether you are in the frigid north or the Sun Belt states, summer has a way of rejuvenating the soul. Machines, like our attitudes, are released from their winter habitats. We check the tires, replenish the fluids, and bring engines back to life from hibernation. The sun and warmth stir the imagination. Routes are charted and roads are departed upon.