Good news Iowa Bikers and avid TRMI readers, the first day of spring is officially less than 30 days away. Spring will be making its way into this great state on March 20th. If we get lucky there will be a

#5. Riding will save you money. Fuel prices in Iowa are cheaper now than when you topped off the tank for the winter. The sooner you burn up that expensive

few “good enough for riding” days between now and then. In case we don’t get lucky, consider this your notice that spring is coming. Its time to get the modifications finished, polish the leather, get your battery charged, inflate the tires and check the fluids. The count down is on! Ignore this warning, if you enjoy being called a dumbass when July rolls in and you are still not ready. For those of you who are slow on the throttle and need a little extra motivation to get it in gear, I have developed a list of top 10 reasons to be ready to ride when spring finally arrives. #1. Riding can change your life. After so many months of celibacy it is time for a stylish new lifestyle change. If sun bleached, wind blown hair isn’t enough of a lifestyle change, ask your buddies to surprise you with a new tattoo before passing out at the next party. #2. Riding will make you more socially appropriate. It is believed that swinging your leg over the bike and hugging the tank with your knees will work some muscles that improve bladder control and your sex life. Now that alone should be enough reason to ride but it is also a lot more appropriate to brag about than Kegel exercises. #3. Riding just makes sense. Soon bikers will welcome back the sight of green pastures, the smell of blooming trees, the sound of birds singing, the taste of all those places we love to eat, and once again we will be in touch with our machines. There is nothing else in Iowa as sensual as a scooter ride in the spring, except maybe sex but that doesn’t last all day long. #4. Riding will finally get the garage cleaned out. If you have spent the off season making modifications to the bike then it’s time to hit the road to share your hard work, creativity, and vision with the rest of the riding community. Unless of course all these modifications were done to make the garage look better.

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winter fuel, the sooner you can start keeping more of your hard earned money in your pockets at the pump. The more you ride, the more you save. Just be prepared to explain to your buddies how riding has given you a bulge in your britches. #6. Riding will improve your skin. The long winter has really dried out the skin. It is common to have cracks in your skin deeper than the Grand Canyon this time of the year. Getting out and doing some riding will rehydrate you, if a good long ride in the rain doesn’t do it, try more frequent beverage stops. #7. Riding will increase your vocabulary. There are many blind, stupid cage drivers out there. They confirmed their IQ’s again this winter by causing multiple car pile ups and impulsively parking in ditches along the roadways. Be smart, stay alert and be prepared for those unexpected incidents of verbally abusing the dumbasses. #8. Riding will improve your looks. It’s time to get out there, soak up some sun and revive the tan, last years tee shirt tan is long gone. If you don’t care about your tan at least make sure that the bike looks good. #9. Riding will make you friendlier. The more riders you meet on the Iowa roadways the friendlier you will become. Honestly, how many people have you waved at since you parked the scooter? I can count my waving history with 1 finger and it wasn’t intended to be friendly. #10. Riding will take you places. There are plenty of events outlined in the TRMI event list, get out and enjoy some of them, hit up the sponsors , reconnect with old friends, ride for a cause, meet new people, be safe and have a good time. Spring is finally here, what better reason to ride. Shifty LaRue

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