Harley Davidson Sportster

Most of us recognize the importance of at least a perfunctory visual check of our machines before we set out for a scoot, but what many riders forget is that it's just as important to check your body position, too. Out on a one-lane country road 30 minutes into your ride is not the ideal time to be wondering, "Uh, why are my hands tingling? Why are my shoulders tight? And damn it, why does my neck ache?"

If it's a choice between riding our bike or trailering it, we'll take the former any day-even if it's to a rally in another time zone or on a troll through the local hills in the rain. Sometimes, though-like when wrangling multiple bikes to the dragstrip for this issue's comparison test-we don't have a choice.

The arrival of warmer temperatures in spring means a long-anticipated return to the road for a number of winter-weary riders. For those climate-challenged enthusiasts forced to store their ride over the winter months, the first ride of the season should be preceded by a thorough check-up.