Here in the Upper Midwest, change is in the air; the change of seasons, that is. It’s time to plan a fall colors motorcycle ride. The weather is always a wild card when it comes to fall colors. When temperatures run above average and rainfall below it, the shift from green to red, orange, yellow, tan, and endless variations is even harder to predict. Other factors affect the timing and vibrancy of fall colors, including tree species, elevation, latitude, date, overnight low temperatures, and more.

Typically, the farther north the motorcycle ride, the earlier the color changes begin. A favorite species for vivid red, orange, and yellow colors is the sugar maple. Quaking aspen, also broadly referred to as poplar or regionally as “popple”, tends to shift fairly early from its summer green to bright yellow. Oak trees change from deep green to muted orange, tan, or brown, though the red oaks can turn a brilliant scarlet.

The thing is, once the color change begins, it generally doesn’t last long. Getting out there when the colors are at their peak gives you the best chance of seeing the most spectacular array of colors. Once the colors peak, the shift turns to browns and tans. Leaves falling to the ground follows, seemingly almost all at once.

The weather during the color-peak season can be particularly attractive. Many days tend to be sunny but cool in the mornings, with light winds and temperatures warming to comfortable ranges by early afternoon. However, days are getting shorter, which you should keep in mind if your ride plan doesn’t include riding in low light or after dark.

Warm base layers, such as items from Zerofit, can help keep you comfy across the range of temperatures you may encounter. Changing light conditions, long shadows from low-angle sunlight, potential showers, and temperature swings make adaptable riding gear a good idea.

Look for a motorcycle touring jacket and pants with armor, adjustable ventilation, a zip-out warmth liner, and waterproofing, and choose a high-visibility color for a safe fall colors tour. Match them with gloves that offer warmth and ventilation, plus rugged construction and protection from impact and abrasion. Alpinestars, Klim, Spidi, and Rev’It are top brands to explore.

Autumn riding conditions make subtle changes in riding tactics a good idea, not only in the Upper Midwest, but nearly anywhere. For example, a layer of dry leaves on the road can be amazingly slippery, so cornering on them the same way you would on loose gravel on the pavement can help avoid side-slip and loss of control.

In farm country, county and township roads are among the best routes for finding great stands of trees coming into color. However, those same trees are habitat for wildlife ranging from turkey buzzards, migrating geese, wild turkeys, and pheasants to coyotes, bears, and whitetail deer. Any of these animals may charge the roadway without warning, and are likely to do so if fall woodcutting or crop-harvesting operations spook them out of cover.

Some of the best riding of the year can happen in the fall, and there’s no better time to get out there than during the fall color season! There are websites that monitor the colors in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio, with the season’s first reports coming online through late September, so you aren’t disappointed on your autumn colors excursion.