Agree with everyone else...Take the tapp. I drive all over NE and NY. When I ride my bike I avoid 95 like the Plague.
Take the tapp and when you are driving the mass pike (90E) to Waltham get off at exit 10a. take rt 146 south. it is 20 min to the RI border. Get off at the first RI exit. There is a small shopping ctr there with a great Italian restaurant- Pinelli's. Eat some lunch- turn around and go back to Mass 20 minutes to border. Take the Pike in to 128/95. Go up to Waltham.
(Or from the restaurant you can take 102 to 295n to 95n- same distance back to Mass)
You are of course going to see the worst of NE drivers there.

 

Tappan Zee Bridge is probably your best bet to cross the Hudson, but I would not take 287 all the way to 95 and then 95 up the CT coast. That is a terrible ride; the road is in rough shape, heavy traffic, tons of trucks and ugly as hell to boot.

I live in CT and do my best to stay off the congested, truck-filled highways here. But if I was making your trip, I would take 287 to 684; then 684 North to 84. Follow 84 through Western CT to Routes 72/9 (exit 35). Follow 9 all the way to the end; it meets 95 in Old Saybrook at the mouth of the CT river. This is a more pleasant ride; a few more miles, but highway all the way and you avoid the worst parts of 95 through Fairfield and New Haven counties.

Alternatively, you could stay on 84 until just past Hartford, where you could take 384 to Route 6. 6 is not an expressway, but it is a wide two or more lane road, and will take you all the way to Providence RI where you can pick up 95 to Boston. Route 6 is a nice ride as well as being the most direct route from Hartford to Providence.

 

Follow the advice above. I live in NJ and visit my Daughter frequently in Boston on my bike. From Cape May, take GSP North to Tappan Zee Bridge. (Forget about the GW Bridge or the tunnels).

From the Tappan Zee, take 287E to 684N. Take 684N to 84E through Hartford all the way to the Mass TP. Take the Mass TP into Boston. To get RI into the trip follow the advice above on rt 6 or make a side trip out of Boston to Providence for a separate day trip.

Definitely get an EZ Pass. You'd be nuts to want to ride a bike in the NE any more without having an EZ Pass for any long distance riding. Definitely get a Zumo GPS for the bike if you don't have one already.

 

Thanks again for all the Great advice and your time in posting - Really appreciated. This will make an interesting print out and mapping project.

 

Im also a CT native and drive a lot in the Northeast...I'd agree with everyone here. Use the Garden State Parkway and use 287 over the Tappan Zee to cross the Hudson. Using the GWB and driving through the Bronx is joyless.

Once over, you have a few options.

Avoid I-95 in southwest CT like the plague. It is a rutted, crumbling, oil slicked mess. East of New Haven, CT it is fine but West of that it sucks.

If you are just looking to boogey right on thru...you could take I84 towards Hartford and then
1) take Rte 2 from Hartford to Norwich (4 lane highway), I395N to Rte 138 and 165 into Rhode Island and then I 95 N to Mass.

2) Take I84 through Hartford to exit 69 for Rte 74 E, to Rte 44, to Rte 101 (or stay on 44, I like 101) into RI, onto 295 around Providence and then rejoin I-95 into Mass

I don't think I would bother using Rte 9 south of Hartford. his will add too much time compared to other routes, though it is a perfectly fine drive.

The other alternative might be the Merritt Parkway (Rte 15) that runs parallel to I-95 down in SW CT. It is an old private toll road (now open to the public w/o toll) that has no trucks. It is a bit tight, winding, hilly, and people drive a bit too fast on it....but it works.

Can any of you guys down there verify that the Merritt is open for motorcycles....I think it still is. I think motorcycle learner's permit holders aren't allowed there, but fully licensed drivers are.

Check these links (first is for Rte 101 into RI, second is for Rte 138/165 into RI, third is for the Merritt)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...8&ie=UTF8&z=11

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...8,2.433472&z=9

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...6&ie=UTF8&z=10

There is a lot of nice riding to be had in CT and RI...too bad you have to rush through.

 

cape may has no real boardwalk, or rides. if you want to feal like a kid again? i would check out wildwood
http://www.wildwoodsnj.com/ this is also where nj has a bike run in september.
cape may has alot of old houses. kind of a more romantic place. if thats what you want? stay in cape may and ride 8 miles to wildwood
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

 

Lived in RI for 30+ years......You can stay on 95N and ride from the CT border to MA border in 45 minutes without traffic. It is a tiny state but traffic on 95N is rough once you get close to Providence, then again when you hit Pawtucket heading towards the MA border.

If I were you, I would jump on 295N once you hit Warwick, RI and take that all the way up and it will re-join 95N in Attleboro, MA. You will avoid all the nasty 95N traffic that way.

Good luck and ride safe.

 

I only said "Cape May" because that is where the ferry drops us off at... Looks like Wildwood will satisfy our "Boardwalk" quest.

HD T-shirt looks cool also.

Lots of great advice here and will keep me busy looking at all the suggestions on the maps...

Again, Thanks for all the effort - I do read it ALL and It will all be printed out...