Going around Lake Michigan
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 554
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
http://www.lake-express.com/
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 930
Likes: 0
From: Northwest WI
The Lake express is pretty quick. The Badger runs from Manitowoc to Ludington is a four hour trip.The Badger is an old coal fired boat that is pretty cool. It's kind of like a step back in time riding up on the open deck. Several things to do on board. I would take one of the boats to avoid Chi town.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,403
Likes: 25
From: se michigan
+1 on the Lake Express, your time would be better spent skipping the lower part of Lake Michigan and riding M22 and M119 instead. Then you'll have time to hit H58 in the UP instead of dealing with Chicago traffic.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 647
Likes: 7
From: Corning, Ohio
If you take the Lake Express, make sure that you make reservations WELL in advance of your planned trip. We had visions of taking that option, but when we called for reservations, they were at least 6 days out. They only have a few spots for bikes. Their number is on their website. Don't be late, they wait for nothing or nobody. Some suggested they you bring your own tie-down straps along but others say that the Express provides tie-donws. Better safe than sorry.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 554
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
They typically will only have room for 12 bikes, or sometimes as many as 20 depending on how many cars they have booked for the trip.
Sage advice is to get your reservation early to reserve a spot or you might find yourself riding through chitown anyway.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 554
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
The Lake express is pretty quick. The Badger runs from Manitowoc to Ludington is a four hour trip.The Badger is an old coal fired boat that is pretty cool. It's kind of like a step back in time riding up on the open deck. Several things to do on board. I would take one of the boats to avoid Chi town.
http://www.greatlakes.org/Page.aspx?pid=1264
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 434
Likes: 2
From: Wisconsin
So now, I have another question, what is a good way to tie down a bagger on a ferry without damaging anything? I've tied down plenty of dirt bikes in the back of pick-up trucks and trailers, but really don't consider using the handlebars on my Ultra as a good anchor point. Being a new bike, I'm a little overprotective.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 663
Likes: 1
From: Yorkville Indiana
Invest in a set of these, make tieing your bike down a lot easier.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kurya...Q5fAccessories
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kurya...Q5fAccessories
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 647
Likes: 7
From: Corning, Ohio
Around the bars would be the best way with the most stability. Harley has a soft tie down that's just ****.
These 1-1/2" Ratchet Tie-Down Straps provide a heavy-duty 1800lb capacity for maximum tensioning power. The ratchet features a comfortable handle and a dual-direction reversing drive that permits gradual tension release. Just throw the lever and back off the tension a little at a time, reducing the "snap back" from most ratchet release designs. Straps feature integrated soft hooks, vinyl coated "s" hook on one end and a closed end carabiner hook that won't come unhooked during the tie-down process.
94706-10
Ratchet Straps with Integrated Soft Hook
Universal.
MSRP US $54.95
These 1-1/2" Ratchet Tie-Down Straps provide a heavy-duty 1800lb capacity for maximum tensioning power. The ratchet features a comfortable handle and a dual-direction reversing drive that permits gradual tension release. Just throw the lever and back off the tension a little at a time, reducing the "snap back" from most ratchet release designs. Straps feature integrated soft hooks, vinyl coated "s" hook on one end and a closed end carabiner hook that won't come unhooked during the tie-down process. 94706-10Ratchet Straps with Integrated Soft Hook
Universal.
MSRP US $54.95
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,968
Likes: 34
From: Lockport Township, IL
When my wife and I did a lap around Lake Michigan a few years ago, we took 10 days to do it, and felt like did not have time to see everything we wanted to. Mackinac Island is a fun place to waste an entire day. Stay in Mackinaw City for the night and take the ferry to ther Island for the day. Lots of cool places to stop along the way, like Petoskey, Sleeping bear Dunes, .... We did it with no particular plans - we just wandered around following signs to things that looked interesting. One of the best trips I have taken in years.