Whenever I cross to canada... no lines no problem. Coming into the US is another issue at times. Don't croos when commuter traffic is high as there are a number of people who work across international lines. As previously stated copy your Passport and in addition to taking a copy with you... give a copy to a trusted friend in Canada. In your trip thruogh NY if you pass by Rochester, there is Lethcworth Park which is a minature Grand Canyon scenic trip around. There is also the wine country in the finger Lakes which has more wineries then you can shake a stick at. Enjoy!

 

You and whomever is with you will need passports.

 

Years ago(about 34) coming back from Florida through Ohio with a 21 ft house trailer behind the car, our speed crept up to 58 in a 55 coming down a hill on the 71. We got pulled over and lectured about how the speed limit in Ohio is exactly 55 and not 1 mile per hour more. So whats it like these days in the states? Do we have to keep the cruise set to the speed limit? Or is 5 to 10 over going to be ok like in canada?

 

Most interstates will allow +/- about 10 mph without too much issue.

The big thing is don't be zipping in and out of the lanes and driving all weird.
Maintain a steady pace, a safe following distance, don't pass everything in sight, avoid swapping lanes every 30 seconds..and chances are above average that you'll go right on past the cop without a second look.
In major metro areas, use the HOV lane whenever possible. There's usually less traffic and the cops are looking for occupancy violations more than they are speeders.

You of course, have equal opportunity to find a cop who had a bad day, bad breakfast, a fight with his wife, or is generally in an unforgiving mood...then, all bets are off.

Travel around major holidays generally brings out extra manpower, but even then they are mostly on speed patrol and only looking for the true idiots.

I'm not the most seasoned traveler in the world, but have driven in about every state east of the Mississippi for business and pleasure.
With well over 1M miles, (certainly the bulk of which were not on a bike) this has been my experience.

PS - Ohio cops are known for ....ahem.... attention to detail.


.

 

Sent you a PM with my contact info just in case.

 

Any advice on an addition to the seat for comfort? I already had it refitted with a 2" jell pad which doubled our comfort distance, but what about putting a fur pad or a bead pad or something else on top to make it even better? We're going to the Toronto motorcycle show this weekend, so we can look at ideas there as well.

 

I try and ride in 150 - 180 mile segments, stopping for at least 10 - 15 minutes, pump gas, walk and stretch, use the "little rider's room", and drink a bottle of water, or something light and non-caffenated like green tea, or a sports drink. Especially in the summer you'll dehydrate pretty quick in the heat and humidity. I don't eat any heavy meals while riding, just light, high-protein snacks like beef jerky, protein bars, or nuts, until I've finished riding for the day. The most I've ridden in one day is about 600 miles. I could do more, but that's a good 8-10 hour day usually. Stay in a good hotel, have a good meal, and make sure you get plenty of rest in the evening. Don't overdue it on the "adult beverages" either.

Make sure you pack your bike out so it's not overloaded. Keep the heavy stuff down low. I know guys that bring their old T-shirts with them and as they ride and acquire "souvie" shirts at various stops they just trash the old ones. Don't wear tight fitting clothes, and I like cotton because it can breathe, and wear broken-in comfortable items.

If you're coming down the NY Thru-way when you get near Montgomery NY, West Point is nearby. They have a great museum, an interesting tour of the school, and it's a quaint village. NYC is a pain to ride in and expensive, but of course it is one of the best cities in the world. If you follow I-95 down make sure you bring American currency for the tolls in NY, NJ, DE, and MD. Baltimore has a great waterfront area near Fort McHenry and Camden Yard called the Inner Harbor. Washington D.C. and the surrounding environs have more things to see and do than you can shake a stick at. The whole Chesapeake Bay area is nice to visit. Virginia has a lot of Civil War battlefields and parks. The Skyline Drive is toward the West and runs between Waynesboro, VA and Front Royal, VA. Its a 105-mile ride along the tops of the Blue Ridge Mountains and through Shenandoah National Park. If you go south out of Waynesboro the road becomes known as the Blue Ridge Parkway and continues all the way to North Georgia.