If you decide on the ferry, make sure you get your tickets at least a few days ahead of time. They do get filled up. You can buy them online and you just show up at the dock with your reservation number.

http://www.lake-express.com/

 

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.

 

+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.

 

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.

 

Lake Express provides the tie downs buy you are responsible for tying your own bike down, they don't do it for you. The provided tie downs are pretty hefty, and I didn't have any issues.

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.

 

The environmental types are forcing the SS Badger to convert from coal to something more environmentally friendly in order to keep running into 2012 due to the amount of coal waste dumped into the lake during operation.

http://www.greatlakes.org/Page.aspx?pid=1264

 

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.

 

Invest in a set of these, make tieing your bike down a lot easier.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kurya...Q5fAccessories

 

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

 

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.