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Maine to Boston & back

dmgatti8264

Member
Member
I took a short trip from Bar Harbor down to Boston this past weekend. I wanted to get one more trip in before the risk of snow and ice gets too high. I left Bar Harbor around 8 AM in 28 degree weather. The forecast had been for mid-30s in the morning. I don't have a heated vest, so I wore double long underwear, a flannel shirt, vest and my heavy winter jacket on top and long underwear, jeans and chaps on my legs. It was chilly and I kept my speed down in case there was a slick spot. I put the windshield all the way up and had the hand warmers on high. The hand warmers saved me since wearing thick gloves makes me feel out of touch with the controls. But the time that I got to Bangor, it was 30, but still chilly. I gritted my teeth and kept on going, knowing that it would warm up. One thing that I didn't think about was the effect of low sun and bare trees. There was a staccato strobe effect of the the sun flashing between the tree shadows as I rode down the interstate and it really wore out my eyes.
As I got down to Augusta (2 hours into the ride), the temperature got over 40 and suddenly, I felt like I could ride in that weather all day long. So, for me, I can start a ride in the 30s as long as it gets up into the 40s and is sunny, then I'm fine. The rest of the ride was great; well-paved interstate, sunny weather, traffic wasn't too bad. I didn't even get lost going into Boston. But then I tried to park. The downtown parking decks have tiny signs that you can't read until you're at the gate which say "Automobiles only". Then you're stuck at the gate and it won't open. I had very hard time backing up the bike and a kind construction worker came over and helped me push back. I look forward to helping someone else out like that one day. I finally found a garage which would detect the bike and operate the gate. So that ate up and hour.
Had a fine time in Boston, then packed up to leave on Sunday morning. Even with the GPS, I got lost getting out of town, but finally got onto US-1 North. It was sunny and 50 degrees out and I was almost too warm. I put the windshield down for the first hour or so. It cooled down into the high 40s as I got north of Boston and I put the windshield back up. Traffic seemed heavy until I got north of Portland, but the road conditions were great. I-95 is great in Maine.
One thing that surprised me was that I only got 45 MPG on this trip. I'm not sure if that was due to colder temperatures or having the windshield up. But I've been spoiled by the 50 MPG that I've been getting. I have always ridden with the windshield down so far. I'm coming up on my 15,000 mile checkup, so I'll see if anything is amiss then.
 
I took a short trip from Bar Harbor down to Boston this past weekend. I wanted to get one more trip in before the risk of snow and ice gets too high. I left Bar Harbor around 8 AM in 28 degree weather. The forecast had been for mid-30s in the morning. I don't have a heated vest, so I wore double long underwear, a flannel shirt, vest and my heavy winter jacket on top and long underwear, jeans and chaps on my legs. It was chilly and I kept my speed down in case there was a slick spot. I put the windshield all the way up and had the hand warmers on high. The hand warmers saved me since wearing thick gloves makes me feel out of touch with the controls. But the time that I got to Bangor, it was 30, but still chilly. I gritted my teeth and kept on going, knowing that it would warm up. One thing that I didn't think about was the effect of low sun and bare trees. There was a staccato strobe effect of the the sun flashing between the tree shadows as I rode down the interstate and it really wore out my eyes.
As I got down to Augusta (2 hours into the ride), the temperature got over 40 and suddenly, I felt like I could ride in that weather all day long. So, for me, I can start a ride in the 30s as long as it gets up into the 40s and is sunny, then I'm fine. The rest of the ride was great; well-paved interstate, sunny weather, traffic wasn't too bad. I didn't even get lost going into Boston. But then I tried to park. The downtown parking decks have tiny signs that you can't read until you're at the gate which say "Automobiles only". Then you're stuck at the gate and it won't open. I had very hard time backing up the bike and a kind construction worker came over and helped me push back. I look forward to helping someone else out like that one day. I finally found a garage which would detect the bike and operate the gate. So that ate up and hour.
Had a fine time in Boston, then packed up to leave on Sunday morning. Even with the GPS, I got lost getting out of town, but finally got onto US-1 North. It was sunny and 50 degrees out and I was almost too warm. I put the windshield down for the first hour or so. It cooled down into the high 40s as I got north of Boston and I put the windshield back up. Traffic seemed heavy until I got north of Portland, but the road conditions were great. I-95 is great in Maine.
One thing that surprised me was that I only got 45 MPG on this trip. I'm not sure if that was due to colder temperatures or having the windshield up. But I've been spoiled by the 50 MPG that I've been getting. I have always ridden with the windshield down so far. I'm coming up on my 15,000 mile checkup, so I'll see if anything is amiss then.
Sounds like a nice trip! OP let me share I used plug-in heated gear for the first time this past weekend, 40 degree weather never seemed so hot! Suggest you consider it - never thought I would but now just realizing the benefit (layers gone, comfort, reduce distraction of heavy gear and concern of cold weather) glad to have made the leap.

Your mileage: Air density resistance will take a toll on your gas mileage, as well I would expect richer fuel settings - I would not be alarmed in the least. Also did you change your air filter at 11K and make certain your tire pressures did not drop a tad with cooler environment.

Earlier this summer we rode 1,500+ miles in ME; (part of a +3K mile week trip to NE) quite the diverse landscape and more expansive barren territory than I ever expected.
 
Yes, I may get a heated vest. I don't plan to ride too often in the 20s and 30s, but it would be nice. I need to get the wiring set up for GPS + vest then.

I didn't change the air filter at 11,000. I thought that the interval was 15,000, but I just checked the manual and you're right. I hope it's not plugged! And I did check the tire pressure each morning to keep them at 42 psi cold. I used to have a bike on which I put a larger windshield on in the winter and I'd lose about 5 MPG as well.
 
Yes, I may get a heated vest. I don't plan to ride too often in the 20s and 30s, but it would be nice. I need to get the wiring set up for GPS + vest then.

I didn't change the air filter at 11,000. I thought that the interval was 15,000, but I just checked the manual and you're right. I hope it's not plugged! And I did check the tire pressure each morning to keep them at 42 psi cold. I used to have a bike on which I put a larger windshield on in the winter and I'd lose about 5 MPG as well.
You can use the SAE Charging / Electrical Tap for the heated clothing.
 
I didn't change the air filter at 11,000. I thought that the interval was 15,000,
I change my air filter every ~22,000 miles. Stock filter, it's quite black, no breakthrough, no performance change with new filter. Friend has the same experience with changes every 18 K.
 
Yes, I think that the MPG drop was due to either the cold weather and/or the windshield. But I'm doing maintenance this month anyway and I already have the filter.
 
Gasoline formulations change with the season but cold air is denser than warm air - it used to make a difference with carburetors, maybe not so much with fuel injected engines.
A heated vest is money well spent - I've ridden 40 plus years and only in the last 10 with a heated vest. It was 65 in Bangor yesterday.
 
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