Mini Tank Bag

Yesterday was a fine day for a motorcycle ride, partly cloudy with highs in the mid 70s.

We recently acquired a 2000 Suzuki Savage for my wife. The folks at Bangor Motorsports checked it out for us. This involved an inspection (required annually here in Maine), a tail light was replaced and the oil was changed, probably for the first time ever. She is now addicted to the thing and wants to ride constantly. However, she lacks the confidence to go on her own. I know it’s a hardship, but I have to ride with her pretty much every time she’s free. My only complaint has been that every time we head out she asks me to take her wallet and anything else she wants to bring along. There is no place to put anything on a Savage and the NT is a little like a two-wheeled closet. I was determined to rectify this situation. I learned that Friend & Friend Power Sports in Ellsworth had a Cortech Super Mini tank bag and we decided to head south to see if it would fit on the Savage.

As we headed out of Bangor though Brewer on route 1A, the traffic wasn’t too bad. That’s good as she still lacks a little confidence on the Savage. The traffic in Holden was even thinner and the pace wasn’t too fast. At East Holden 1A and 46 cross and sometimes there can be a little bit of a traffic jam. Today it was colossal. Northbound traffic was backed up for almost three quarters of a mile. Why? Good question. It may have been people headed to the American Folk Festival in Bangor or just people headed home from a vacation on the Maine coast. Alternatively it my have been the approach of tropical storm (hurricane) Irene. In any case I’m glad we were headed south.

At Friend and Friend we perused the motorcycles, chatted with a few salesmen and located the tank bags. The Super Mini bag was perfect, big enough to hole a wallet, bottle of water, camera and a few other small items. It’s a hit and I’m off the hook. We got the one that’s magnet mounted. Easy on, easy off. Magically it becomes a small purse when removed from the bike.

We cruised through the typical Ellsworth traffic nightmare and continued south on route 3 towards Mount Desert Island. Just a bit more than two miles is the intersection with Beechland Road. Just beyond that on the eastern side of the road (left) you’ll find Crazy Dave’s Pit Barbeque. Throughout the summer months Dave sets up his mobile unit here, unless he is out doing a festival or fair. We had pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and soda. Highly recommended.

It was off the Rooster Brother, a store for cooks located were route 1 crosses the Union River Bridge. We looked around the store, and before we left we bought two coffees, and chocolate chip and ginger cookies. We sat on a small bench overlooking the Union River and savored the treat before heading home.

We made our homeward path on route 1 to Bucksport. Traffic can on route 1 can be very heavy during the summer but we were lucky. In Bucksport we crossed the bridge onto Verona Island. Historic Fort Knox, not the one with the gold, can be viewed from the bridge. To exit Verona Island on the western side, one uses the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. It is a cable-stayed bridge that opened about 5 years ago. It comes complete with an observation tower that extends over 400 feet into the air. Route 174 is found at the western end of the bridge and connects to route 1A. You pass though the villages of Winterport and Hampden as you return to Bangor. Traffic was light and we returned safely home, super mini tank bag in hand. Asphalt and weather was great!