Thinking of riding the Trans-America Trail? Here's what I have to share from my experience riding the trail in 2010:
My trip planning thread
My TAT blog
My advrider ride report
TAT Playlist - I did one HD video for each day of the TAT. These will give you a good idea of what to expect on the trail.
FAQ
- Which bike?
- Sam says a dual sport 400cc or greater. My top two picks would be a DRZ400 or a WR250R.
- Want to do it on a big bike? You'll need to do a lot of bypasses and watch for deep sand.
- How long?
- Four weeks on the trail for the whole route. Don't try to rush it. If you can't do four weeks, pick your favorite portion and do that.
- How much?
- Try AtlasRiders trip cost calculator - This came out pretty close to what I planned and what I actually spent.
- What to bring?
- Pack as light as you can, and then get rid of about 20-50% of that stuff you think you need.
- What I really needed on my trip: Spare tubes, 2-3 pairs of underwear, 3 pairs of socks, three t-shirts, street shoes, soap, water, deodorant, GPS, phone, baby wipes.
- What I could have left home: TP, spare parts, extra gas cans, cooking gear, paper maps, jeans, air compressor, extra tools (DRZ tool kit would have been fine).
- Can you send me gps files for the TAT?
- Sorry, I can't
- Looking for someone to ride with? Check out this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/162997890446555/
Just stumbled across your vids - the TAT looks like a lot of fun. Hoping to do it later this year on a 650.
ReplyDeleteNote that Sam says that he "would NOT recommend any motorcycle smaller than 400cc motor"
From http://www.transamtrail.com/faqs/#01
Your 400 was probably spot on, but I'm assuming there are too many straight smooth miles for a 250?
Thanks Philip, I will update that item. The 400 did seem like the perfect bike. We started our trip with a guy on a WR250R. He had a little trouble keeping up with the bigger bikes on the easy stuff in Tn, but I still think it would be an excellent bike for this ride. I like and seek out the tougher sections on rides like this and a smaller bike is the way to go in the fun stuff.
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