There are a few of us in the "We are going to ride a motorcycle to South America" that are looking for something a bit easier to prep for the long ride down. What we want to do is a ride on the Trans America Trail starting early June or so. Starting point would Georgia and end point would be, well, where ever you decide to call it quits.
JohnnyMenudo and I have been discussing this. We both want to ride it but our fellow riders are not interested or capable and since a group ride is so much better than solo (well, safer at least). So if you are interested or just want to give moral support please fell free to chime in and we will see where this goes.
What we have so far;
Starting early June. Yeah it will be hot but the high passes in Colorado can be snowed in until then and it is a lot easier to ride in the heat than push bikes through the snow/
There is actually a lot of support along the way. This is not a new ride. Hundreds, maybe thousands have done it and not just motorcycles. 4x4 and bicycles are out there too.
It does not require camping as there is always an nearby place to stay. Camping is possible and I plan to do some.
Overall the trail is over 4000 miles and only about 300 is over pavement. I have heard various times involved to be around a month.
Anyway, I am going regardless and would be happy to ride with any of y'all/

@Johnnymenudo

Oh, I will be riding a KLR650 so don't worry about going to slow or being too cheap.

Committed

Me                     KLR650  Sena
Canoeguy           DR650   Sena
JohnnyMenudo    DR650
JB                      DR650   Sena
socal996             XT250   Sena



Me; Cell phone, OSMand+ and Gaia, Kevin and partial Sams

Canoeguy; Zumo XT, Kevin and Sam

Johnnymenudo; Kyocera cell, OSMand with Kevin and Sams.

Socal996; Garmin XT, Kevin and Sams.

JB; Kyocera, Gaia, Kevin and Sam,


Joining along the way
Mpatch
Jon                     KTM690

Maybes
Knifehitter           DRZ400
TN-MadDog         KLX300
BandM                DR200
HarryMank
jpelaston             Africa Twin Adventure sports


That is my best guess so far, let me know what I need to change.

The question of how are we getting back home afterwards has been brought up a few times so I thought I would add it in here.
There is no specific plan on getting home. Some of us will be riding back, yep, the whole 5k miles. Not the same route though. More of a wandering path visiting whatever places that look interesting. I personally would love to drop by the National Firearms Museum in Cody, Wy. Devils Tower and stop for pictures at Mt. Rushmore. Mt. St. Helens will be close enough too. I think some have plans to fly and ship their bikes back home. By the time we get there this will work itself out.

--- more to come!---

Are you getting snipped before you go or after?

I could more than likely meet up with you guys once you get to the mountains.

Always wanted to ride it on my XR-650. Unfortunately I won't be able to get the time until I retire.
I hear it's a blast from several people who've done it. have fun!

"TRANS AMERICA!" Why the hell are we celebrating a transsexual America anything!?     Oh never mind.

They should consider changing the name
Sounds gay, or in keeping with half of arfcoms favorite kind of “woman”

Get more clicks this way

Yeah, the site kinda sucks and it does seem a bit overly profit oriented but the TAT is a "trail". Some guy (Sam) mapped out a route across the country using back roads, dirt roads and other way out there paths. It does have about 300 miles over pavement. The rest is dirt or rock.
In the eastern US it is relatively easy. Once you hit the mountain regions (Colorado etc.) it get much more technical and difficult.
There are two sellers of a "Trans America Trail". They use some of the same roads but not all. Who is best is like asking what is the best oil to use while riding it. I am amazed nobody has copied the route and uploaded for who ever wants a bootleg copy. So yeah, the actual route will not be listed. Everyone wants to make a few bucks ya know.
There are quite a few online sites that go on and on about the trail, even blogs from folk who have ridden it. Anyway, think back roads, dirt roads, small towns, woods, farms and wide open spaces for over 4k miles. That is pretty much what it is.

The CT90 brittish guy did it. There are some very sandy sections. I think his videos are still up

A friend and I have been chipping away at this a long weekend at a time.  We started in Damascus, VA and have made it to central Arkansas in three outings.  

I started on a V-Strom 650, but will be swapping to a KLR on the next trip.  

Boy you'd guys really like the Wisconsin version of this, the T.W.A.T

how many miles per day did you average?

This guy has a ton of offroad stuff including TAT.

http://www.bigdogadventures.com/

Hope it doesnt rain.

I'll put an offer out if anybody wants to come and knows how to ride. I can supply a bike a most of the needed gear. Fly into Denver and go from there.

I did the eastern part to the Mississippi. Rode with 3 guys I met on ADVrider. Long story short we had a group breakdown that involved two of the guys(one caused the other one to crash, then refused to apologize for being a twat.) So we split up at Arkansas and went home. Anyway, I have this incomplete mission I need to finish.

I have ridden a lot in the last few years in Utah, Colorado and Arizona so I am confident  I can handle the passes(if they are dry). My ride is a well modded 2015 Vstrom DL650:

What kind of seat is that?

My brother and I rode the Colorado portion of the TAT this past July. Really enjoyed it.

I road the TWAT pretty hard this year. :)  First time from Galena to Sparta.  Second time I did the whole thing.  

I really,really,really want to do a TAT or CDT ride.


 I’ve watched a bunch of vloggers do them,Ride on Amigos is my favorite.

Thanks for posting this. I will be starting in Wisconsin and would likely ride down to Tennessee to start the ride and meet up with anyone east.  I would likely do the red loop and end up coming back north and to WI.  Would anyone want to take either the New Mexico or Oregon legs as an out and back?

Shit I may buy a bike just to join in on part of this, and I’m in Colorado already.

Edit: I’ve been on dirt bikes most of my life, until I broke my ankles.

I'm very interested!  I just put appropriate tires on my F700GS.

I’m interested in doing the TAT next year.  

Depends on dates for cola wars, but if they go like this year, an early June start would be good.  

I have a non-arfcom riding buddy that wants to do it too.  He’s originally from Colorado and now in Utah.  

I ride WR250R and he rides XR400.

We did a week long, 1000 miles total out n back from Georgetown CO to the 3 corners (Wyoming, Utah, Colorado) together a few years ago.  I did a 7200 mile trip (mostly road) solo on my WR too in 2016.  

Freaking tag, I am planning on the tat and have been trying to get a small group together but nobody wants to.  I decided I'm going to do the continental divide trail also.  I might be in on this.

I did the full TAT on 09 solo but met people along the way i would ride with for a while then they would head home.  I then was asked to ride the first new half in 18 and did that.   It's a fun ride and pretty easy esp in the east of the Mississippi parts.   Get the right bike and good gear.   Have a good plan and back up plans!  

I have been doing big adventure rides for a long time now and ridden tons of bikes all over the world.  For me an offroad long trip on anything that is more than gravel roads the BEST bike you can get is a properly set up KTM 690/701.  My 1290 is better suited for gravel roads and highway.  My 350 though street legal is best on legit trails and single track.    

In 09i did the TAT on a new drz400.  I think it's a far better big than the klr for many reasons but guys do it on that bike ok.

My plan is simply two or more riders start out where ever they want (Cape Hatteras?) Set up a rough schedule updated when ever possible. This way anyone who wants to join in can do so anywhere along the trail. Of course anyone can leave whenever/where ever they want. Of course the schedule will have less chance of varying at the beginning but even toward the end I can't see it being more than 2-3 days variation. Wish it could be more exact but these sort of things have a way of screwing with the best laid plans.
I will also try to convince a mod here to give us a sticky over in the motorcycle forum for updates and blogging. Hoping for a good turnout.

I might join on the Oregon section with my DRZ-400.

It usually works out to about 200.  That's also the approximate interval for camping/accommodations on Sam's maps.

Last time I did it was 2017. I had plans to do it late August this year but crashed the week prior doing a dry run of the new bike. I'm just now getting back onto the bike and it's right at that time where riding becomes really limited.

@Ghilly

What size tank did you have on the DRZ and did you have to carry extra fuel containers with you?

For anyone else that has done this.  What kind of riding experience would be needed?  I haven’t been on a dirt bike in a few years but should be fine, my son doesn’t have a whole lot of experience.

Who knows what will happen between now and next June but I would really like to get in on this. Riding a KTM 790 Adventure R

Maybe pick up just east of the Appalachians and ride through say the far side of Arkansas. Maybe more depending.

I had a 4 gallon tank on my drz.  In 09 there was only 2 places with over 200 mile range needed.   I had 2 fuel bladders with me.   So every break on those days i would dump the fuel in the tank.   Never had issues with fuel.   On my 690i have a front tank of 1.5 gallons and factory 3.2g.  I can carry a rotopox for extra if needed but have over 200 mile range as it sits

If you are riding a carb bike you need to have a jet kit installed to deal with altitude.  Injected bikes deal with it in the computer.   If you ride a stock drz or klr at 12-13k feet it barely can get out of its own way.   The klr had 38hp in an almost 400lb bike up high that's like 13hp.  It's not good i can tell you that.   On the same mountain passes on my ktm450 or 690 still had plenty of power left. So it does not matter what engine you have at 13k' you have much less power to work with.

I am planning on carrying a jet kit and installing them when we hit the mountains. It really isn't difficult, doesn't even take long either.
I will be installing new chain, sprockets and tires at the beginning, might need to replace the tires again part way through.
As for what level riding skills are needed, well, this ain't a race so no need to be a motorcross racer. There will be campgrounds and hotels so no need to bring your Bear Grills survival books. I would say a few years of riding experience should make a rider able to do this. Remember it will be a group ride. Slowing down in difficult areas and plenty of experienced riders right next to you to talk you through anything you aren't familiar with.
From my understanding the difficulties will be the water crossings back east, Oklahoma mud if the weather doesn't cooperate, of course the mountain passes out west but by then you will have a lot of practice and your skill level should be plenty good by then.

The. Maxxis desert IT is a good rear tire for this ride but you will need a new one around CO.  The front should last the whole trip.   Trinidad,  CO is a good place to swap tires and it right before you got the mountains.   It's a cool little town.   As for group rides it's best to have riders with similar skills.   Fast guys get bored to death and the whole group will have to take bypasses or just outright skip some places due to the group so slow you cannot make the mileage before dark.  You 100%do not want to ride mountain passes at night.   I had this issue when i did the TAT the first time.   I was basically the trip leader and split the group into 2 groups.   The fast guys wanted to ride with me and the slow guys needed to skip lots of great riding or get stuck on the mountain.    It caused some bad blood but it was the best thing and what all of us good riders wanted and some of the slow guys.

I hotelled every night and did not have to carry camp gear.  If you can have a support vehicle that's the super shit.  You then can leave most of your gear and spares with them and ride basically naked bikes.

I am accelerating my plan to try and catch this trip or at least the Oklahoma or so leg onward.  Those that have done it or have experience:  I have been trying to decide what bike I want and it has come down to a ktm690 or maybe their 350 dual sport or the Honda cr250.  I'm wanting wanting stay away from carb bikes but I think the honda will be underpowered for the highway trip back to South Texas.  I hear mixed reviews on Kim's though as far as the maintenance schedules.  Does anyone have experience with those two KTM bikes and what you think would be better for this and the continental divide trail.

Camped next to a father/son team that were riding it on their Kawaskai motorcycles out in Cheyenne last year. I had never heard of this trail but from what they told me it's pretty rugged. Both were camping, and had their bikes piled high with gear. Also had tools and spare parts taped all over their bikes.According to them you try to stick to backroads and trails.

Russell Day Long and worth every penny. 10 hr back to back days with zero seat discomfort.
https://day-long.com/

KTM 500 (or similar maybe a Beta??)is the best do it all bike ever made if you want to enjoy the ride and like the dirt.

In my non-scientific observations, the road-capable dirt bikes like DRZ400, DR650, KTM 690, KLRs, etc are the most popular.  The bigger adventure bikes tend to skip the more challenging parts.  Smaller bikes just go slower.

Also non-scientific:  KTM riders talk about burning clutches out when Oklahoma is wet more than anyone else.

I think the EXC 500 would be a better fit than the 350 for this kind of ride, and likely still better than a 690. Unfortunately you’d need to plan for an oil change part way through but it takes very little oil and you can easily pack it along with you.

The Honda CRF450 is similar to the EXC’s but comes with the same oil change frequency. It does have a fully built rear sub frame for easy hauling of gear.

I went with the Honda earlier this year, but likely would have been just as happy with the KTM. Honda just had it in stock and the only KTM dealer I’ll deal with didn’t know when they would see one next.

So you think it would be better to stick with more of the dirtbike-ish (i know still dual sport) style than the dual sport like the 690.

I think for trips like this you'll enjoy the weight savings of the KTM 500/CRF450 more than the slightly better highway capability of the 690. A seat and a gas tank will do wonders for comfort on the 500/450 and both can do highway speeds if needed. Granted I wouldn't want to do multiple days on the highway with either of those bikes, but I wouldn't pick the 690 for that either. It's definitely not a power thing, heck even Honda's "fuel efficient" suggestions on the 450 say to shift into 6th starting at 65mph, but more of a fatigue issue from riding a lighter non fairing bike through windy plains.

Ok, thanks for the advice.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy one soon to start commuting to work back and forth.

Thank you.