TransAmerica Trail -TAT

[grumpin]

That’s what I like about those big singles! Lots of grunt!

Of all the bikes I had the KLR650 was my favorite. It just felt right.

[Ray Cecil]

grumpin wrote

That’s what I like about those big singles! Lots of grunt!

Of all the bikes I had the KLR650 was my favorite. It just felt right.

Yeah, I loved my KLR also. Just too heavy for the offroad stuff. At 6'4", they fit me just right, when a lot of guys have trouble reaching the ground.

[Ray Cecil]

Shorty wrote

Sign me up! This has been on my bucket list for a long time. Agree about the KLR650 weight. I'd be looking at a DR650 or XL650 as a replacement.
Some day...

Dennis, I somehow missed your post? What part are you in for? A truck run from Skiatook to Moab, or a MC adventure?

[Gary Lewis]

Wikipedia says the XL350 was made from '74 to '87.  Mine was the '74, all of which looked like this:

[grumpin]

Very nice bike Gary! Love to have one now!

Funny where Honda ran the exhaust for awhile!

[Ray Cecil]

Thats a cool bike Gary. It would be fun to ride a vintage bike on the TAT.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it would be cool to have one of them now.  And it might be fun to ride it on a trip like that.  But, I think taking Big Blue will make me quite happy.

Just spoke with my son, and he would like to go, although that's not a commitment.  However, he will help me deck out BB to make the trip.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, it would be cool to have one of them now.  And it might be fun to ride it on a trip like that.  But, I think taking Big Blue will make me quite happy.

Just spoke with my son, and he would like to go, although that's not a commitment.  However, he will help me deck out BB to make the trip.

WooHoo!!! Here we go boys. Gary, what is your son's name again?

........and I am making offers on bikes right now. Hope to have one in the coming weeks. I think I am aiming at the DR650. I know them, I like their simplicity, reputation, and feel comfortable fixing anything that may come up with it.

[Gary Lewis]

Bret.  But I don't think you met him.  I think you met my SiL TJ.

I sent him a link to this thread as well as to the TAT, so he may comment.  But, he's extremely busy at work so my guess he'll just do some reading.

[Ray Cecil]

So this is what I am going for. THis is a modified DR650. I like the dual headlight vs the single rectangluar one. And the bigger gas tank.

[Whisler]

Had a buddy in my mis=spent youth who taught me to ride. His nickname was Porky and boy did it fit , 300 lbs. on his light days. He could ride just about anything, starting at the age of 14 in FL. He rode his bike from KY to Colorado, a Yamaha 350 Scrambler.

He taught me 2 truisms about riding: 1)never think you are a great rider or the bike will get you down and stomp you, 2) ride like everyone else on the road is trying to kill you.

I have some great stories about me and him and our adventures. I miss him as he passed about 5 years ago.

[Ray Cecil]

Sorry to hear about your bud's passing. Its never easy. Losing family members recently has taught me a lot about life. One thing....its never too early to start on that bucketlist. That is why I am conquering this TAT. Dad was saving up for retirement. Spent 40 years workin for the man at the same company. 48 years old 1st heart attack. Didn't learn his lesson, or how to take care of himself. 59 years old and the 2nd heart attack got him. May he rest in peace. Dad never got to retire, never got to do a lot of things he always wanted to do.

I'm 34....bucket list is getting checked off starting with the most realistic item. TAT. Then, a bunch of adventures with my wife, sons, and onto building a 65' Daytona Coupe, sailing vessel, and.....whatever else I got time for.

[grumpin]

I had an IMS tank on my KLR. Advertised at 6.6 gallons, I got just over 7 in it!

Wonder why it was a hippo?

[Ray Cecil]

grumpin wrote

I had an IMS tank on my KLR. Advertised at 6.6 gallons, I got just over 7 in it!

Wonder why it was a hippo?

I think the DR650 is is 60lbs lighter??? Maybe more....

THe KLR gets a lot of weight from the radiator, coolant, bigger engine case, radiator fan....bigger fairings. It all adds up.

[Ray Cecil]

Okay, so I have found a guy GPSKevin:

https://sites.google.com/a/gpskevinadventurerides.com/gpskevin-adventure-rides/home

This guy some years ago rode the TAT that a guy named Sam apparently "created". There seems to be a competition, or at least some bad blood between Kevin and Sam. Kevin has taken the route, made his own improvements and offers it for free. Sam still charges hundreds of dollars for the entire route claiming "because I invented it".

So, there is a bit of a moral dilemma here. Is Kevin's free route different enough to justify not supporting the original "creator" of the route? Opinions please. I am on the fence here. More research into what Kevin offers for free needs to be done I think.

[Ray Cecil]

https://advrider.com/f/threads/tat-difference-between-sam-and-gpskevin.926004/

Here is some interesting opinions on the subject.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary, here is the section that runs by you. Not as close as I thought, but it runs through Bartlesville/Dewey where my family lives. Literally 5 minutes from the trail in Dewey. This is a snippet of the free GPSKevin site.

[Ray Cecil]

All, here is the webpage on GPSKevin's site that has links to each section, downloadable.

https://sites.google.com/site/gpskevin/adventurerides/trans-america-trail/studying-the-trans-america-trail

[Gary Lewis]

Interesting looking at the section just north and west of me.  For whatever reason, GPSKevin didn't include going through the Tall Grass Prairie, although to me that's a MUST.  It is all gravel and there are lots of things to see, including buffalo.

So, while I like the idea of using routes others have laid out, I think we should have some flexibility to use local knowledge to improve them.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary, there is a section on his site where you can add your suggestions.

I have ridden Tall Grass Prairie on a KLR650. Yes, it is a must. Wild Mustangs and Buffalo are so much fun to ride around!!! You really get a sense of the old west going through there.