Trans-Am Trail
 

Hi,
Has anyone rode the Trans-Am Trail,off-road across America, if so what was it like?
Many thanks,
Tony

This is a Trip i will do with a 4x4 - dont know when - but it is definitively on my list!

I rode it solo in 2007.Below is my ride report.I think I did the ride report some time after I completed it.I hadn't discovered ADVrider and HU yet.

TransAmerica Trail-2007 - ADVrider

Ask me again after about July next year ;)

Hi,
We rode the Trans west Virginia trail and the TAT in 2011.
And it was fantastic. The TAT has a fair bit of road sections before Ankansas but I think Sam has re routed much of it now. The best bits are from Colorado on really and loads of Americans just do the last four or five states.

We were on loaded XT66OR's and only struggled on the sand in Utah and Nevada really, Sam does have what he calls "Dual sport route arounds" on the maps to miss out the toughest sections, we only used two or three though.
Sam marks up fuel stops on the maps and we had standard tanks with a 200 mile range and didn't struggle. If you do the whole route and start with new tyres you will need new rubber in Moab Utah. Moab power sports can get rubber in ready for you and are a great bunch of people.
The TAT gives you a great way of seeing the back country and small town USA, would I do it again - 100% yes.

If you go for it and buy Sams maps PM me and I'll sort you out a load more info. Our web site could be worth a read for you, we have lots of TAT pics on the gallery.
All the best Paul

Welcome to Two Bikes Running

I did TAT last summer..

Surfy,
Using a small 4x4 is doable but will not run through very few trails such as Poucho Spring rd as it is ATV trails. And few trails west of Richfield, UT is atv trails that I don't think 4x4 will be able to get through but other than that- doable for 97% of the trip.

Tony,
I took KLR650 and if I was to do it all over again, I would take a lighter bike. 250cc to 400/450cc and that is sufficient. Yes KLR650 was a good bike to use but in some area I wished I had a lighter bike.

I rode solo so here are few advices: Buy map early on (I took the trip very last min with 1.5 weeks of planning) and study the routes. Mark different highlight color for 'loop'. You will thank me when you get tired of doing loop and especially when you find yourself behind in schedule and feel loop is waste of time. If you don't like to ride red 'difficult' trail, let me know and I can tell you few passes that are difficult especially if riding solo so you can decide if you want to do it or pass. I had a bad crash halfway of Eagle Pass then I had a hard time getting out I was cursing under my breath.

I would definitely do it all over again but there are few trails I will not do again because I like riding solo and few trails are not safe (in my opinion) for riding solo. I would take a lighter bike and I would do the trip late May to early June so you can avoid hot summer heat. I did it in July.