The Trans America Trail

[cold comfort]

im aiming for my mid fifties when all the kids have been kicked out and i can actually save some coin

Yeah, very funny-as one in "mid fifties" still waiting for the departure of the liabilities and the arrival of said coin!

[trustme]

They leave , then they come back cos it's cheap & they want to save for a world trip, car , house.
What about my wants, what about my needs.?? In your dreams pal.

[GPS MAN]

When I go over I am going to do the "Shadow of the Rockie's" trail....Sam and I mapped about 1/2 of it and it ROCKS

Talking to Sam not long ago and he told me that he is going to finish that trail this summer....hope

[Sputnik]

Hey BMWST

Who did you get your quote from - I'm thinking of doing the same to the US later this year?

Cheers

Contact KIWISHIPPING.co.nz. Have used them twice already. Straight forward to deal with and very competitive prices.

Passes in Colorado usually not open til mid July due Snow. Yep the rest of the trip in the 90 to 110 degrees F but you soon get used to it. Humid in the East, dry heat, apart from rain storms, in central and western States. Expect fog all down the West Coast. GPS man can probably confirm that.

GO FOR IT!

[alane]

Been some great ride reports recently on advrider.
--jdrocks---xcrider--simonpig--one-less-harley etc
Did any other Kiwi,s beside the Dunedin boys who had a report going in the N.Z forum of ADV do it this year??
(Maybe thier plane crashed on the way home,as it came to an abrupt end,uncompleted.)

--Thinking I might give it a go.--next yr.------Lots-a questions.----
I,d be keen on buying a second hand bike (WR250R---DR650)& bringing it home.
Where do I find out the cost of importing one from???
What bike could you make money on??
Where do I find it-(bike-not money)ADV rider??? --Bikefinds--Craiglist--ebay ???
What time do I go?---looks like late july /early august.
Now long do I allow for trip/buying bike etc.---Would,nt want to rush it--want a bit of time to tell jokes & lies to the locals.:
Looks like abought 5 weeks "out on the trail".
What about medical insurance----essential,they say in U S A,
----------MMMMMMMMM!!!!! ---could go on & on.------
Couple of things I noticed ,reading the ride reports
Be a bugger if it rained while doing the dirt roads of Mississipi/Arkansas
Eastern Arkansas residents could be a bit dodgy.
I,m GPS illiterate---be important to become competent ,especially in the deserts of Nevada & Utah.--What,ll I buy to get started??Garmin cx60??
Where can a "Tight-Arse" get Sams charts cheap??
Accommadation is reasonable as hard times have hit the economy over there.
It gets high--- 13000ft in Colorado,so bike jetting on carby ones is important.
Enough Q,s for now.

OH!! One more--
Phreaky Phil & Dawn---I know your set to go next year 2 up----How,s your trip organising progressing???(Bike shipping---insurance---what time of yr,& how long for????etc,)

[richyrich]

i have a shit load of info re TAT,ask away and i'll see if i can help.
include utah when it rains re dirt and people were friendly the whole 8200 miles we travelled

[Phreaky Phil]

Been some great ride reports recently on advrider.
--jdrocks---xcrider--simonpig--one-less-harley etc
Did any other Kiwi,s beside the Dunedin boys who had a report going in the N.Z forum of ADV do it this year??
(Maybe thier plane crashed on the way home,as it came to an abrupt end,uncompleted.)

--Thinking I might give it a go.--next yr.------Lots-a questions.----
I,d be keen on buying a second hand bike (WR250R---DR650)& bringing it home.
Where do I find out the cost of importing one from???
What bike could you make money on??
Where do I find it-(bike-not money)ADV rider??? --Bikefinds--Craiglist--ebay ???
What time do I go?---looks like late july /early august.
Now long do I allow for trip/buying bike etc.---Would,nt want to rush it--want a bit of time to tell jokes & lies to the locals.:
Looks like abought 5 weeks "out on the trail".
What about medical insurance----essential,they say in U S A,
----------MMMMMMMMM!!!!! ---could go on & on.------
Couple of things I noticed ,reading the ride reports
Be a bugger if it rained while doing the dirt roads of Mississipi/Arkansas
Eastern Arkansas residents could be a bit dodgy.
I,m GPS illiterate---be important to become competent ,especially in the deserts of Nevada & Utah.--What,ll I buy to get started??Garmin cx60??
Where can a "Tight-Arse" get Sams charts cheap??
Accommadation is reasonable as hard times have hit the economy over there.
It gets high--- 13000ft in Colorado,so bike jetting on carby ones is important.
Enough Q,s for now.

OH!! One more--
Phreaky Phil & Dawn---I know your set to go next year 2 up----How,s your trip organising progressing???(Bike shipping---insurance---what time of yr,& how long for????etc,)

Hi there, Our plans are coming along nicely. We have another couple who are keen to try it 2 UP. We are moteling it all the way as we dont want all the extra weight of the camping gear on the bikes. We are going to allow 5 weeks for the TAT part of the ride.
AS for Sams route sheets, there seems to be quite a backlash against people wanting to copy the charts or get a free GPS file of the route. I'm in agreement.Its only $250 for Sams charts. He invented the TAT so he's entitled to the rewards from it.
As for the dirt roads. Run aggressive tires, not " dual sport " tires that look like road tyres. If it gets to slippery then we will have to wait for it to dry out or find tarmac to go around.
Most bikes seem to run ok up high. loosing power but ok. A quick fix can be remove the airbox lid. this will lean it out a bit. Or drop the carb needle 1 clip position. Or get a fuel injected bike !

[richyrich]

+1 on desent tyres,as the dirt roads on the TAT are just that,when it gets a bit of moisture,it gets as slippery as a slippery thing.
also if it hasn't rained in a while,which it was like when we went through OK,MS,UT,and most of NV,you can get a lot of bulldust which will
block your airfilter in short order.
we were cleaning filters every day in nevada,they were caked in dust, and the bulldust was pouring off the front wheel and passing between my legs about seat hight.(DR 650) just like riding through water.
also hake sure you have a desent bash plate,especially if you ride a late model klr

[Phreaky Phil]

+1 on desent tyres,as the dirt roads on the TAT are just that,when it gets a bit of moisture,it gets as slippery as a slippery thing.
also if it hasn't rained in a while,which it was like when we went through OK,MS,UT,and most of NV,you can get a lot of bulldust which will
block your airfilter in short order.
we were cleaning filters every day in nevada,they were caked in dust, and the bulldust was pouring off the front wheel and passing between my legs about seat hight.(DR 650) just like riding through water.
also hake sure you have a desent bash plate,especially if you ride a late model klr

Were the bikes dusting there own filters or were you riding in the dust of other bikes ? I might try to get some filter skins. that would be easier than cleaning filters all the time. No KLR's for us. Ive got a DR650 and the other bike is a KTM990. I want to use the Pirrelli Scorpion Rally front and maybe Mitas E09 rear. May have to use a Dunlop 606 rear as I dont Know if the have Mitas tyres in the US. How many sets of tyres did you go through ?

[richyrich]

filters got dusted by themselves,that dust in nevada,just hangs in the air and carry some good filter oil.i kept my airbox standard.
klr had to have 2 major topend rebuilds due to ingesting dust and yes he oiled his filter.
re bikes at altitude in colorado,the dr was fine,didn't touch carby and the only noticable thing was the lack of power.
we did the hancock pass,which has been taken out of the tat maps,but well worth it.carry a 14 t sprocket as clutch will cop some abuse if you have to stop ,and would be handy in black dragon wash.
tyres,we used dunlop 606 front and rear,you would want to preorder tyres and have them sent ahead as finding desent dualsport tyres in small town(and even cities like little rock ak.) usa is next to impossible.most m/c shops stock either road or mx tyres.
ohh, and m'c shops are closed on mondays.

[alane]

Anyone willing to relay thier experience with this?????

Who with??

How much?

this end
etc--etc---

[ducatijim]

To do the TAT with a like minded group. I have trolled this whole thread to see wots wot but come away still a bit confused. Are 'we' talking winter 2012 or 2013?

I would be in for 2013.( body and mind still able)

I would however, while over there, take xtra time, prolly at end of TAT to travel the rest of the continent( be rude not 2?) so off the cuff I already bring more problems than solutions as I would ship home(?) seperately.

I have a fully farkled DR650 that would be a shame not to use,( the setup of which has very sucessfully taken me thru 18000km of Australias worst so I know it works well) so I would vote for taking own bikes over as you then have a bike youre familiar with and is set up to suit.

Just my 2c worth-put me down as in.

[richyrich]

Anyone willing to relay thier experience with this?????

Who with??

How much?

this end
etc--etc---

yeah,i bought my dr 650 off ebay for 2k kitted out with rack and panniers,all i had to do was chuck on my ktm bars and bashplate and fit a larger gas tank and she was good to go.
bike -2000 usd
florida sales tax-7.5%
rego or tag-14 months 400usd
insurance (manditory) about 50usd for 2months (got pulled up by the cops and had to show insurance card)
you would need a us address for rego and insurance
bringing bike home to possibly to build a world traveller out of it or just use it for a hack

[Phreaky Phil]

To get a bike back to NZ, factor in about $1200 shipping, 15% GST and getting it Vinned and regoed. That would require a headlight lense and probably speedo. I think the vinning is several hundred.

[alane]

To get a bike back to NZ, factor in about $1200 shipping, 15% GST and getting it Vinned and regoed. That would require a headlight lense and probably speedo. I think the vinning is several hundred.

Thanks Phill.
If thats the case,I dont think I,ll be bringing anything home.