Trans America Trail, a system of ADV tracks leading from the East Coast all the way to Oregon, is a classic bucket list item for many adventure riders. We rode it the other way - West Coast to New York - but whichever way you do it, make sure you're up to the task!
A five-thousand mile stretch across the continent on back country roads, off-road ADV tracks and mountain passes can sound like a daunting task, but with the right preparation and attitude, it can be a dream ride.
So what’s it really like to ride the TAT? Read on to find out what skill level, budget, packing list, and luggage you need to make the TAT prep as easy and as painless as possible.
Skill level
This year was my first riding season on a “big bike” – I’d never ridden anything bigger than 250cc off-road, so when my partner Paul and I began planning the TAT, I felt a little antsy.
Thankfully, an opportunity arose to attend a two-day off-road training event in Santa Fe, New Mexico before we left. This was a beginner’s off-road riding course with West 38 Moto, but it had helped me tremendously: I learned a lot about balance and finesse as well as how to pick my lines and blip the throttle over small obstacles. Was I 100% ready for the TAT? Probably not, but both confidence and skill increased as I went along.
I’m a fairly new rider (I learned to ride in 2013), but I didn’t find the TAT challenging beyond my capabilities. My favorite part, New Mexico, was a little sandy; I remember dumping my bike on rocky steps somewhere in Arizona, and a few other offs on Colorado passes, but these weren’t crashes or accidents – merely a couple of miscalculated dismounts at slow speeds. Any adventure riders who have been riding for at least a year should complete the TAT fairly easily.
I’m not an off-road riding instructor, and I would highly recommend talking to one if you’re unsure about your skill level. Personally, however, I found the TAT being just right – at times, easy enough to just cruise along enjoying the scenery, and at times a little challenging. If you can handle a bit of dirt and mud, you’re good to go!
Insider tip:
- Plan ahead. Research online forums (advrider.com is an especially useful resource), browse other adventure riders’ images and ride reports, and if you feel that some sections may be too difficult for you, just skip them or find an alternative route.
- Don’t like sand? Go and train in sand. Hate bulldust? Go and practice in bulldust. Mud puts you off? Get some lessons on muddy tracks. People fear what they don’t know – so get familiar with your anxieties and tackle them by getting your wheels dirty!
TAT Budget
How much money do you need to ride the TAT? There are many variables: how much time do you have; where do you want to stay; how much are you willing to spend on restaurant dinners and beers?
We did the TAT in three months and our daily budget was $54 for both of us on two bikes, including absolutely everything: fuel, food, lodging, two sets of tires, two oil changes, two new tire tubes (when you enter Kansas, beware - back country roads are littered with old rusty nails!) and a few beers here and there. So, our entire TAT adventure for three months cost us $4,800 (again that’s a total for both of us with two bikes).
Can this amount be smaller or bigger? Sure thing. We camped a lot – and by a lot, I mean 4-5 days out of the week; in the West, we also wild-camped a lot because it was incredibly easy. In the East, starting somewhere in Tennessee, camping became scarcer and scarcer because most of the land is private, so we either stayed with friends or hospitable advrider.com folk. Most of the time, we cooked our own meals (my entire left pannier is filled with kitchenware and food) and only had celebratory beers every few states.
We also did the TAT at a very leisurely pace. It can be done much faster, and it can also be done much slower: it’s all about priorities. As a general rule, though, the slower you go, the less you spend.
Insider tip:
- Carry your tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad with you even if you don’t plan to camp. Sometimes, especially in the West, you may miscalculate distances, speed or your skill, and end up having to stay at expensive hotels if you haven’t reached your goal. Being flexible and having an option to just camp anywhere if need be can save you a lot of cash!
Packing for the TAT
“One (wo)man’s heaven is another (wo)man’s hell” – Anonymous wisdom on ADV Rider.
Truer words have never been spoken. Some adventure riders just need that camping chair, those hiking boots and that extra jacket – and that’s ok. Pack whatever you need for optimal comfort: after all, this is your adventure.
We had minimalistic packing goals because we wanted to keep the bikes as light as possible. For some strange reason, the more you travel, the less stuff you need. We carried camping and cooking gear, waterproofs for rainy days, a few pairs of socks and undies each, a few t-shirts, thermals, long johns, a sweatshirt each, toiletries, spare tubes, tools, laptops and cameras. Paul had some little more tools, I had our food and first-aid kit. I also packed a few more thermals because I’m always freezing. That’s about it. Don’t try to pack for every eventuality, because it’s impossible to be prepared for absolutely everything.
Insider tip:
There are shops everywhere. No, seriously: leave that extra t-shirt and that spare tire at home. If you absolutely need it on the road, you’ll just buy it on the road or get Amazon or eBay to ship it to you next address. It really is that simple.
The lighter, the better. Even if you’re a Dakar-level rider, the lighter your bike, the more enjoyable the ride – so pack less for more fun!
Bike Choice
The TAT can be done on any adventure motorcycle. Literally any dual sport bike will do: anything from a WR250 to fully loaded BMW GS 1200 is perfectly capable of completing the TAT.
Personally, I wouldn’t enjoy the harder off-road sections much if I was on a heavy behemoth bike, but that’s just my personal preference. I was very happy with my Suzuki DR 650 on the TAT – it’s light but surefooted, steady but nimble, and although I’d want more torque and more power on steep, rocky inclines and maybe a little more speed on pavement, for me, the DR650 is the best dual sport there is (especially because I can’t afford the new Africa Twin!).
But don’t choose a bike just because someone tells you it’s the best fit. Only you can make that decision – so ride whatever makes your heart sing!
Insider tip:
If you’re not sure whether your bike is the right choice for the TAT, test it on a smaller trip: just go moto camping for the weekend, and see how you feel. If you’re still unsure, book a one-off off-road lesson. The more confident you feel, the more fun you have on the ride!
Photos by rtwPaul.
