2007 - Vintage TAT Ride - OK, NM, CO

Quick History, this project started last year beginning with Dman and Vinnie the Snake deciding to attempt the TAT on Vintage 1975 DT400's. As the year progressed the final group turned out to be 5 Vintage Bikes, All Yahama's

Dman - Idaho - 1975 DT400B
Makotosun - Washington - 1975 DT400B
Motoguy - Oregon - 1973 RT3 360
Jjres - Flordia - 1971 RT1 360
Vinnie the Snake (baoktiger) - Oklahoma 1976 DT400C

Day 1

After all the guys traveled long distances to Broken Arrow, OK to begin the Vintage 2007 TAT Ride, we spent Friday getting to know each other, since none of us had ever met. Check out this web site for more details from Mako's daily update and some background history to the ride. Vintage Yamaha Ride Index

Worked on the bikes had a little food and got ready for the ride.


Mako and Jjres "Wedat did you say we were going to friggen do?


A little preride work, as we don't know if all or any of these old bike will make Monticello, Ut.


More Day 1 to come

The story with pics will come.

Quick hot items before some needed rest.

Saturday TAT took a toll on Motoguy and Makosun, both worked on the bikes well into the night to keep going. One blown piston and one fatigued old bike.

Sunday - Two of the DT400's blew motors and Motoguys 360 went down

My Dt400C is still going and Jjres's RT1 360 is still on the fly, Dman lost his motor today but is on the Backup Honda 650L

Ride for the day, sum it up, MUD MUD MUD and then some MUD. 4 hours we made on mile with all the bikes and riders on our arses at once.

I had to ride thru a Wheat Field for about a half mile to get out of the mud road and back to a place where we could stand up.


Will post pics and report later, just wanted to check in.

Wish we could have met up when you came through Salida. Now I know why I didn't hear from you.

I just rode through north-eastern Colorado, and Western Nebraska on dirt to the Black Hills- lots of mud out there too. It's been a wet year for the plains.

Get it on guys, I'm ready for the reports and pics. Ex DT2 owner here, one of the funest bikes I ever had out of the 24 or so I've had.

You guys are lucky I don't have my Hodaka Combat Wombat-----you'd a had to help me push it most of the way---you could spit in front of that bike and drowned it out
​

I'm lovin' this story !!

GREAT DAY! Made up for lost time did the 300 mile day and got from Alva, OK to Boise City, Ok.

Net connect is killer slow, cant get any pics. Report to come.

Should be in Salida on Wed Night, Plan on getting a hold of you when we get to town. Will be finding a place there to stay.

See you then!

Now this ride has ADVENTURE written all over it!!!

Harry

Day one finished with all getting ready for the upcoming ride. I can tell you watching these guys who I had never met, was like watching a cross between Animal House and Mechanics 101.

Boss (Mrs Vinnie the Snake) is an unbelievable chick. Last year with about 2 minutes notice the RoadLessTraveledMovie.Com group showed up and camped out in her pad for about 3 days. By the way check out the www.RoadLessTraveledMovie.com and check the new trailer.

Back to the story, anyway she allowed me to put these motocycle riders and one wife (Joe's) up at the house and cook for all of us. Thanks babe, you rock.

The night ended with a great meal of all the participants, and the final pic before our Road Less Traveled adventure started. If we only knew what the hell was coming.

Left to Right - Dman (Dave), Vinnie (Vance), Makotosun (Gary), Motoguy (Mark) and Jgres (Joe "the I rode my RT1 360 from Seattle to Flordia")

Hey Vance sounds like you are having a ball, have you got out of Oklahoma yet?????

Vintage bikes or riders? I am and ride them too.

Kool idea for putting old rice steamers back to work.. Screw the newer iron!

Hell, you got my juices flowing.. I'll just fix up the Bultaco Pursang 250 to match the one I had in 1976, dig up my decaying time capsule riding gear and ride off into a mutli-state mudbog !



EXCELLENT start guys



I'm looking forward to more of this "How To" guide for the practical application of retired iron.

The day started with much excitement. The ride ahead, the old bikes under the back side, the not knowing the abilities of any of the riders, and most of all what the hell are we trying to do on 30 plus year old machines.

Kickstands up at 8:00 am on Saturday morning as planned. Everyone one loaded and ready.




Off we go to intercept the TAT near Pryor, Ok. Bikes start up, kisses by to the wife and kids, and off we go.

9 miles into the ride Motoguy pulls off with no power. Short interuption of progress while we wait at the next turn for the report. Makotosun calls on the radio that they are loading the RT3 360 on the chase truck and Motoguy will ride the truck to Blackwell, Ok our destination of the day. Mako makes his way on up to catch the group and off we go.

Here I sit, 9 miles into the ride and we already down by one bike. The chase truck was brought along just for this so plan is go. All is good!

Jgres pulls up along side to let me know this is going to be a cool thing to do and to say hello.


The ride progresses with all remaining bikes ticking along and supporting the need for smog regualtions as we destroyed all the insect life within a quarter mile of the group. Dust is normally a good source of location, in our case just look for the Yahamalube puking out the pipes of past.







Then we find the water crossing I have been waiting for. I saw it was deep and all the others needed to lead so I felt this may be a great photo op.

I watched as Dman and Jgres worked out the path of progress which lead to Jgress passing with class and Dman bouncing off both sides of the road ditch, climbing a tree and finally stopping with a few great words of wisdom. I missed my photo as I fell off the bike laughing but he did make it.


Mako and Dman working on across the crossing. Dman is nose first in the water but working it out. Great show for sure to watch.


After we all made it across we progressed onward to the Tall Grass Prairie and a rest stop from the water hell hole.

Mako thinking what the hell did I get into?


More of day 1 later

Made Salida, Co last night, DT400C and the RT1 360 Still chugging away, as Jgres said at every stop "we working the piss out of these things".

Driving thru Salida I saw a bike parked in town I had seen so many times here on the site, whipped over. YEP, Hayduke is near there is the bike, so I prowled around and found him. Quick conversation, hand shake, picture (to be posted when I get the report going) and we had to continue. Thenks for the few minutes and I wll be back an ride for sure.

Heading to Lake City today, got the Contential Divide to cross. North TAT route is snowed in. Marshall Pass is open but Hayduke advised that road was washed out on the West Slope and impassible. Plan is to attempt Marshall and if we can not make it come back and go over Monarch as a last resort.

Need some luck today. Later

Good Luck!

Thanks for stopping by and showing me those sweet vintage bikes- You guys have them set up nicely for such an epic trip. And damn, they're loud!

It was nice to meet you guys- next time you're in the area, lets RIDE!