The TAT Preparation Thread-the logistical side of it

[allroadrider]

What bike are you rideing from the pictures it looks like a WR250R if so I think its a great choice
I would like to hook up with a small group in late july or august in NM to ride Colorado & Utah I am a motel camper I don't do the tent thing any more.
Also what kind of faring/dashboard do you have
Thanks
ARR

[leftystrat62]

Originally Posted by atravlr

Great reading. Is there any pics of your bike fully loaded with your bags?

Yup,stay tuned

[leftystrat62]

[IMG][/IMG]

Originally Posted by allroadrider

What bike are you rideing from the pictures it looks like a WR250R if so I think its a great choice
I would like to hook up with a small group in late july or august in NM to ride Colorado & Utah I am a motel camper I don't do the tent thing any more.
Also what kind of faring/dashboard do you have
Thanks
ARR

[IMG][/IMG]

Yup,it'd aWR250R. I've tried several packing set ups which I can show. I'm still not happy with my set up but am getting there.

[leftystrat62]

Here was my first attempt for the TAT-Too high in the back.
[IMG][/IMG]

Then I purchased a bigger tank bag & panniers,but sent them back-too cramped.
[IMG][/IMG]

I then tried the giant loop but one wasn't enough. I actually tried two on this trip but it was too cramped.

[leftystrat62]

[IMG][/IMG]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to use this set up and just add some Kriega 20 bags behind the giant loop. There certainly is a lot of stuff packed on that bike,but I need to carry everything for myself by myself for 4 season temperatures. Riding with a partner allows you to share tools,pump,tow strap,cook set,stove,fuel,first aid,etc. Later on when I show my camping gear you will see 2 items that are luxury items (pillow & chair),other than that I believe I've pared down quite a bit,but I'm open to your input.

[leftystrat62]

This is the same trip as the picture above except will ALL the rest of my gear.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG]
[/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG] The first pic shows the water bladder,the second pic shows a white tube on the left side behind the extra fuel. I made that to hold my multi fuel bottle for my stove and a device to siphon gas from my tank.
I realize there is too much stuff on my bike as pictured,but I'm not really sure what else I can leave home? Part of why I'm doing this thread- is to show some of my preparation and to get some input from you guys on ways to make it better. And please don't say if it can't all fit in the giant loop,and saddle bags then leave it home. If I've got too much -I'd like to know just what I need to leave behind.

[leftystrat62]

Also what kind of faring/dashboard do you have
Thanks
ARR[/QUOTE]

It's a Lynx fairing from Canada

[blaisew]

Here is a pic of my WRR in CO on the TAT. I used a medium Wolfman duffle, mainly because my tent poles would fit inside. Otherwise the small would have been fine I think. The medium never did get filled completely. Notice the front fender and tube bag. The fender is just not stiff enough to hold the weight IMO. The two of us with WRR's added some light tent cord suspenders to help support the weight and keep the fender from flopping up and down too much. My partner delayed this tactic and wound up with a crack in his fender that we sewed up with multiple small holes and wire lacing. Fair warning! I always kept my sandles strapped to the back, along with any unworn jacket, protection, etc. The jacket I wrapped up in a bath towel to keep it clean, and the towel was a good piece to add under my pillow when camping. This setup provided plenty of space for everything for the entire round trip.

Lefty, I guarantee you have too much stuff on your bike! All three of us on our trip made a stop early on and sent big, heavy boxes of unused gear back home. You really, really, want to cut back and make the bike as light as possible. I don't know what all you have loaded, but all of us were very comfortable from the heat of NV to the cold of CO passes, had camping gear and required tools. In retrospect there are a few things I could have omitted even yet, but not a lot.

[DockingPilot]

The camping option will double your load.
Man you fellas carry a lot of gear

TAT Utah

Colo

[blaisew]

Lefty, another item: I assume you will wear a hydration pack too, and it's a necessity. I used a Camelbak Mule and it was a very good choice. Besides plenty of water there is room for lunch and snacks, gloves for when the temp. changes, and other odds and ends that you will need on a regular basis with fast access. My pack wound up being fairly heavy, and the other guys wondered how I wore it all day, but it was really no problem at all. Don't leave home without one!

Docking Pilot has it right! One can make this a camping trip if desired, and I caught a lot of crap for preferring a motel when available, but leaving the camping gear at home would have made a lot of the route much more pleasant. 'Makes picking up the bike so much easier too! There were a few places though where we had to camp because rooms were not available, at all. A good choice if leaving all the camping gear would be to bring a light weight bag and inflatable pad, like a Neo Air (size of two fists), and a tarp for when and if you get stuck out. Or a bivy bag. If your budget allows, the motel route makes the trip very comfortable. Of course, when I was younger, camping the hard ground was just not an issue at all, but at this advanced age.......

[DockingPilot]

[QUOTE=blaisew;20313801 Of course, when I was younger, camping the hard ground was just not an issue at all, but at this advanced age.......[/QUOTE]

I hear ya brother !

I planned the route out the same as BigDog, in day stops, which I rarely do, but did this trip. It allowed us to know what motel we would be in that night and secure the rooms. It was easy.
I remember my friend calling the motel out in Baker Nevada. Ring....ring...
"Hello"
"yes I would like to make a reservation"

...................................
silence............................
.....................................
"you want to make a reservation here" ? "what do you think, this is Disney World" ? "There is nobody out here, just show up"

[One Less Harley]

If you have the safari tank on the WR then leave the extra fuel tank at home, you won't need it. Plus get rid of the bungee net, those will drop your items, bungee, nylon straps are better.

Carry two chain links and not one, plus a chain press. you can carry a voltage inverter to charge while ridding. Loose one or two pairs of gloves, better yet loose three pairs and add heated grips.

Try not to be redundant on clothing, If you go later int he year, I'd suggest loosing the heated gear, use the Klim with a fleece (you can wear the fleece around the camp site and be warm). For clothing, try and wash socks and underwear daily or every other day, that will keep packing less. Check out my clothing list below in link.

Klim padded shorts, leave them too and add hip armor to the ridding pants, like the aero stich foam type, sew vecro attachment points in your ridding pants. I think Ken did this to his. Reason being, those shorts are hot. I'm a big fan of good hip protection.

Astericks braces are bulky but worth it IMHO, not too bad unless you have to crouch or walk a long way in difficult terrain. I wore mine for 4 weeks, sometimes akward, but I was surprised the amount of support they offer, after crashing and being hit in the thigh by a rock.

With the camel back you won't need the extra water from the bladder till Utah, just in Black dragon/ eagle canyon, then Nevada.

Killer loop bag and a duffel, look at getting rid of the killer loop and use just a duffel.

Here's two WR's and one DRZ fully camp loaded.





DRZ

[DockingPilot]

Yea, dump all that stuff. Way too much. But here is where I differ my opinion with OneLess, and that doesnt mean I'm right.

Take your riding shirt, whatever it may be, say a Under Armour, and jacket, then just take a Gerbing liner. It has a wide range of warmth comfort. Leave all the layering home.

[One Less Harley]

my bike won't run the heated liner....plus I had a head light cut off switch when running the heated grips....

You might want a way to monitor the charging system. This one is great

[Mini Trail]

Unless you are planning to spend a lot of time and explore the areas really well as you travel, you have way too many clothes.

Your full time job on this trip will be to ride 6-8 hours per day. You are going to be filthy within 1/2 hour of leaving every morning. You are going to be tired and filthy when you get done in the afternoon. Once you get out of Mississippi no one will look twice at you when you walk into their restaurant covered in dust wearing unbuckled MX boots and jogging shorts.

I carry one pair of socks, one jersy and one pair underwear per day and I change those every day because it makes me feel clean. The guys that were on the last trip didn't change anything in the first 5 days.

You need one pair of pants for the trip don't bother trying to wash them on the road. I like the kind that you can zip off the leg bottoms. I carry a pair of lightweight shorts for hanging around or going to campsite wash rooms.

You aren't going to be playing basketball, you won't need the tennis shoes. I bring a pair of flip flops to wear around camp or to a restaurant if we go somewhere.

The weather changes a lot during the day, it will start and end cold and be hot in the middle. You aren't going to want to stop and dig through bags to pull out the perfect clothes.

You need a riding jacket that you can take off if it is too hot, put on when it isn't and put a liner in for the mornings or when crossing the passes.

Two pair of gloves is plenty.


The typical breakfast is granola and jerky. You will be stopping at gas stations every 3 hours. You can clean up there and get water (fill your camel back out of the soda dispenser don't buy bottled water) and it is really hard to pass up eating lunch at these establishments that sell hot food. You only need enough cooking stuff to heat up a can at night. I do like to percolate coffee in the morning.

If you are doing the whole three weeks, the weather will eventually force you into a motel. Go ahead and budget for a couple of nights. It will be a luxury that you will appreciate plus you'll get a chance to spread all your shit out, wash it and wish you hadn't brought so much.


You can't bring enough tools.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=839776

The hand pump is all you need in that department. Do you have practice dealing with those mouses? Check your wheel bearings before you leave.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=839776