![]() The route was about 14,000 km and we rode 18,000 km to Vancouver. We did lots of turnarounds and detours in proving Ted’s initial GPS files, so time was against us a bit. Did you do many of the technical options? And, would you recommend them to a rider planning to do the whole TCAT, or can they become a trip-slowing distraction, with potential to end it all in a crash? The TCAT has a main route, and technical options. So yes, quality cold/wet gear is essential. I don’t think Labrador got over 5 degrees Celsius, and it rained most of the time. It snowed in St John’s the day we left (June 10). Should riders make temperatures a big factor in their planning? When you started the ride, you noted cold temperatures across Newfoundland/Labrador, Quebec and Ontario. ![]() We had heavy duty tubes, fat bars, bash plates, Barkbusters, etc. We paid close attention to bike set-up and spares, and daily maintenance is key. We replaced the original chains and front sprockets about two-thirds of the way across. Our bikes were purchased new in St Johns, so reliability was not an issue. We had a trade contact in Canada, who sent tires ahead upon request. For example, on the TAT ( Trans-America Trail - Larkin has also completed that journey – Ed.) we found 17-inch rear tires difficult to buy. What about bike wear parts (sprockets, brake pads, chain, etc.)? Would riders be well-advised to sort out pick-up points for consumables ahead of time? One challenge was when the distance between towns was greater than a long day’s ride, the other was due to gas not being available at the time we arrived. It is essential for ADV riders to carry snack food and water at all times anyway. There were only two nights on the entire route that we could not find motel accommodation and had to camp. How easy was it to find supplies like gas and food en route? Were there times when you thought you’d be in trouble and run out? The Yamaha WR250 proved to be a reliable TCAT mount, but the aftermarket fuel tank was an important add-on, due to distances between gas stations. Probably less than 1,000 km of the 18,000 km we rode were sealed, and we were, in a way, proving the accuracy for Ted ( TCAT master planner Ted Johnson – Ed.) of his GPS files, developed over five years, so we had lots of turnarounds, challenges and route changes in some unplanned snotty terrain, so small bikes worked well. The WR250R proved ideal, although luggage capacity was a challenge. Keith Larkin: We were the first to attempt the entire route and we were not sure what conditions we would experience, so elected for smaller bikes. How did that decision play out - how did the little bikes handle big miles? Here’s what Larkin learned along the way (we’ve edited the answers slightly, for length).Ĭanada Moto Guide: When you did the ride, quite a few people seemed surprised you did it on WR250s. Johns to Vancouver they returned in 2016 to ride the Vancouver Island section. ![]() They’re from New Zealand, and were the first group to ride the TCAT from St. In 2014, Keith Larkin ran the TCAT with his friends Bryan Donaldson and Mike Vinsen (who joined the trip in Winnipeg, riding from there until the end in BC). We’ve talked about the TCAT before ( here and here), but never yet spoken to anyone who’s actually run the route coast-to-coast. An end-to-end TCAT run isn’t just a trip, it’s an expedition. ![]() The TCAT includes muskeg, forest, prairies, the Rockies, and whatever other wilderness Canada can throw at you. The Trans Canada Adventure Trail (TCAT) might be the greatest motorcycling challenge in Canada: an adventure riding route that takes you through 15,000 kilometres of back country trails and gravel roads, from Newfoundland to British Columbia.
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