Wondering about the BB351 kit today... has anyone attempted and finished the Trans America Trail (TAT) on a BB351 modified KLX?

 

My son and I just did MS, AR, OK, and NM sections of the TAT. Rode the bikes to the start in MS then back home to Houston from NM. His is an 06 mines a 12 both still using stock top end (250cc). Sorry not an answer to your question but the only problems we had mechanical wise were one flat, fixed it with slime. A leaking fuel line on my son's bike, five minute repair. Other than that bikes ran great and then there was the mud in western OK. Lots and lots of mud.

 

THere are other threads on here about people doing it on stock 250cc cylinders. I'm not looking for more data there. We know the stock config is bulletproof.

I am interested to know if anyone completed the tat on a BB351 kit. If you have, or if you know of anyone how has can you point me to their ride report?

 

I haven't done the TAT, but I do have a Bill Blue 351 kit in my 06 klx. I've been building this bike for quite some time and will eventually one day do the TAT with it. If the stock 250 cc bore is able to do the TAT then having an extra 101 cc's should make it even easier. I installed the BB351 kit in my klx several years ago and haven't had a single issue with it. The reliability of it has been talked about many times over on advrider:

The Amazing KLX351 | Adventure Rider

If you feel the need for extra power the 351 big bore is probably the best bang for the buck.

 

I was just going to link to that. That KLX351 is bullet proof. It's impossibly reliable when installed properly.

The TAT isn't exactly the most demanding route in the world. I know a couple of people that have done it, and while there may be challenging parts to it, it's not particularly punishing.

I am sure that a lot of bikes on this list get put through a lot worse in the form of high speed commuting or, like my bike, continual enduro like rough stuff. After all, if you can do it on a Transalp or a GS how hard can it be?

From the TAT website:

"This motorcycle adventure across America on the Trans-America Trail is NOT a single-track tight woods ride. It is a route using dirt roads, gravel roads, jeep roads, forest roads and farm roads. Dropping down into dried-up creek beds. Riding atop abandoned railroad grades. There are sections of mud, sand, snow and rocks… it’s all of the above, but it’s for the Dual-Sport Rider."

So, it's not exactly like you're in Borneo here. Much of the time I am sure that AAA towing or whatever the AMA equivalent is could reach you. I know you don't want to have a break down, but it's not really dangerous if you do. I ran into a couple of guys on KLRs on top of a an active volcano in Columbia in the 1990s. That's a place and time you didn't want to break down.

Most of this will likely be medium speed cruising that will be low stress for a bike like the KLX351. There's no reason it should be any harder on the bike than routine use. In fact, it may be easier on engine components.