Day 2: Two Honda Trail CT125's take on the Smokey Mountain 500 to prep for the Trans America Trail

"We've got a long way to go and need a long time to get there..."

Day 2 - Telico Plains to Suches
170ish miles and 10 hours

What a day! The route continues to be incredible around every turn. Today was much more technical and challenging than day 1. The weather was great and no major mishaps.

0:00 Intro
1:35 Riding
3:24 More Riding
5:02 Riding the spine of a mountain
8:28 Shakedown Talk
12:24 More Riding
19:34 Mill Creek Overlook & "Rock Garden"
30:42 Rock Garden Recap
35:02 More Riding
36:02 Wrap Up

John's Ride Report:

Info on the Smokey Mountain 500

Cherohala Mountain Trails Campground

Affiliate Links to Gear

[otdvrif]

this bike is changing the way I view motorcycling and this video is just what I want to be doing

[garysouthwell]

Love your understated comments about how gnarly the track was!!!! You'ld make an Aussie Proud!!!

[findingneutral]

Awesome terrain. Where we all wish we could go ride. Love you guys are keeping the bikes stock 100%. A true test of the Trail125.

[mrgold]

Long time enduro/woods racer here. Don't look too long at objects in your line. It's kinda a weird phenomenon, but the longer you look at the object, the more you will be drawn to it. Take a quick glance at it and adjust accordingly. Stare at it too long and you WILL hit it.

[gregnutter]

Great video. I had a bike just like that when I was 12. Im 63 now. Mine was a 110. Lots of good memories made with this bike. Thanks for the video.

[raywite]

All the rave about GSs and this is what would be absolute fun. These were to go to run around in the 60s .

[devonshire]

Thank you so very much for putting this YouTube post together. Love the ride, choice of motorbike and music. I really needed that serene feeling you added with the music. I also enjoyed the Ed March reference because after all he's been a big part of why this style of riding has become so popular. No BMW's in my future, I will be looking into getting one of those sweet Honda 125's.

You guys are legends for sharing this as they say down under...thanks again !!!

[sman]

So jealous!!! I’ve had mine since January and all I’ve done is ride it around my cookie cutter neighborhood here in Florida. Beautiful ride!

[marcoluoma]

Thanks for another great video. The videography is top notch, and the informative yet low-key commentary is just right.

[veiledallegory]

Words of advice for when you do the TAT, do not set a goal for the day. Just wait and find a place when you get tired. If you set a fixed agenda, you will be rushing through and will miss the ride. When I plan a trip, I pick the direction I’m going to go and see how far I make it before needing to head back home. If it’s an out and back I start heading back a day earlier than half way! For example on a 30 day trip I would turn around on day 14.

[bookooc]

Living in GA, I have spent a lot of time riding around Suches. TWO Wheels is a very popular place to stop, or camp.

[Propelled]

I sure wish they’d put the low range transmission back on these.

That aside, riding a small bike into the rough sure seems more fun than a big heavy one!

[GiorgosC-rpms]

i need a relaxing and fun trip away like that, im in indiana i wish i was closer

[mikeandrews]

"Is my saw going to come in handy ?! " 😳 .... Awesome witty sarcasm at it's best!!! 👍😂🤣

[wheeliewadethiesen]

This just came up for me I got to get back to work I’m going to have to watch this later, looks like you did a good job editing beautiful scenery you need to come back around the First week in November when the leaves are at peak. I moved down here six years ago from Northwest Indiana so most of the ground you’re covering i have road I don’t have GPS or a phone signal and ride alone most of the time so I’ve got lost on a lot of these mountain roads but now I’m getting pretty familiar with them, I’ll check out the video later thanks for posting👍🏻

[John-rwzf]

Thank you very much for that fun ride. The CT125 is a great bike. I think you guys pushed the upper limits of those bikes on those rocky off road sections. I know they are well built bikes but would not want to see you crack a frame tube or pop a fork seal or something like that. Especially out in the middle of nowhere. I would have taken the same basic ride but stuck to the county blacktop. Very well done. Thanks again.

[glizbane]

I just watched your first video in this series earlier tonight, and now I'm watching this one. I've made up my mind. I'm buying a CT125 and I'm going to ride the Smoky Mountain 500. I live all the way in California, so it'll be a hell of a ride just to get out there, but this is absolutely something that I need to do at some point in my life.

[JohnSmith-uysv]

Excellent video. Found this from watching Itchy boots. I have no idea what this smokey mountians 500 is about. You should have all your battery equipment being charged off of the bike so it never goes dead. I started on this on first. Now I will have to watch number one. I would love to do this at my old age. I miss this type of riding. thanks.😁🤪

[MrCaptainCrazy]

Hell yeah!!! Love small off road bikes! Looks like fun!!!

[LibertyEver]

Loving this, and your TAT trip. Thanks for posting the videos. I'm thinking very seriously about doing the Smokey Mountain 500, maybe in a month, but before the cool rainy fall weather settles in. I'm in central Kentucky, so I have a day of back roads on the way down and again on the way back, so it's a five day trip for me. It lools ideal for an old man adventure on my G310GS.