I rode the TAT through from Ripley, WV to Port Orford, OR last year over 10 weeks on a Kawasaki KLX 250
I can't speak enough to how awesome the experience was. A solid half the time I stopped for gas or to eat, I'd come out to my bike to someone sitting there waiting to chat about trips and adventures or just ask what I was doing. It was an eye opening experience to just how many awesome conversations I could have had, had I just stopped and waited when I saw some interesting car or bike at a gas station.
It was both incredibly physically demanding while being relatively safe. I know most probably do it on ADV bikes, but I felt my dual-sport was perfect.