[Bob Kelly]

You have good points there ! yes the DR650 and XR650L are quite heavy in them selves.
.... in the Past I had modified a twin cylinder street bike and frequently took it down dirt roads... and it was quite capable but it is not the same as a super light 150~185lb bike in the rough.... I'ed even consider something smaller than a 250cc actually because of the weight issue.... being able to drag the bike up out of a creek in the back of beyond is very handy.... and they do not tire you out near as fast as a heavy bike will....
My 2nd bike was a Honda 90cc and I rode that little thing all through high school to and from classes and for just riding around... it really is surprising how well only 9hp will get a person around !
Yes the TW200 is a good one no doubt about that !also the XT250 Yamaha but both of these bikes are hard to get ahold of !...like the DR650 !
...to me a bike needs 3 things to be viable for every day use besides license, it needs to be capable of freeway speeds , and that is 70~80 mph , it needs to be as light as possible, and for me to be able to touch both feet flat on the ground when sitting on it.
and there is not a single bike on the plannet that is new that fit that criteria. you can find them to fit 2 but not 3 the RX4 is the closest I found to the list but it is much heavier than I thought 455 lbs would be. it has a high center of gravity... not like my 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc at all.... and it is heavier than the Triumph by 25~30 lbs
which surprised me. so for a street bike it's not bad, but it's not a trail bike by any means for me.... even lowered. so downsizing seams to be the only option.
and I could live with going slower than freeway speeds... just stay off the freeway !
if you don't keep up with traffic on the freeway you will be hit from the rear.... I've seen that happen many times !
gearing can be changed to make 70mph possible on a 250cc or 175cc but smaller than that is really not possible ( within reason)
....
And a word of warning when you adjust the preload on a CSC bike like the RX4 to get the seat height down and make it softer you will bottom out the shock I KNOW I DID that.... the RX4 has an extremally short stroke shock on it something like 2.25"
so I would be real cautious with the preload on a CSC 400. I had to MAKE a lower link for the RX4 to get it low enough for me... which I found very disturbing ... if it had had a regular shock in the rear that would not have been nessary. I've lowered every bike I've owned and I have always just adjusted the rear preload... but the RX4 and XR650L
were the only 2 I had to make lower links that were longer to lower it !
....LOL the XR650L had about 6" of ground clearance when I was done with it if you can picture that in your head.... it looked weird but rode quite nice !
....
If the Truth were told I guess I should give up riding motorcycles as I am getting too old for that stuff but I think I will ride them till the day I die as I love bikes !
...
maybe I'll get a Honda Monkey and just putt around on that..... LOL
if 2 strokes were available now I would have already gotten a 2 stroke 175 or 250
and be done trying to find one.... a 250 suzuki trials bike is the funnest machine I have ever ridden in the dirt.... they are a Kick ! .... I had one for years and loved it !
( it also melted in the Ranch fire) that ability to get the front wheel up at the twist of the throttle is a blast.... they can't be license or travel at speeds over 50 mph but they go slow the best of all bikes !
....
Bob.....