[Thumper]

There are a few "light" adventure tour bikes, but they are kind of on the heavy side, and they are expensive. Most of them are pavement oriented:

-BMW G 310 GS 386 lbs (full tank), $6000, road oriented tires, barely dual sport (definitely pavement oriented tires)

-2022 Honda CRF300L Rally 330 lbs (curb weight) $6200, dual sport tires (knobby-ish)

-Kawasaki Versys-X 300 386 lbs (dry weight), $5900 ($6200 with ABS) dual sport tires (pavement oriented)

-KTM 390 Adventure 387 lbs (wet weight), dual sport tires $6800 dual sport tires

-CSC RX4 Adventure 450 lbs (wet weight), $5000 dual sport tires

Contrasting lighter 250cc bikes that weigh 100lbs less, smaller engines, less comfortable on the road These bikes weigh about 280 lbs and make ~20hp:

Lifan KPX 250 $3200 dual sport (pavement oriented, EFI aspirated)

Zuumav Templar X $1900, DOT rated knobbies with a strong rack with mounting positions for side racks (off-road capable as is, carbureted). This thread is supposed to be about the Templar X build quality and assembly. Lots of info on the first couple of pages of in this thread.

The reality is that only the KTM advertises their bike as off-road capable (well, Honda too). Pictures include real off-road situations, not just "dirt roads"!! But some people don't want to go on the trails, so these bikes are fine for forest service roads, and such. The exceptions are those that have the wrong tires!

The KTM is the most powerful of the bunch without added weight penalty. The others always show them getting ridden in mountain twisty roads or along highway 101 (with the ocean in the horizon!). Adventure touring CAN include off road riding, but not for an older rider like me !! You must be nimble and strong, and able to lift that 400lbs back up if/WHEN you go down on the trail. The Honda is lighter than most, and a true contender for tractable off-road use.

The Lifan KPX and Templar X are more in the "dual sports" category. KPX is shod with mild pavement oriented dual sports tires and has pretty tall seat height, while Templar is more of an enduro frame/suspension, and the tallest of the bunch at 36" seat height. But it is also the easiest to ride off road, while still having lighting to get registered for the road (but technically not a road bike). Templar may not be registered in all States, though most of us have had no issues.