Jacks,
Your list would do for me as well But, we don't know enough about you!! What you really, really like, what compromises you are prepared to make, how much you want to spend, how much riding you have done, on what and where - you get the idea.
Any one of your criteria goes off into multiple sub-points; for one, "reasonable fuel economy" is way better than 50 MPG (UK gallon) nowadays for EFI and you can't buy a new bike in the UK nowadays that does not have FI + a cat converter etc. Hence you are not going to get a good DR650 in the UK unless you are very lucky and wait for ever for it to come up for sale. Even then the asking price may be silly money because of the rarity factor - check out what some people are asking for Africa Twins and then see what you can get for the same money in later models of bikes that are not so hyped.

When you have found this elusive bike that scratches all the itches I would like to know about it!

It did not take too long for the "twin Vs single" list of bikes to appear, so just to widen things a bit more, check out the Kawasaki KLE, 650 or the earlier 500 (also known as the Versys).
You probably know that there is a lot of information in all sorts of threads about all the bikes named here; technical stuff, fuel ranges, modifications, comparisons of one bike with another, or one bike with multi-others, it seems endless.

Just for another single to consider, have a look for information about the Royal Enfield 500 single for a contrast with all of the other bikes listed, so far.

Good luck,

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Dave

Exactly the same thing with the Africa Twins in my country – the sellers have apparently fallen in love with them or something (then why are they selling in the first place??!)....

For me, the DL650 does just about everything that the AT did. It might lose out a tiny bit on off-road capability, but both are still very heavy (AND top-heavy!!)... but then it returns much better fuel economy, the Honda was thirsty especially on the highways, carries weight even better, and has more punch, better headlights, and ABS for road-riding. And in reality it can be maintained do-it-yourself just as well, even though it´s EFI. (....I´ve NEVER had a serious problem with EFI in my cars or bikes during the ~20 years of use, but with the caruburetors, I often seemed to have some need for tweaking. Carbs are easier to work on, though - but there´s no going back for me).

It´s ridiculous, that you´d have to pay almost the same for DL650 than you´d pay for a 10+ years old AT (...even though I still love the Honda, but progress has gone by years ago!)

You Blokes who mentioned BMW's it is only a matter of time before Ted finds this thread & when he does you will be in BIG TROUBLE !!!! LOL

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....rather Die Living.....than Live Dying !
www.globetrekkers.net.au

Actually I ride a BMW, but I to would recommend a DR650 they are my favourite bike, just save for a corbin seat or a air hawk. Also if you are doing long days try and weld some hi-way pegs on your engine guards, I did this to mine and it sure helps on those long days.
Paul

__________________
....rather Die Living.....than Live Dying !
www.globetrekkers.net.au

Triumph Bonneville: Like a BMW airhead but without 20 years of previous owners bodges and probably cheaper when bought on E-bay. FI or carbs, your choice.

You could also thrown in numerous other road bikes with tyre sizes that'll take a knobbly/semi knobbly, so Kawasaki W800's etc. Ted Simon rode RTW on a road shaped bike, who needs a MX machine with a MX seat after 35 years of busy tarmacing.

Andy

Yeh.... Can't argue with Andy on that one !!!! I kinda regret not taking my Bonny with me !!

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....rather Die Living.....than Live Dying !
www.globetrekkers.net.au

I second the comments of looking at a DR650. We've got 2 of them and met several on the road as well. Cheap to purchase and set up and easy to maintain on the road.

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Central America, South America & Africa on DR650's - BLOG

i dont want to hijack the thread but I'm looking at a Bonnie myself, not for overlanding but for every day commuting and the occasional trip away. I only have minimal experience on scooters and small 250 cc bikes to this point. Just wandering if the Bonnie would be too big a jump in size/power or should I get some experience on something a bit smaller first?

Cheers,

James

That is too funny PaulD
(I too have a 650GS in the garage).

It reminds me that we have yet to hear from the XT600 aficiados about how rough and tough they are and how they will last a life time and cost only a few quid (but as for the DR650, in the UK at least, if you can find one that is not knackered).

Doesn' feel like a thread hijack to me; at least not as much as some of those that occur in the HUBB.
The Bonnie has low seat height and is an overall more manageable looking bike compared with some of the behemoths on offer today; so that might be of interest to Jacks or anyone who wants a bike seat height that is not intimidating to the rider, especially for those of shorter leg length.

Another aspect of engine layout for the twins is that the most modern designs are leaning toward parallel twins, presumably for simpler, and therefore cheaper, manufacturing/assembly costs - but they should be simpler to maintain compared with V twin engines.
Jacks,
An exception to the above are the Moto Guzzis

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Dave