Making a Dakar more like a F650GS
 

I own a Dakar, and to help it handle better for the kind of riding I do I switched out the 21 inch front tire for a 19. That notably improved its handling, especially on the twisty roads I like to ride. If I rode mostly dirt trails I would use the 21 rim, but for 90+% pavement I felt the 19 was a better overall choice for me.

YZ fork swap?
 

I had a similar concerns about the off-road capabilities of my 2001 F650GS. I swapped the front end for a 2004 YZ-250 front end (switched springs to .52 springs).

21" wheel made finding dirt tires a little easier and overall I have gotten significant off-road improvement with minimal loss of road capabilities.

If you have ABS you would have to give it up or get one of the setups that some have used here: Yamaha forks on a BMW F650GS Dakar - ADVrider