Taking South America as an example where off roading is pretty simple generally. With most of it on the gringo trails being gravels roads. However, there are bits where is plain sucks to be big and heavy. Usually you won't see big twins there much or those guys end up telling horror stories. Add to that large heavy luggage setups and it becomes worse. To me I can't see the point in taking a DR with its lightweight and adding heaps of weight unnecessarily which can be avoided with a bit of creativity and imagination.
Seeing as a picture tells a thousand words I'll throw in a few more. This picture was taken at the start of a river bed which became narrower with the rocks lager halfway up the shin. We ended up having to walk next to the bike through this where is was difficult to walk even. Ended up having to turn around with oncoming rain running out of ground clearance. The weight was to much to balance. That just sucks having to do that when we would have been able to manage without all that crap bolted on. We ride through that type of terrain at home all the time just fine. And it's become my benchmark for future setups.
This is the bolivian altiplano national park just near the guest house at lago colorado. Not at all the deepest wheel track but again a struggle on a bike weighing a bit under 300kg. This is just after my Mrs hit the edge of the wheel track losing her front end. There is just no correcting that with that weight. Got her leg stuck under the pannier with no way of getting out from under it. Luckily she wore cross boots. Not even a bruise but she did have a sore leg for days. I'm not saying that you can't tackle this with a big twin and panniers. We met a DL1000 on this track. But it just about sucks and every one ends up having a horror story or a winge about it when it should be an absolute highlight which it was for me. Not so much for the Mrs with less body weight and off road experience struggling in particular when the tracks cross others. It doesn't look like much on a picture but if you don't ride this terrain at home you'll struggle. Guaranteed. A friend who does ride this at home high sided at speed on an 990 there at a section with crossing tracks. You're meant to punch through at some speed, but there is always a risk. This section is at about 5000m altitude and breathing is a struggle. I want to do that ride with a 450 one day. 
Either way, each to their own. But can we maybe start agreeing that hard luggage security is a myth? 
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