Being the owner of a 2007 990, I can say that you should be versed in mechanical know how. A well serviced and maintained 990 is very reliable and if you do the work yourself you will save thousands over the years.
If you intend to slog through mud and rocks, a lighter bike is recommended. At almost 600 pounds wet with panniers, it can be a massive endeavor to free it from a bad situation by yourself.
However, the fun meter is off the charts, particularly when your on dirt above 5000 RPM.
I have the 990 for long trips on mild rocky two runt to fully graded dirt highways and slab, and I use my XR650L for the more technical stuff in which a lighter bike is needed.
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