Everyone I've met doing RTW or long trips on 250cc bikes have never said they wished they'd taken a heavier, more powerful bike, but many I've met on big bikes told me they'd wished they had taken something lighter. It's a shame that no one will make a proper RTW bike, I guess if we all chipped in here it would end up looking kinda like a moto version of that car Homer Simpson makes for his long lost brother.

My question remains, how long were those on the 250cc bikes traveling for? I've actually got a Honda CRF250L, and if I took a year off work to travel around the world that is the bike I would take, absolutely. And I wouldn't go near a major highway if I could possibly avoid it.

But in reality, my trips are likely to be a month, two months, maybe three if I'm lucky. Ok, I could see the world one country at a time on a 250cc bike and keep flying home, but as I've said before, I like the experience of traveling long distances on a trip... there's something I like about continent crossing. While I do like to see things along the way and don't want to do a world record attempt, I'm also ok with not having seen every single thing there is to see in a country as I ride through it.

This necessitates some high-mileage highway days, there is just no avoiding it. And honestly, I would rather pick up a 500lbs bike 3 times a day than ride 700 miles on a highway on my CRF250L, I really would. Don't get my wrong, great bike... but not built for highways. Also, at highway speeds the fuel economy drops off alarmingly, and the tank is tiny so you'd need an aftermarket tank.

It's like I keep saying, horses for courses. I don't think anyone disputes that the answer to the question of "I'm taking a year to ride around the world solo. What bike should I take?" is "a 250cc single." But many riders are asking a different question, which is "I want to travel a great distance over a couple of months. I'll mainly be riding on paved roads, but very occasionally I'll be riding on gravel. What bike should I take?" And from the reviews I've read it sounds like the Africa Twin could be a worthy answer to that question.

Very thoughtful comments from someone who's been out there, done it and thought about it a lot.
Couple thoughts:
First off, I agree the Africa Twin is likely to be a GREAT travel bike for what you've described. But since you're doing 1 month to 3 month trips, seems to me you could pick and choose THE RIGHT BIKE for the region you intend to cover

More off road or small, slower roads? Your CRF250L perhaps? Or if a fair mix of Off road/On road, then maybe go up a class to 450's? Or even 650cc class.

For mostly On Road travel I have hope the Africa Twin will do well, but may be even BETTER bikes for "mostly pavement" rides, consider: BMW GS, Vstrom, Aprilia Capo Nord, Yamaha Tenere 1200, Ducati Multistrada, various big KTMs. (1050, 1290, 800?), Kawi Versys 1000.

Regards your willingness to pick up a heavy bike 3 times a day ... may be more too it. When you fall you always risk having that lump fall on your leg, ankle, foot. Seen in in person many times. Not pretty. The other Wild Card is damage to bike. Some bikes crash well, some do not. Bikes like your CRF250L
or my DR650, both can hit the ground and rarely sustain serious damage.

But try that with a Vstrom, Multistrada or Capo Nord. We don't know how the Africa Twin will survive a crash, from the looks I say "pretty good". The Motorcyclist guy, Ari Henning, nearly bought it in the video, nearly high sided at 70 or 80 mph riding desert tracks. How would the bike survive a crash at that speed. I'm betting young Ari shit himself on that one!

Your "Horses For Courses" comment, to me, is SPOT ON.
And this is why I'd consider a different bike for every trip. Buy and prep for a certain region. Do trip, sell off bike. Next up, do it all again, perhaps change bikes ... or?
Just a few of mine going back to the 90's, mostly in Mexico, USA and Canada. All had their highs and lows for travel. I also did shorter trips ... and have tried lots of bikes from ALL classes.

XL600R - Headed to Baja (700 mile ride to border) in the 80's, plus thousands mi. more on/off road in California, Nevada.

KLR Press Bike in Copper Canyon in '98

Aprilia CapoNord press bike for review. Tested for two months, 2500 miles.

Tiger- 3 months riding UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco.

strom, 90,000 miles of USA, Mexico, Canada. Thousands of pics.

XR250 3 weeks in Baja

WR250 California Desert, Sierra Nevada mtns., plus one two ween Baja ride.

DR650 in Baja. 65,000 miles, rides through California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado 5 Mexico trips since 2006.