The bike doesn't matter it's what you do with it. Go buy a used GPZ500 and tour the US, no R1200GS or Touratech catalogue required.

Andy

Amen to that !

PLUS , find a job you love and you won't have to "work" another day in your life !

Forget the "dream bike " bullshit ,just get out there and do it !A bike is just a tool .

__________________
Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

In your circumstances I'd definitely go down the "trip now, job later " route.

Looking back over my circumstances it's been the things I did rather than the things I bought that stick out and you'll probably find windows of opportunity fewer and further apart as time, career and relationships progress.

In addition you'll probably find that the trip will impact upon your personality in a positive way. You'll come back spiritually richer, worldly wiser and more attractive to women (well who knows about the last one but I've usually found extended trips allow me time to look at things a bit more objectively).

But then you have fine tools, not-so-fine tools, tools that are good lookin', tools that are not. To me, bikes are more than tools. But with regard to this topic: Get anything cheap and go for it!

__________________
HansP
All you wanted to know
about riding in Norway

My first big trip was when I was 21yrs old from Canada to New Orleans back in 1981 on a old suzuki 500, Before that I had just bopped about down to Morroco and bits of Europe, the time and opportunity came and I took it I never regretted that decision - after that trip other things in Life often got in the way of such an opportunity. Like markhof say things are not black and white - take an opportunity and grab it you really do not know what happens to you or your life next week never mind next year.
Enjoy the trip. Jake.

I can still remember stopping on a bike trip in my late teens to camp for the night and chatting with an older married fellow camped nearby with his wife and kids. He warned me that soon my life of freedom to hop on my bike and travel would be limited by life's responsibilities. Of course, I thought that would never happen to me. I can still remember that man forty years later. And sure enough, marriage and career soon severely limited my vagabonding ways for a couple of decades.

When riding the world you will meet young travelers and older travelers. People in their child rearing career building years are as rare as hen's teeth. GO NOW, my good man. Before your adventure travel opportunities are consumed in middle life by women, career, children, pets, chasing after shiny things and other pursuits of the material world.

There are many expensive dream bikes parked in garages around the world patiently waiting for their owners to get the time, money and desire to travel to the far side of the world.

You have the time, money and desire NOW. Any bike! that runs will do. All adventure bikes take a severe beating. Why beat up a dream bike.

Not that there's anything wrong with buying a cool bike and taking side trips here and there.

A dream bike to me is the one that takes me to far off places along unknown roads to meet interesting people and see the world from a different perspective. Travel has changed my life for the better. And when you get to be an old fart like me, you will never wish you had worked more and gone on fewer adventures.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

__________________
South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076