LOL - maybe it's just me showing my age, but I don't consider a motorcycle first made in 1996 to be "very old"...

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

17 years is old for me

Well i guess i celebrated too soon there... there are problems with the ER-5n, the guy who sold it to my uncle said its running perfect but there are some mechanical issues now and it didn't get throu the testing therefore can't drive on the road unless i make some investments, my uncle said then he doesn't want the bike so yup...i don't have a bike still

I will contact some sellers and try to drive some bikes this weekend.
I got a 660 Tenere from 1991 for 1400€ in mind and somehow the BMW F650GS Dakar is stuck in my head even tho i didn't want to buy a BMW
A 2000er Dakar in Snowwhite with quiet alot of addings (grip heaters, Touratek aluminium cases, protection etc. für about 3000€. Very expensive but probably worth it...

Too bad about the ER-5n.
I'm not a fan of the 650 Dakar but many here on HUBB have had good ... and bad luck with them.

I do know they have a "colorful" history regards reliability. Very mixed. But IMO... if well looked after and with a few key spare parts carried on board, you can do well on this bike if it's not too worn out.

They ride nice on road when in good condition. Not great off road but certainly OK for mild off road travel. Watch closely water pump and for blown head gasket. Also, fuel pump and some electrical issues too. Basic engine is good and if looked after could go to 100K miles for traveling.

Be sure to look out for bad wheel bearings. F650 is notorious for having bearings fail very early ... for no good reason. (tip: use Japanese bearings)

One big negative is possible front fork failure. This has been discussed in detail on various Dakar and F650 forums for YEARS. Many documented examples of F650 Showa forks snapping, riders injured in some cases. So keep an eye out there. (NOTE: most are OK, not in danger of breaking)

My guess, with an older F650/Dakar with many km done, most problems will have already presented and been fixed at this late date, after 10 or 15 years with bike on the road.

For me, if buying 650 class dual sport bike in Germany, I'd consider a very late model XT600. These were made until 2003, so should be some good used examples for sale.

XT is a simple bike: Carb, no fuel injection, almost NO electronics. No
ABS. Strong and reliable bike. With good maintenance, reliable as a hammer.
Tons of good info here on HUBB about the XT600 Yamaha. SEARCH.

And one big thing:at least 30 kg. lighter weight than a F650 Dakar.

Off road, weight is your enemy. I rode the F650 Dakar in Moab, Utah ... in soft conditions was a bit scary. Too heavy to lift alone.

The XT is about the same weight as my Suzuki DR650, similar attributes.

I somehow focused on getting ABS on the bike as a first bike.
I've found a F650 GS (no Dakar) for 2500€ with quiet nice addings (cases, grip heaters etc.) with 57.000km done from 2003.
Should be fine then?!

I just searched for travel bikes with ABS under 3000€ and the BMWs are the only one who showed up.

Maybe i should say goodbye to ABS but idk man, in case of a accident i just don't want to say "IF I HAD ABS", atleast for the first bike. But maybe my thinking about this is wrong.

I like ABS but ride two bikes without it ... and rode 40 years on bikes with NO ABS.

Some riders depend TOO MUCH on ABS and skip proper training and real practice ... which is the MOST important element. PRACTICE.

2500 EURO for 2003 with 57K km does not sound like a great deal to me. Many many things would have to renewed before a long ride. I covered some in above post. If seller has done things like: New steering head bearings, all new wheel bearings, new swing arm bearings. All very important for a bike of that age and km. If not done recently, then you really should do all before long ride.

I would continue to SHOP and wait for a better deal. Be willing to travel far to get your bike. In Summer, prices can be high and inventories low. Be patient, wait until October. Have cash on hand, be ready to jump on a good deal.

I really thought the BMW is more solid.
Makes it harder to find a proper Bike for me I never expected it to be that difficult. Tomorrow i will testride a BMW anyways, got the appointment already.

Maybe i will rent a Versys for a Weekend aswell.

The old Honda Dominator (the one with the pink logo on it) is somehow so ugly that its cool again I could totally imagine riding one of those