The new CRF250 is supposed to have a bigger tank. I'm expecting 11.2 litres rather than 19, but it helps.

The weight is partly self inflicted (by the motorcycle community in general) and partly because the world cannot support 7 Billion people driving Ford Edsels.

ABS because we want to be safer in mass traffic. There isn't space for everyone to have enough stopping distance on cable operated drums.
Catastrophic perverters because we don't want St. Greta whining at us.
Masses of bodywork because we want to look like we are doing the Dakar
Electronics because rider modes, LCD displays and adjustable suspension sell.
Simple materials that are light and effective are banned because we want to use ten times the amount and they kill fish even in 1970's volumes.
Bikes are cheaper than ever because they are designed for manufacturer and rarely used extreme performance not everyday use.
We demand ever bigger numbers on the spec sheet.

I am currently restoring a 1973 CL350. It is superior in so many ways to my CB500X. The basic shape is everything I could want in a bike.

I would love Honda to make a modern one but know a physically small bike will be slated on ADV-rider, MCN and other clown sites. I would love MASH or one of the other Chinese front companies to sort themselves out on quality, but the market is too small for £6000 400cc bikes.

Andy