A dry weight of 140Kg is most likely your tilting point for doing soft surfaces and sand. Obviously a 105kg KTM 450EXC looks exciting, but as mentioned, they require oil change every 10 hours and I am not sure you can fit luggage to their rear subframe.
The Suzuki DR650SE (emphasis on SE - 1996+) is 149kg stock, but easily reduced to 140kg by changing muffler and fuel tank. and the bike is known to be extremely reliable. But it is getting old now. Last year was 2003 I think.
Then you have the venerable Honda XL650R. Sadly plagued with cracking head problems. Aalso not sold in Europe for a long time. Still available new in North America as the all mighty XR650L
Good old Honda 650 would be my first choice if it were not for the head problem. These are a bunch of guys I met in Algeciras. We crossed together to Mellila and we met several times over the next two weeks. They had a Honda XL650R, a Suzuki DR650 and a KTM.
In Algeciras, waiting for the boat.
Again, North of Melga / Ouidane
Crossed them quickly in Merzouga, then Zagora
And in Ouarzazate
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