I just got back from a 4 month backpacking trip in China and now I'm back in California and eager to get my bike and equipment for my first RTW trip, starting from CA, going south all the way to the southern tip of South America, going back up north, shipping my bike to South Africa, going up north, etc.

A lot of these will be riding through third world countries and not cruising on perfect highways at 75mph. I expect 55mph to be the average and I want to definitely go on some gravel roads, dirt roads, and pretty bumpy roads. I want to occasionally get out to where people don't usually go.

I'll be doing a lot of camping and hostels. I don't have the budget for hotels, or even 1st world hostels, every night.

I'm 5'5" with an inseam of only 27". I rode a Ninja 250R and could not flat foot it.

Before China I was really interested in the DR650. But after riding around in muddy and potholed mountain forest roads in China on a lightweight 125cc Chinese scooter, I'm rethinking everything. It was an absolute joy to ride:

1. I could flat foot it, which was critical for maneuvering around tight spaces like crowded streets and really rough trails.

2. Center of gravity was very very low. No tipping over threat.

3. SO LIGHT.

4. Fuel mileage is practically infinite

Most Chinese use these 150cc to 250cc red motorcycles that are very much like the IZH Planetas:

http://classic-motorbikes.net/images...-planeta-5.jpg

These ones are EVERYWHERE, and they're all red.

http://twofiftymag.com/wp-content/up...e-hj150-6a.jpg

They ride them everywhere, off road, on road, etc. They haul everything on these things. True work horses.

I find that our 1st world view of bikes is very different from the views of 3rd world locals. No, we don't NEED 650cc, not even close. 250cc is more than enough. Bikes like the Planeta don't have nearly the ground clearance as a dual sport like the DR650, but they take them off road just the same. The Planeta even rode through Mongolia's muddy, potholed roads much better than the BMW dual sports in Long Way Round.

So, I'm completely rethinking what bike I should get after having witnessed the actual bikes that are used by the locals.

250cc or lower, flat-foot-able for a short 28" inseam rider, lightweight, low center of gravity, good for off road use.

Honestly, at this point I think the DR650 is too much bike for something like me.