It's been a while since I rode offroad. These days (aged 48 with a really bad back) I tend to stick to tarmac (when my back allows). Don't worry about falling off we have ALL done this.

Offroad riding skills will help your road skills too (balance, bike capability, road surfaces ect).

A helmet and pair of sturdy offroad boots is the bare minimum for greenlanes. Broken ankles are very painful and you will never walk the same again.

Why not start a new thread for your starting problems? I'm sure someone will be able to help you...

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Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

Now I have ridden both quite a bit I can comment on the differences.

The specification for compression is 8.5:1 on both bikes. However, my engine 'picks up' a lot quicker than the E does. This could be the lower overall weight (I think the steel/chrome rims, steel rear swinging arm and electric start added about 10kgs to the E). This translates to a quicker feel to the bike.

When you sit on the E, it feels much more like you are siting 'in' the bike. The seat feels way lower and the bars much higher. (Neither have lowered seats or raised bars). Not better, but certainly different.

Top speed is almost identical, as is acceleration at higher speeds.

My suspension is also much firmer than the E, which is good on road but not so good on bumpy tracks.

I can't comment that much on road handling. Mine has much knobblier tyres, so tends to have a bit more drift and less precision when cornering and braking. However, both of them will get within an inch or so of pegs down on good, dry and warm tarmac.

Despite my knobbly(ish) tyres drifting quite a lot at those lean angles, they are very predictable.

I am very impressed with the way the TW302 works on and off road actually. Despite the hellish expense, I will get a TW301 for the front when the current MT40 wears out (fairly shortly...) and then stick to them back and front.

Those tyres maybe continued to my next bike, which will be an E. Kick starting is OK for road riding but a true pain when you are out doing long lanes with many starts/stops and the odd stall. When I am completely worn out, boy am I jealous of that electric start...

Interesting stuff. I guess a livlier engine is what the bloke meant, altho he was wrong about the compression. Purely personal taste, but i reckon they look better than the E too.

Shame you havent got to the bottom of the starting problems. My 86 2KF starts 2nd kick cold and first kick hot, without fail. Havent touched the carb, keep the air filter clean and check the valve clearances from time to time. Have to wind it round to TDC on compression, but that doesnt count as kicking in my book.

Although from your description of performance above it would seem unlikely, but have you done a compression test? Low compression can cause poor starting.