So today I drug my worthless, no good, *** XR650L to Walnut Springs to an off road park (
www.time2ride.com ).
What a flipping blast it was to ride those tight trails. It has been years ... decades ... since I've done such a thing. But this fat old man and this good-for-nothing pig did great. Didn't have to generate a lot of RPM or momentum to climb out of the creek beds or loft over obstacles. Start to slow down while climbing out? just roll a bit of throttle and she pulled right out.
It was like a tractor. There were riders on lighter bikes there and they were obviously faster, especially in the twisty, narrow trails laid out amongst the trees. But it made it and put a grin on the rider's face.
And at the end of the ride, with a plated bike, I took off down the hiway to generate some air speed to aid in cooling off. Again, the bike approached 60mph without effort and not buzzing the motor.
Mission accomplished.
The 650 frame is bigger and I wasn't as cramped as I was on the DRZ. I'm 6 foot and #275, with large american *** and arthritic knees. I need the real estate the bigger frame offers.
I think what gets lost in threads like these is the competitive nature that we humans are and how much fun it is to spend other people's money, especially when we have spent insane amounts of money on a specific platform that we happen to like. That becomes the go-to bike de-jour.
My only regret to owning this over-weight, under-powered pig of a bike is that it isn't fuel injected. But to remedy that would require writing more checks.
Compromises ... life is full of them.
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The "abnormal" thing is not intentional. If you start on big bikes, you develop "coping skills" that compensate for trying to ride a big bike without proper experience. Those coping skills are what lead to the abnormal part. If you learn proper skills on a smaller bike, it will help you tremendously with riding the bigger bikes. Having to unlearn those coping skills can be a REAL pain. I know because that is the route I went. I did not grow up riding dirt bikes. My first serious experience in dirt was on a BMW R1150GS at almost 38 years old... 
Then I moved to a KLR 650 (lighter, but still a heavy bike). Finally, I got my KTM 530 EXC. That is still not a small bike, but compared to what I had been riding, it was a feather weight. My riding skills advanced considerably once I got the KTM. That was back in 2011. I still have moments where I have to fight back those coping skills I learned to survive with on the 1150 GS. I have ridden smaller bikes than my 530 and it really does make a difference when riding technical stuff and single track trails. I CAN ride my 530 in the SHNF trails, but it is WAY more fun on my friend's KTM 300 two stroke.
As I was about to pull away, he causally mentioned, "Be sure to open it up when you get some room... but make sure you keep the back brake covered so you don't loop it..." He wasn't kidding 
I say that jokely by the way. I know it can be done. I have no doubt I could get that thing all around, but these days I'd rather have a lighter scoot. Scott Summers proved it could be done and done fast. 
