[dhgeyer]

BMW R1200GS wet weight with fuel: 564 lb.

BMW F800GS wet weight with fuel: 455 lb.

Kawa KLR 650 curb weight (I assume they mean ready to ride): 432 lb.

KTM 990 dry weight (no fluids no battery no fue)l: 461 lb.

None of these weights include any luggage.

I've never tried, but from the look of them I doubt I could pick an R1200GS up from the ground, especially loaded for travel. I've never ridden the KLR, but the weight seems about right, and, typical of Kawasaki's business plan, they've made it virtually unchanged since Christ was a corporal. Bulletproof. It has a reputation for vibration, being a 650 single. I have ridden a BMW F800GS, and would not hesitate, comfort wise, to ride it on the highway for long distances or off road. It's an 800 CC twin, and quite smooth with a decent saddle and very good riding position. It has good electronics also - lots of display information. Having to deal with BMW is a disadvantage. I have ridden an R1200GS as a loaner for a hundred miles or so. It's a great touring bike, but I wouldn't take it off road on a bet unless I had someone with me to help pick it up if I dropped it. Don't know anything about the KTM except that you might want to check out how many dealerships there are and where they are if you plan to go far from home. Kawasaki has a good dealership network, and is a good company to deal with. BMW dealerships are not as common, but they're very aggressively opening more of them.

If it were me, I'd test ride a KLR, a KTM, and an F800GS and choose between those. You can read all you want, but you don't really know anything about how you're going to react to a bike until you get on it.