General Chat

[Mat R]

Bikes - consider getting a bike with electric start, XR400's aren't. DRZ 400's also a popular choice.  They go for 7500 new at the moment, which is more than your budget.

Gear - less on the bike and more on the gear, as bikes can get traded up in a year or two.  Best to get the gear right up front and none of your road gear will really work on the trails.  The only bit of gear I share between bikes is the back protector.

Towbars - I bought a new car to solve this one, it was just the final reason I needed though.  If you have sufficient load rating there are towbar mount carriers available.  But a trailer is really needed if you are trail riding as it does not take many km's on the bitumen to stuff up a pair of knobbies to the point of being not much good on the trail.  Depending on where you live though it is possible to try and find a ride with someone else with space on a trailer.

I also did several years of roadbikes until I went and got a trailbike as well.  Now just have to find time to ride them.

Cheers,

Mat.