large trailie recommendations please.

you might have seen a thread or two I posted about my recently acquired Trophy Four 1993/4

After an 1800km five day minitour in Spain, and about another 2k kms using it a fair bit around and about since August, to summarise, I am finding it just unnecessarily big. couldn't pick it up by my self after a minor horizontal episode, I'm not confident on cobbles, loose earth, Don't feel I can flick it around the bends so I am always super cautious on poorer roads and poor surfaces. Just not relaxing.
On the highways its amazing, eats the miles without a murmur, comfortable, blah blah.

Its probably not worth selling as the price I paid and the price I could get are relatively so low, ( I saw a quite tidy one the other day for 1000 Euros.) Mine's really good low mileage looks like new for a 22 year old.. So It might as well stay in the stable for the long distance motorway stuff.
So I am looking for, say , a DR 650, a big XT, or whatever, but nothing too outrageously moto x ish, but I really don't know anything about that whole class of Africa twin- varadero -xt stuff-
They are popular here and there plenty on the used market so also maybe Im a bit spoilt for choice.
Budget up to 1500 beertokens max, the info from you wise guys can be partisan and also I don't mind the ' don't touch the ----they're a f-ing night mare for parts' type opinions
always solo, probably a bit of luggage, short tours and daytrips where I can go off road even if its only down a track to a campsite or river bank.
I just ain't gonna do it on the Trophy.
ALL opinions and discussions well welcome. Ta.

 

good stuff guys... opened a few more doors

 

So I'm going to keep the Trophy some of my doubts about it have been sorted by experimenting with the front tyre pressure...only a few lbs low and it was squirming all over the place....
but I have just seen a tidy '98 BMW F650.... so Any of you peeps have an opinion..? ever had one...? let me know

 

Bikes are a leeeedle bit pricier here... seen advert for a '98 Tiger 25000mls seems perfect visually, from a dealer for 3000€, about £2600 does that seem expensive? does to me...
Also going to see a couple of Aprilia Pegasos, pre injection, 2k € Opinions ?

 

early ones were a rebadged BMW, same factory, rotax, later ones but I can't find when they changed, went to Yamaha XT single.
I can buy in UK, and have done, but it costs about 700€ to legalise it here, and even with cheapo flight in and riding back, it would have to be an exceptional deal.

Having said that it is possible. About four years ago I bought on fleabay a mint low mileage K100 in Southampton, came with full leathers, full cordura Aussie wet suit, decent boots, agv lid all for £1100 The gear was worth 600 bts alone. Then its worth it, and if it includes a visit to the family and a good belt down thru France and Spain its a deal. but not this time of year for northern Europe, and I don't want to wait until spring......The Tiger beckons its local ish but I am a bit concerned I'll have the same issues as the 1200 trophy... just a touch to big, but then the pegasos and BM 650s and Jap trailies are perhaps a wee too small. Never thought I'd say that having had the blast of lifetime on a DR400 in the mountains round here, but not camping, not carting baggage around...

 

Thanx for the input biglad, but size isn't to do with seat height, with the Trophy it was simply the sheer mass and weight of the machine. as I've said before I couldn't pick it up on my own, and if I go for a Tiger ( which I am lusting after) I just don't want a big trailie with the ability to go places the Trophy wouldn't go, if its still two hundred plus kilos and probably an even higher centre of gravity and I wouldn't be able to pick that up either. And I'm more likely to drop it down a track than the highway. Do I need three cyls on a trail bike,? I do for a road tourer and there is never a perfect compromise.

so latest is to go and see in the next couple of days, all in the same price range, two tigers two f 650 beemers two Aprilia Pegasos I'll let you all know... Incidentally I sold the Trophy yesterday. not trumpless as I still have the 1976 five speed Bonnie

 

Honestly the Tigers weren't much different to the Trophy 30 kgz dry weight difference but still felt unwieldy and top heavy. Tried the Beemer 650, super handling but a bit gutless. but then comparing a 650 single to a 1200 four or a 900 three isn't going to work...Actually quite liked it, flickable, great brakes , made the Trophy seem like an old Harley I once had. Off to see the Aprilias tomorrow, slightly poofy styling but same basic setup. two thirds the price for comparable age mileage etc... Do I want a bike that has Aprilia written on it 23 times ? out with the ol' equaliser in a grey primer spray can methinks.. Now if I buy the beemer and suss some big bore kits , almost certainly available in the land of Trump... we'll see. no hurry, quite enjoying the mooching around.

 

Well, didn't like the Aprilia, looking a bit worse for wear for a 16 year old bike and didn't have that little touch of you don't know what that the Beemer had. Cheaper though.
Loved the two Tigers one younger but more miles otherwise pretty comparable But!! still seriously weighty compared to the 650s ok well, that's no surprise. but both Tigers had oldish road tyres... so new tyres needed and I am tempted to a knobbly style... not out-and-out MX but something in between ...any ideas..?. or is Knobs on a 3 cyl 220kgs 100mph roadbike nuts??? wojjafink peeps

 

Done it.. bought a tidy aprilia for small beeertokens compared to everything else I've seen. cheap enough that I think I can live with 'you got what you paid for.. ' stonks along for a single, and still got enough in the pot to keep looking for the Tiger of my desire. I will be patient planning for a Moroccan trip in the early spring happy with the single for all the reasons mentioned above but still like the sheer blast of the multi Tiger. One of the best bits of advice I had is you can't do compromises field bike for the green lanes big boy for the mega kms, RD 350 for the lunacy, any Triumph for well, cos its a Triumph , and a Harley for the 'if I have to explain you wouldn't understand' factor

 

Meant to say, thanks for the input, well received, and tho' momentarily Hinkley T -less I'm not going away.