I had a 96 model for 4 years, used for commuting and the occasional weekend away on ADV pissups and such. Sold it just recently as it was coming up for some money and I decided to move on. They are a great bike and I would have another one any time.
It’s much more a civilised trailbike than a converted road bike (like my current Transalp). Steer well on rough ground. Good ground clearance, really low 1st gear, simple and tough, low vibes. Blokes say you should get 80k from them before a top end rebuild. Mine had done nearly that and was just starting to use a bit of oil now and then.
Only exception is the bodywork. Its thin and the tabs on the fairing panels would have cracked off for sure. But at the same time the bodywork makes it an excellent tourer. Surprisingly protective. Suspension is basic but ride it within it’s limits and it will be fine, or spend some money on a shockie rebuild and cartridge emulators.
Have a look on the ADV website as has been mentioned. Couple of threads there.
The swansong for mine was a 2 week dirt road tour through NE NSW. Couldn’t have a better bike to do it on.


Chris