Read for Winter ... and a Change?

Winter is here. I've taken my CB out for it's last ride and put it away in the basement. Actually, after a week of wind and rain we have a few days of sunny weather on tap, so I'll probably take it out and get it warmed up before I tackle the oil and filter change.

I'm also thinking of selling it. It's a great bike to learn to ride on, but I'm ready to move on to something else. This is a good time to buy a motorcycle and selling mine now would save me having to store two bikes over the winter.

The more I look at it, the more the CB is a pretty good deal. There are a bunch of beaters for sale on CR for $1000 or more, but they aren't really moving. Mine looks quite a bit better, is a little sportier with the drag bars and viper fairing and runs like a top.

I think I could get my money back plus investment, the question is, what should I buy next?

It's probably time to start learning to shift gears like a grown up, so I've been looking at SV650s and Buel Blasts -- entry level street bikes that are easy to ride. That said, there are also a lot of dirt roads around here - so a dual sport might be the ticket. Wouldn't be idea for a trip to Astoria or Longview, but it would be much better for exploring the back roads. Moreover, if I get the girls some dirt bikes, this would let me ride with them. A Honda NX or Yamaha XT would be very cool. There are also some KLRs out there but demand is high because of the adventure bike craze.