You know, dual rear shocks, round headlight, street legal, cheap as dirt all over craigslist. I kind of want to grab a sub-$500 one and make a street tracker/scrambler sort of thing to bomb around local gravel roads and maybe even take to the Pine Barrens.
Do they suck? How's the fuel range on most of them, the tanks almost universally look tiny. Any to avoid or hunt for?
They are all pretty awful off-road in comparison to anything even remotely modern.
I would guess that Hondas have the best parts support, but that would limit you to 4 cycle XL models. (I don't remember any Honda 2 cycle enduros, but I could be wrong). Yamaha's would probably have the next best parts availability, but the truth is all those seventies and early eighties enduros will have some parts next to impossible to find.
If it were my money, I'd hold out for a nineties dual-sport. I know that they a totally different look and feel, but they are much more useful both on and off road, and probably cost less in the long run.
And now I'm really going to thread jack by mentioning all the funky-cool mid sized UJMs that I've seen converted to dual-sports, like this one
If you are just doing a bit of gravel road bombing, and not concerned with flying through the air, you may want to consider a Honda 360 CL Scrambler. They are fun on the road, decent enough on trails, or gravel, and bulletproof. Also the engine is from a CB350 which was the most popular bike of all time, so parts are still available.
I loved mine---- should've kept it!
I picked up a '71 Honda SL-175 last summer for $300. It needs a little cosmetically, but runs great and is a blast to ride.
For merely twice the price I know where you can get twice the cc's, and no charging problems or sticking clutch.
Here's mine:
The Honda singles like Woody's are probably your best bet. They can usually be found fairly cheap and in decent condition, parts availability isn't too bad and those engines go on close to forever if you look after them.
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