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Riding trails, just mild ones and gravel dirt roads is a huge bonus IMO when learning. Since I don't know your phyical size & strenght a 250 dual sport DR250se xt250 (225's kind of weak for freeway speeds) XL250's haven't been made in a long time, or KLR250 are great bikes, if pretty athletic agile I don't think you'll have a problem with the 650's. Each one has it's advanatage.
KLR650 6.1 gallon fuel tank, water cooled, put 20,000 mile on mine and run like day I bought it. Little heavy for hard core dirt, but I road it with my oldest on her xr50 just fine, best HWY dual sport, poorest dirt bike, heaviest. Not hard to empty the tank without stopping.
DR650s air cooled, lowest seat height, smaller tank, soft sprung, soft seat, middle of the road 50%dirt 50% street 650 dual sport about 3 gallon tank so half range of Kaw.
Honda XR650l, highest seat height, air cooled, most dirt bike to come with lights of the 3, just my opinion, but seems to be some people have problems with them coming from factory a little lean, 3 gallon tank, can get aftermarket big tanks, but if what a big tank buy a KLR.
KLR has been same basic bike since 1987, xr650l about 1993 or 1985ish, dr probalby about the same. All tried and test designs.
Check out the Versys, cool bike, same engine ast Ninja 650 but better suited, Weestrom (dl650) is nice, a guy just up the road and his son road their 650 & 1000 to Alaska and back.
KLR650's can be lowered cheaply I have a 5'9 friend that has one 2" lowered and likes it enough he's thinking about selling his ST1100.
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