Apparently you do need six speeds!
We ride Yamaha's updated FJR1300A.
There's a "special dual-sport section," starting with a tale of three dual-sports. The latest on our CRF250L project; cheap-ish, light-ish XT225 dual-sport project; we turn a Honda Hawk GT into a "dual-sport."
Sam gets sheet done at the 2016 Sheetiron.
We ride Bungee Brent's Backroad Bash, with the aforementioned actual dual-sports and "dual-sport" Hawk, and bring a goddamn dune buggy. You know, just in case.