Wow. I just logged on to see if there was a place to post about the AT.
I've been watching news of this for a while. The recent price announcement ($13,000 or so) makes me think even harder about it.
But 511 pounds still causes me pause. Add some camping gear, a little food and water and it starts to get a bit hefty. I can probably lift it -- once. I've never had to lift any bike with camping gear more than once a trip anyway, so it might work OK. It's lighter than some of the competition, but the weight says "road bike". (Of course the KLR is sold with the Kawasaki street bikes, not as part of their dirt bike line.)
In the end, I'd trade much of the zoom zoom for weight reduction. Maybe something like a KLR. That's the thought I ended with yesterday and why I wanted to mention the AT on this forum.
My local dealership has often suggested that I test-ride this or that. I can easily see testing the AT. For gravel roads the AT weight shouldn't be a problem. Until it is.