Skills learned on the dirt are very valuable in how to control a bike in gawdawful circumstances, but there are 250's and then there are 250's; huge difference between an endura 250 and a comp 250! Basicsa re the same though. Lots have jumped into the deep end of the pool and did very well, but not all. A GL 1000 is not huge by today's scale, but it is a big bike just the same with startlingly similar performance #'s to the 1800's of today so use discretion and judgement over bravado and testosterone.