BFG is right. I'm an American!
Kind of....
Actually, I'm from Texas and I'm not sure whether that's better or not.
Seriously, I'm ok, but not great, with money. I'm lucky to have a wife that is a) sensible and makes a lot more money than I do.
But, it is a bad idea to borrow against a retirement fund. You're putting money into it right now, it's going to be earning interest and MORE IMPORTANTLY compound interest for you. If you devalue that, then you effectively take a loan out at about three times the interest rate. First you pay the interest, second you reduce the amount going into retirement and third you reduce the capital that the retirement interest is working on.
Even Albert Einstein is reputed to have said that the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.
The Monkey is far more succinct than I am.
I took loans out at earlier years than Pete or BFG, but they were small (~$1000) and aimed to improve my credit rating. My first 'new' bike that I took a loan on was a V11. Come to think of it, that's still the only one.
You will have a great time on KLR. Pay cash, put around on it and don't look back. Sure it's slower, but I really liked mine.
Belfast, it's time to raise a drink I'll have one in honor (honour?) of your brother and to his health- and yours.