Can I get a 2 wheeled consult?

Hey fellow 2 wheeled GRM friends, I need some advice. I recently posted about how the ECU in my moto fried itself. Despite what I said in the thread, I have found on available, and it's expensive, around 630USD, and it's in Spain. 

The bike is a 2012 Ossa Explorer, based on the TR280 trials bike, it's really great for both the trails I ride, and how I like to ride (slow and technical), but has the advantage of a seat, and a longer range than a trials bike. It's not for smashing whoops, or blasting through the woods. I like the weight (~160 pounds), compared to the other motos I have had (~250ish), and it suits my body type well. 

Problem is that Ossa is basically dormant, they are supposed to be releasing a full on enduro bike soon, but parts are hard to come by, and some are NLA. If you tear off a rear fender, you're going to have a hard time finding a new one. 

I'm at a crossroads here and I'm having some difficulty determining what route to take. I took a look at a newer (2018) Beta 300rr yesterday, and I'm reminded both at how large full size motos are, and how heavy. Sitting on this thing, it's just enormous compared to the Ossa. I know folks use these full size bikes on my local trails, but smaller, more compact machines (say like an XTrainer) are just so much more appropriate for most of our local trails (PNW singletrack), it's amazing that people muscle these full size things around. 

So I have a few choices:

1. Continue down the Ossa path, either by replacing the ECU and hoping for the best, or buying a complete, newer TR280 out of BC and swapping my Explorer parts over. Advantage of the parts bike is it has the upgraded Ohlins and Marzocchi suspension, updated clutch, few other nice to haves over the 2012 models. Downside is that I'm still beholden to a manufacturer that is difficult, but not impossible to get parts for (no piston kits at RMATV, but you can get them from Italy). Side benefit here is that I'll have my current bike, and most of it's components, to keep as spares or sell to recoup some costs. 
2. Sell or part out the Explorer for whatever I can get, and buy into a more readily available machine. Something where parts are more available and won't cost me an arm and a leg. Downside here is that I'm going to be gaining about 90 pounds of machine, it'll be taller, less nimble, etc. etc. 

I'm a 40 year old, intermediate rider who rides motos slow and mountain bikes fast. Logically, it would make sense to buy into another brand that has slightly better parts availability, but I can't get over the fact that I'd be back on a 250 pound bike that makes riding more difficult. Very nearly seems like I would be less inclined to go riding solo, or at all, if I had to wrestle a full size bike around these trails and be picking it up all of the time. It also seems that since the Ossa is not a trail smasher, as long as the systems hold up (ECU/electrics) parts would not need to be replaced as often. 

I think, at a high level I understand trying to keep an obscure, low user base machine running is not the best idea. But I also don't have any comparable machines that I could replace it with where the form factor is similar. Heart says yes, but the logic centers tell me to cut my losses and move on. 

I know a thing or three about vehicles where the manufacturer went bust several decades ago, so I think I can provide some input...

How much do you like the Ossa? IOW, are you willing to put up with it being dormant for (quite) a while when you're hunting down spare parts, or are you expecting Honda-like reliability and parts availability? If it's the latter I'm not sure a Beta is going to be a huge improvement either.

There's a Canadian guy who sells Ossa parts, but I may have read about him recently because you posted about your problem somewhere else and I saw it. If it wasn't you, I can see if I can find hs contact. I had a friend who was an Ossa dealer, said those bikes were a lot of fun for slow, tight and technical riding.

I'm 5'6"/145lbs and in my 60's. I can no longer muscle a full size bike around anymore, especially in the tight stuff. I bought a KTM Freeride 250R and love it. It's probably a lot more power, and a lot more bike than your Explorer, but it's great in the woods. The Sherco X ride is also an option and probably a lot closer to your Explorer than the FR. Another Sherco would be the TY125, or, really, a regular trials bike with a seat and tank option would probably do just as well. 

Another possibility would be one of the newer e-moto bikes like the Talaria MX4 or MX5, but I guess they're not for everybody

Is a CRF230F/250F too big & heavy? They're somewhat smaller than full-size and while not lightweights they do have lower center of gravity and standover than the fullsize bikes. And parts ... yeah, there are parts for those.

In a completely different direction, would an electric like a Sur-Ron do what you wanted? 100-ish lbs, basically DH MTB fork & brakes with moto tires. 

But keeping the Ossa running seems like the least costly way, even if some repairs/replacements make you cry; 6-700 is a lot less than buying a whole 'nother bike ...

How complex can that engine be? Can you install a carburetor in place of the throttle body?

I'd try that before I buy a new bike.

I have lots of hours on enduro and trials bikes. Hugely different animals. You know that no woods bike is going to do what the Ossa does. I think you know that you want to stay with that type of ride. :) I LOVE flowing through the woods on a trials bike. 

I'm a little out of the loop but most of the major players had a "long ride" type of deal ~10 years ago. Those would be closer, but the seat is still not up to par with the Explorer. I'm ignorant to the e-bike options, but I'd at least look there. 

For me, buying the other Ossa would be the way - at least for the short term. You'd be back in business and have a spares stash. 

Thanks everyone, this is a helpful sounding board. 

re: Reliability, I wouldn't be expecting Yamaha/Honda reliability with any of the KTM/Beta/Husky variants of enduro bikes, but there is some relief in being able to replace a piston or rebuild a linkage from parts available on this continent. 

re: Peabody, it's amazing the journey I've been on trying to hunt down an ECU. I have a known parts stash in Florida, one somewhere else (don't know where), and my contact that got me the ECU pricing has a personal relationship with the current owners of the brand. It's been an absolutely wild chase. What's really interesting to me, is that no one wants to talk to each other. There are probably, maybe a few dozen Ossas up and running in the US, and there are parts sitting somewhere that these owners can use, but the owners of the parts are very reclusive to talk to potential interested parties (me), to get an idea of what they have. It's really a fascinating thing, and one I can't really understand from a parts turnover perspective. I also really like those sort of Long Ride trials machines, but man do they pull a premium. I think an e-moto is out of the question for me right now, though I'm interested, I'm not sure a budget friendly option exists that does what I need it to do. 

re: CR230f, I actually had one of these, and it was a great bike. Reliable like a hammer, but pretty tough to manage on some of the terrain I ride. They are Beta 300 heavy, but without the low CG and grunt. Really great aftermarket, but sellers know what they have. Would make an awesome 1k purchase plus another 1k in upgrades (mainly suspension), and you'd have an absolutely amazing machine.

re: Carb conversion, oh yes, I thought about this one too. I'd still need to run ignition, it's contained within the dead ECU, so that would be a hurdle, but mainly its a packaging problem. Check out this photo:

You can see the injector between the cylinder and the radiator, and then the reed block/throttle body is between the radiator and the front of the frame (which is also the primary fuel tank). The carb would need to be very compact, and nearly vertical. 

I think from a cost/pain perspective, I'd just find a way to put a higher resolution trigger wheel on the flywheel (under that black cover), and MS the whole system. But, the carb did cross my mind!

re: Motojunky, thanks for your input here! I never realized I think what I was after until I found and rode the Explorer. I've done a lot of "Why aren't all MFGs making bikes like this?". But realize that a lot of people are big on the power wars, and trying their best to ride like the folks at the Erzbergrodeo. They're the same ones that will tell you that something like the XTrainer or CRF230 are 100% girls bikes, but are the ones just WOT at the dunes or riding like idiots on the trails. Most normal riders will never outride their suspension, and also believe that buying a five figure "hard enduro edition" orange bike will help them learn bike control. 

Okay, so I'm certainly leaning more towards just grabbing that bike out of BC. So the next question I have for y'all, has anyone imported a bike from BC to the states recently? Legally? I'd like to be able to register it here if I can.