I have a new 2010. As soon as I know, I will post my own experiences. I believe that the ratio of bikes sold to bikes with issues is quite low for ot Gen 1 and Gen 2. However, if each series has issues, gen1 will have a doohickey issue and gen2 will have oil burning issues. Keep in mind also that $100 plus labor cures the Gen 1 bugaboo if done before it causes problems. The Gen2 fix is a 685 kit for less than $300 plus labor. That increases displacement and power. The guys above know their stuff. Just don't be scared off by the worst case scenario. If you are a long legged guy, this is one comfortable bike. ( after a seat change) It is also shockingly agile yet stable on the road. Buy one, if you don't like it, you won't lose much if anything. These things are so low priced to start that the market is fairly monetarily compressed. Mid Nineties models still go for as much as $2500. If you pay $3500 - $4500 for an '05 to '10, you be able to sell it if you do not like it. It holds value better than a Rebel. As far as problems, the things are simple enough the they can be gone over relatively inexpensively. It is a single cylinder motor. It is one carb. It is a simple electrical system. Simple, but it is more than the sum of it's parts. There just may be a reason that these have been in continuous production for almost 25 years now.