[ST] still wishy-washy

[brd <brd@xxxxxxx>]

Hey all.  I'm still here, and still considering the ST.  In fact, I've
pretty much narrowed my search down to the ST or the VFR (not to beat a
dead horse, I've looked through the archives, have seen both sides of
the argument, and feel somewhat informed as to which bike is better
for my needs).  

Anyway, I think the scale's tipped a little toward the ST nowadays,
though that has changed back and forth like 5 times in the last day or
two.  What's winning me over about the ST are the insurance, the greater
torque, that it doesn't just come in red, and the hard bags.

To equalize the higher price some, I'm considering getting a used
Triumph if I decide to go that route.  It seems most of the used ones on
the market are red--ironic, considering my previous paragraph.

Browsing the list archives, though, has left me with some lingering
questions.  Are there any truths to the following, or are these flaws
that have been hammered out by now? but should I still worry about them
if I get a 99 or 2000 model?

Availability of luggage.  I read it can be hard to get or might take
months, or was that just an issue when the bike first came out?

The boxes tend to leak and/or rust?  Or bang around, break the side
brackets, and come off?

Parts can take weeks to arrive at the dealer?

There's not a large dealer network, maybe higher chance of getting
stranded on the road in a city where you can't get the bike fixed?

Finally, is there any evidence yet about long-term reliability?  Does
anyone really have any idea how long the bike will last?  Is this engine
new as of 99, or were there previous triumphs with it that would give
more of an indication of lifetime?

Thanks,
Brian

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