The majority of aftermarket exhaust eliminate the crossover tube. If you buy full exhaust and not slip-ons. And if they do have one it is usually hidden instead of right in the middle.

 

2003 and earlier had "trapdoor" transmissions which enable you to work on the transmission simply by taking 4 bolts out and removing it! The 2004 and later models require complete disassembly of the entire engine to do any work on the transmission - what a sorry step backwards, in my opinion.

The rubber mounted bikes weigh about 50 lbs. more. Probably a none issue, but a fact never-the-less.

The vibration is really not that bad and can be dealt with in other ways, depending on where you're bothered by it. For the money, I'd buy a 2001 - 2003 model.

 

I was riding up a steeeep road today, here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...14355&t=h&om=1

(uphill is from the bottom of the map to the top)

and I was in 3rd gear going mebbe 25-30 or so, rpms just above lugging, throttle open pretty wide, feeling the torque -- I could feel every combustion stroke p'p'p'p'putt -- my teeth were rattling, I could see the headlight jacking up and down, and I was going w-w-w-wooo h-h-h-hooooo! Even with the rubber mounted engine.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sometimes vibration is a good thing!

-JP