Welcome to Thumper Central.

Those prices seem reasonable for the years, mileage and something in good shape that doesn't need a lot of work. I bought my  2001 at 10k for $1800.  That was 4 years ago, but condition and mileage is more important than the model year.

My suggestions.

1st:  Clear Title !  Not, “I can get it”, “My X has it”, “The Bank has it”.
Ask to see the CLEAR  Title first. If it is secured by a loan, their MUST, be a Satisfaction or release, Signed and Notarized, by the person that, gave the loan.  If not just keep looking, (Unless it is a smoken deal), and if  you don’t get a title, you will be another one of us selling parts.

2nd: Tires. Take a flash light, and look on the tire for the date code.   Don’t care WHAT the tread looks like, or how many, ’strings’ are on the side, if they are 5+ years old,  you will be wanting a new pair.
(Old tires on a car/truck, fine, Ya got 4 of them !  Old tires on a trailer, fine, the trailer is not going to tip over with you on it at speed). On a MC, you only have 2, and when you lean on a curve, you want them to HOLD the road, not, side out from under you, because they are to hard/old.

My opinion, I would take the 06, before the 01.  (of coarse if all things were equal)
Take CASH, Green Money, 100.00 bills.  Know what the NADA is, (or other Blue Book) values are:
http://www.nadaguides.com/Motorcycles/Manufacturers

And the rest of the excellent advice here.. Looks, Condition, Sound, Drivability, etc.

Here are just 2 examples, a 06, 5600 miles, listed for on CL, for 2,500.00
Bought for 1950.00. Discounted for old tires. Discounted for side cover missing, and waved CASH in their face.
The 97, 6500 miles, listed for 1,400.00. Looked Real Good!,  BUT when I started it up,
I shut it down after a min. Than said:  I’ll give you 600.00, Bought it for 650,
( because I, ’Thought’ I new what the problem was.  I was Wrong).

Don’t buy, ‘in’ season, buy, ‘Out’, of season.  You Only buy a  Lawn mower in the FALL, and a Snow blower in the Spring.

Then if their is something you can’t fugue out on your own, ASK,  Here.  You will get Plenty of good advice.

When you get one. 1st thing, Change the Oil. (as per oils recommended on this list, with ZINK in them), And Change the filter!   Then change the oil again after 1-2 hundred miles. Then your good to go.  (Regardless what the Previous Owner said, You Just Don’t know).

Unless you're ready to go into where the cam chain lives soon, avoid the ones approaching 10,000 miles. Not knowing how it was ridden, average miles per trip,just when it will be ready for a Verslavy is up in the air.
How it's been stored really matters,too.

"I looked for about 6 months in the local area, and I just didn't find a nice, well cared for bike that I felt was the bike I wanted"

Looking and not finding is why I ended up buying a left over 2013 S40 from a dealer.

I have bought many good used motorcycles that have required less work than this one from a Suzuki dealer.

Kenny G

Looked for around a year. Got a 2003, stored in a shed, 1,592 miles on it and got it for $1650 and only 12 miles from our house. Not a scratch on it but a few small surface  tarnish/ rust/ corrosion spots that can be literally wiped off.
Jeff

Everyone has made good points as far as what to look for, but just for comparison I got my 2008 with 400 miles on it in 2012 (4 years old) that was stored in a barn with the carb properly drained, etc. (and not exposed to elements). IIRC I paid about $2200-ish and had to drive a few hours to pick it up so factor in the cost of gas.

Cleaned it up top to bottom (4 years worth of dust) and it looked brand spankin' new and I have been tickled pink with the bike ever since.

Welcome to the forum and best of luck in your search.

My only piece if critical advice is COME HERE AND ASK before you pay anyone to do any work on your bike regardless of what it is...better yet, DON"T pay anyone regardless!  There are a lot of excellent folks here that are eager to help one another, especially newbies, and they'll happily walk you step by step through any problems you have.  This is my first bike and I learned, after much apprehension, that it's a tremendously easy bike to work on...just stick with the forum here and you'll be in good hands.

Quote:


Also looking for, another one.
Have considered a, ‘year old’ one at the dealer.
(NOW in MN is the Right time to  Buy)

(Shot a, ‘hole in the air’, with the 97)

However, thinking one with 1-3 thousand miles, might be better,
as the, ‘dealer’, did , ’tweaking’ , paid for by the Previous Owner,
who did not want to do it him/her self.

So their will be less, ’tweaking’.
On the other hand, a, ’new- year old’ one,
the, ’tweaking’ would be all mine, and good,
with the knowledge and advice from this forum.

Still got the eye out for another one.