So I've gotten the go ahead from my wife to get another bike (currently on an SV650S), and I really need a duc. I also need a sport tourer for tooling around the country with my wife. I've pretty much decided I want the ST4S, but I have a few questions about them. What year would you guys recommend. I can pick them up much cheaper used, but I'm not that familiar yet with the evolution of the ST4 over the last 5 years.
1. Has it's suspension and braking always been as good as I've been reading about the recent year models'?
2. Do the older models (03 and back) have the remote preload adjusters, electrical plug ins, etc...(little goodies).
3. How is the reliability of these bikes, and are there any years that had issues?
4. I've never ridden a bike with ABS, but it seems like it can't really hurt, only help. Am I correct in this assumption and is it worth ponying up the extra cash?

I'm sorry for the laundry list of questions, I'm just trying to do this right. I appreciate the help.

Mike