Bought mine in '03, and have over 29,000 miles on it. Replaced items so far, a speedo cable, and a couple lenses on the tank console (the neutral and turn signal indicators). Other than that, never once a problem. The only other stuff I've replaced are maintenance items, the chain, front sprocket, and tires. For the first 3 years of the bikes life, it was stored outside, and for a good part of that, without even a bike cover! I used to wash it every week in South Carolina, but now only every month or so in Connecticut (a lot less riding and no good place to wash it and EXTREMELY HARD well water!). I had ONE no start experience after I got a little too frisky with a spray hose, but after the bike sat for a day and a half, and dried naturally, it started right up. I've ridden it through gale-force winds and horizontal driving rain in a really bad thunderstorm (I was leaning the bike into the wind while riding in a straight line to keep from getting blown into the side railing of the bridge I was riding (over the Ohio River), and despite the intense rain, it never hiccuped! Reliable, absolutely. I did 2 1800 mile rides on the bike and never worried about her quitting on me (well, ok, as with any real long trip by yourself, you always have that "what if" thought in the back of your mind).
As for the price of parts, I would venture to say no more or less expensive than any other bike just from looking around the parts store at a multi-brand dealer.
