Having just gotten my C_5 I really hope the bike is more reliable than you would be led to believe reading some of these posts!
@drbvac:
Welcome to the Forum.
Many bikes are running quite well without any problem at all or only minor 'stuff' that does not necessarily require a mechanic to fix it ! Don't worry or lose sleep.
One reason that you see these detailed posts and issues is because for most of RE owners there are no near by dealers or proper mechanics to help. The Forum members discuss and share their experiences and they do their own maintenance to a large extent or as much as they can. Also RE owners tend to become sort-of-mechanics, that is the heritage of this bike - Making mechanics out of riders for the last hundred years
!
However, these bikes are not Hondas. They require some TLC (tender loving care). Just go through the general maintenance tips and schedules that are posted here and follow them. These include - lube cables, lube joints, lube chain, change oil and filter frequently, rust prevention application with ACF50, keep proper tyre pressure, keep battery fully charged,
tighten ALL the nuts and bolts for the first few months (this is really important). Also - do not lug engine, and do not over heat the engine - take breaks to cool off engine if riding long distance.
Keep on riding with a grin on the face until something happens - and then you can worry
!