There are two issues here that effect all years. The first is the oil that Honda uses. The forks quickly gain a harsh feeling when the oil turns to something I have best heard described as "whale snot". It gets really thick, with lumpy, snotty, heavy strings in it.

The second issue is more serious. It also effects all years in small numbers. Several guys have found rust on the steel fork internals. This will quickly accelerate wear and decrease the damping abilities of your forks. My'00 did not have this issue.

Fixing the fork oil is the easy one. Either break down and clean the forks (best) or just flush them with a good oil. You may even be able to get it covered under warranty if you discover it soon after purchase. Stock is 5wt, many have liked the feel of the forks better with 2.5wt.

The rust is a much bigger issue. Try to get this one warranteed. It seems to be there on showroom bikes, so you want to check for it as soon as you can. The only fix is to replace the parts for a couple hundred bucks, or try polishing them if the pitting is not too bad. The piston rods ride in teflon bushings though, so chances are that if they are pitted, you have wrecked them. Again, go for the warranty route.