I work in manufacturing and there are many similarities to my average day, hondas and your question. (# of wheels does not matter)
1-first couple of years of a model are spent getting the bugs worked out
2-the middle is pretty safe
3-the final years are spent looking for cost savings aka, cheaper parts
As for the Honda, a bike well taken care of is a pretty safe bet. When you find a specific bike, talk to dealer, have them look it over (small price to have confidence in your future ride that takes care of you) and he can look up recall info if any and see if that bike has been upgraded.
good luck, hope this helps.