#1. Agree with munch.
#2. Agree with munch.
#3. Considering around here, people selling old ninja 250s with more miles for about the same price, yes, 3K for an 05 ninja 500 with only 1K miles seems like a really nice deal.
#4. Disagree with munch. Depending where you’re at, protection’s about the same. Your helmet needs at least DOT certification. Other certs as Snell or BSI can up the price on helmets, but in reality the extra price you’re usually paying for in helmets is the graphics or some other kind of superficial extras, like more vents.
#5. I would never try an internet sale unless the seller is accessible to me where I can go over, look, sit, and/or test ride a bike. And if all that is satisfied, there’s no need to have the bike shipped.