FWIW- I had a '00 CR250 that I rode off-road only (hare scrambles, trail riding, etc). With a lot of money, I'm sure you'll love it. The Showa's took forever to break in (so I'm told, I was always complaining about how harsh they were, and someone told me that even after 15-20 hrs, they still weren't broken in). It could just be that they're made primarily for motocross/supercross, and never would have felt plush offroad. You'll probably want a revalve. IMO, a flywheel weight is all you'll need to add to the motor. I ran a stock pipe, and felt no need to upgrade. Maybe add a reed block spacer? cheap mod, I've heard it achieves decent results when searching for more low end, but I never got around to it. Diff reeds maybe, too? I never got around to it. I never minded the vibration, never bothered me. In fact, I didn't notice it even after swapping bikes with friends. Fit and finish are as good as the reputation. I can't say about Suzuki, I've never owned one, but people that have usually say good things, people thathaven't seem to bash them a lot. I don't know what is truth and what is myth about the yellow bikes.
The CR also needs a larger tank, though I ran the stocker in one 2.5 hour race, and made it (30 miles, maybe? don't remember). I'm slow, though. That's roughly 12 mph. Maybe that's why I never felt the need for a steering stabilizer:o
Maybe you can find a good, used one that's already had most of these mods done? Might be a better bargain than the new bike, and I wouldn't hesitate one second buying a newer used HOnda, as long as you trust the owner changed the oil once in a while. Good luck with your search!