My wife and I have one. Ours is a 2004 model, now with about 2000 miles on it. It is our first. Ours is stock except for a thudbuster stoker post and pedals.
While it's not the lightest tandem out there, we have done a century on it, and regularly ride 50 miles at a time. We ride both Saturday and Sundays, and at least one time a week. On our 15 mile fitness rides, we average 20+ miles per hour.
All in all, it's an excellent bike for the price. Highly reccomended as a first bike.
Joe and Kathy