A mere 3 months later and the SV is back together again. Forks have new springs, oil and paint. Wheels have new paint. Need to organise braided cables, a hugger and an end can. Happy (and surprised) it's gone so smoothly thus far - thanks to Haynes for that !!!
Here's a before and after -
Before (quite a bit before, actually - the forks were still cosmetically ok at this point)
After (not bad for a bike that'll be 10 years old in September)