I just bought it Friday, and aside from a little puttering around the neighborhood with my wife, didn't get to really ride it till today.  Today I took it out on some of my favorite roads through the Missouri River wine country, and all I can say is:

I LIKE THIS BIKE!!  



Sure, it decorates the driveway, but it looks a lot better on Highway 94:



(Yeah, I had to wait a while for the other bikes to get in the picture.)

Here it is atop the bluffs, looking over the river valley:



So after a nice run out Highway 94, I crossed the Missouri River on Highway 47 and went into Washington MO:



Then a brisk run home on some of the better letter back roads of our fair state -- Highways V and T to be exact, followed by a cutover to Wild Horse Creek Road.*



Then I was getting close to home, so I made a quick espresso stop and took some of my favorite suburban twisties back.



(That's me with my other bike -- didn't get a photo of today's espresso stop.  And yes, I am looking for a license plate frame that says "My other bike is a BMW"!)

So, to sum up my impressions, this is one heck of a machine!  No, it's not a left-lane interstate cruiser -- but it did just fine on I-64 crossing the Missouri River -- it's just one helluva thumper!  The bike is light and flickable, has the power band right where you want it for twisties, and the handling is predictable.  I even scraped a peg, and it never lost it's composure.

My main purpose in getting this bike was to have something fun and reliable for short rides and errands that could also be ridden by my wife or daughter.  Some two-up ability was also part of the picture so we could ride as two couples when daughter and son-in-law are in town.  I won't go into the whole story of how I ended up with the S40 (I'm sure it'll come out later --this post is long enough), but I'm glad I have it!

Of course, after the shakedown ride there's the wish list -- right now it includes the sissy bar & luggage rack, and possibly the gel seat!

So here's my first posting and a big hello to the group!

Harvey in San Luis del Norte

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*  Not an accurate name.  There are NO wild horses in North America.  The so-called wild horses are actually feral, being descended from escaped domestic stock brought over by the Spaniards.  Rumors that they escaped a few strides ahead of the Inquisition are probably true.  Still, Feral Horse Creek Road just doesn't have the right panache.

And that funny black thing on the tank is a magnetic bullet bag from Marsee -- holds the camera, glasses and pocket change!

Welcome to the site!

Welcome aboard. Does that tank bag stay pretty secure or do you have to re-adjust it from time to time? I got my sissy bar and luggage rack from odeidasuzuki.com. Thay have good prices and good delivery time.

Welcome to the site.  I really like the color.
I have a '96 that used to be yellow, but will be reborn in black on black.

Welcome aboard drharveys! Your S40 is lovely ... that color goes well with chrome!  8)

Welcome to the site! That's a great color for the thumper. Is that the old Montelle sign in the 1st picture? One of the nicest views of the river valley up there! Glad to see someone from my neck of the woods. I am from the town of Washington originally and spent fourteen years commuting hwy 94 to the old Monsanto research site in Chesterfield. Just watch out for the dumptrucks coming out of the quarry near Defiance. If they don't get you, the gravel they trail behind very well might!

Southpaw wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

Yes it is -- Montelle Winery lower parking lot looking east, or at least easterly at the descent from the bluffs just after the Klondike curves.  And the next photo is from the upper parking lot at Montelle!

No dump trucks that run -- just a disk harrow on Highway V coming back on the south side of the river!  Nothing like agricultural equipment on the highway to increase the old pucker factor.

So what neck of the woods are you in now?  Might be good to meet at a coffee or ice cream run.