Well, I'm going to the local motorsports shop tomorrow to sit on a few bikes(s40 included).

Conventional wisdom says I should probably find a lightly used s40 at a discount price. But seeing as these bikes aren't very pricey off the showroom floor - I'm debating buying new. I know the basic bike changed a whole lot since its inception though. I'm weighing the obvious pros & cons, and was curious if you guys had any input.

Pros...

-Everything is obviously fresh & unmolested.
-Warranty/stealership support
-...NEW BIKE

Cons...

-Price
-Break-in period

Anything major I'm missing?

Really, there are a lot of excellent deals on bikes with just a few thou. miles on them, some at $2500 or less.  One in my area is/was for sale for $2000 flat and only had 4500 mi.  If I had any $$ floating around I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat.  There are stilll others, like 8-10 of them, within a couple of hours drive from me that are in the $2500-2800 range, and with just 4-8k mi. and from the 2000 model or newer.

If you could find an excellent used Savage/S40 for, say, half the price of a new one, what would you do with the money?...pay off bills?  Take time off work to ride more?  Buy a custom seat?  Do something really nice for your wife/domestic partner/girlfriend/boyfriend/all-of-the-above?  Take a high performance riding course?

If you can find what you want used and in excellent condition at a very fair price---that's my choice.

I picked up mine used with 51 miles for $2900.00 last year. It was as close to new as you can get. A lot of people give into peer pressure and use these as a starter bikes and move up, then realize what they lost after the "big bike" bills start coming in. Buy for the 90% of the intended use of the bike, not just to “hog” around once a week. Look around there are always opportunities if you are patient. If you have cash, you can make your own deal.

I bought mine before I found this site. I was afraid of doing the maintenance & wanted a warranty. Had I known about this place & these people I would have bought used & saved a sack of cash to spend on gas & oil & insurance & mods & bags & windshield and tires, and and.
In short, I wish I had bought used.

This is your 1st bike, the question is... how are you going to feel if you drop a brand new bike vs. a used one?

Now I don't want you to plan on it, but more likely than not, you'll drop it.  Even if you never get it out of your driveway, there's more of a chance cause you have no experience.  Mine occured trying to avoid a car full of teenaged monkeys turning right from the left turn lane, 2nd week of riding.  Damage was so minor that it blended in with the PO's.  So aside from the limping and torn jacket, no big deal.

S40 is my first bike, and the reason I looked (& waited) to find a used one:

-the few scrapes & scratches were going to happen anyway
-if it turned out not for bike me, I could resell it without losing big $$$.

I ended up with an 07 w/2700 miles for $2700.
Now over 5k and & loving it  

Good Luck !

Bikes & boats, priced higher in spring & summer. Fall & winter/ bargains.