The 40,000 Mile Club

It's a little hard to tell from the picture but my Suzuki SV650 and I crossed the 40,000 mile threshold this morning.  I reached the milestone passing through Bothell on northbound I-405 only a short distance from the exit where I had my only real motorcycle accident early last year.  Almost all of those miles are from commuting although I have taken it to Sequim (twice), Leavenworth, and Richland.  Based on those experiences I wouldn't say it's the kind of bike you ride for long distances but it's perfect for 30 or so miles to-and-from work.

The bike is still running well but it is definitely showing its age (I guess you could say the same for me ;).  The tires are starting to crack so they need to be replaced.  I think the brake pads are probably due, too.  There's also the overheating problem I've had for a couple years.  The fan never comes on so either there's something wrong with it or the thermostat has gone bad—I've done surprisingly well to avoid traffic jams in hot weather that would put me in jeopardy of overheating, though.  I haven't had it serviced this year so it is also overdue for an oil change and tune-up.  Hopefully I've got 6-8 weeks of riding left in 2010 and then I'll figure out what to do.