So I'm in the market for my first bike.  I plan on commuting 40 miles per day and I'm looking to save on gas.  I've only rode bicycle's and mopeds.  I like the looks of the s40 and my farther-in-law has already gifted me a complete set of leathers.  I'm 5'8 and wieght 155 soaked wet.  November is when I'll buy and I plan on riding year around so I can keep my SUV parked.  I WILL be taking the rider course before purchase.  So any feedback you can offer will help and I'm not a big gear head but I'm a redneck that can fix anything with wire and ducktape.

Thanks for the input.  I live just outside Seattle, WA.  Little to no snow but we get a good deal of misty rain and I'll be on back roads only at a max speed of 50.  Can hit the highway but saves me no time.

I'm a new rider as well (had my license about a month now) I live in WA and ride my Savage to work as well as for pleasure. As far as I can tell, this bike is excellent for us new people. I've had no trouble what-so-ever learning when to shift and whatnot even though there is no tachometer on my bike. Also it seems to have no trouble with the weather so far... I've left it out overnight at work in the rain (night shift... 5pm-5am yuck) and it started right up and took me all the way home with no complaints. I live out on the peninsula, so all the twisty-windy back roads make for awesome pleasure riding as well.  

And as has been mentioned, maintenance on this this bike is totally doable for a newbie. I recently had to replace my battery, and thanks to the extensive assistance of the board members here, everything went perfectly.

I'm up here in the bellingham area and I ride 40 miles a day to work and back. I have put over 4000 miles on since Feb (well minus the down time to get my shoulder put back together.) and the bike never complains.

sa far as this as a starter bike all I can say is be careful. This is a very good bike and seems to fit your needs perfectly however for a beginner I can imagine it being quite easy to get yourself in trouble on this thing. I started on a Rebel 250 before I traded up. That thing was practically impossible to get yourself in any real trouble. It just didnt have the grapes. I had that up to 70 but acceleraction in comparison to the savage was extremely weak and 70 was a stretch in my opinion. On the savage I hit 70 without even trying or realizing it and it pulls like a freakin train from a stop. You could probably pull stumps with it. Size wise its not much bigger than the 250's and almost as easy to handle weighing only about 40lbs more than the Rebel 250 (dry weight). Its also EXTREMELY versatile. Japans answer the the 883 sportster IMO. Great for around town, more than adequate for interstates, able to be adapted to tour, race or just cruise leisurely.

The Savage is a great bike.  

It is SO much more than a mere starter bike too.  Experienced riders really enjoy owning one.

It is small, light, nimble, reliable and good on gas.

People often complain about the seat comfort and the forward foot pegs, but both of those can be corrected, making a great bike even better.

You can't go wrong with a Savage.

I have been riding for a year now. I highly recommend a rider course if you are new to it. I have a 2007 S40. I ride in the Boston area which puts me on 128 all the time. Of course everyone tells me I must be nuts for driving 128, but like I tell them, how can you get hurt when you can't get over 15mph? I am over 6500 miles now.
I have done some modifications like a windscreen which has helped many times on the highway when trucks kick up rocks. Saddlebags help to stow lunch or small things when you have to stop for something on the way home. I have to run over to another location once a week and I try to schedule that for a good day so I can save gas. I have been tracking that and am getting about 55mpg. I have only dropped it twice. Once in a parking lot. Long story short, a guy cut between two cars as I was making the turn around the back side of a parking lot and I had to jam on the brakes while leaned over. Broke a tail light. First lesson in repairs. The other was being a wise guy in a parking lot. During the MC class you had to do a figure eight in a box. I was pretty good at it on the Nighthawk, tried it with the Savage. Not so good. Caught it before it hit the ground but pulled up to hard and fast and it went over the other way. Dang, another tail light.
Besides the windscreen and bags, I swapped out the seat for a gel seat. That has made a difference. I have about an hour commute and your butt can get a little sore.
Though my buddy busts my chops for having a windshield and wearing a full mask, I have found on my commute it is best. Especially right now when they are repaving 128. It is all gouged up. Fun to drive on, NOT! They also don't clean it up too well after gouging so that crap is flying at you. I caught one to my arm on the way in this morning, yowch.
Just got back from vacation last week. Took it up to New Hampshire and cruised the Kankamagus with the kids. (Wife had the car and took one with her out to Conway and I took the other and then swapped on the return.) It is an amazing ride with a lot of scenic beauty.
I had taken it in for its 700 checkup which cost about $200. When I hit 3000, I took it to the local shop for an oil and filter change. Cha-ching! $75. My jaw dropped. So I was glad to find this forum where I could learn to take care of this bike myself. So I may be posting a few questions of my own in a few.
While I love it for just cruising around town, highway speeds could use a bit more power. I am 6;2, 250, so it is a bit short for me too. I was looking at the S83 which they didn't have when I was looking last year. Though maybe the S50 would be enough. I still have three years to pay on this one though.

My '06 S40 was the first bike I was on since I quit riding back in the late '80's.  Back then, I rode everything from a Ducati 250 single to a Suzuki GS750L.  Admittedly, my memory may be a little faulty, but the S40 seems to have as much power as the GS750 did up to about 55-60 mph.  I also hear a lot of stories about people buying the Suzuki GZ250s or the Rebel 250s and almost immediately wanting to trade up.  I almost bought a Rebel because of the relative cheapness of one, but I'm glad I didn't since I don't think it would handle interstate very well.

My commute is 17 miles a day with about 7 miles of it on the interstate.  My '06 has no trouble at all keeping up with the traffic.  I'm also going to college at night and from work to school, it's approximately 22 miles on the interstate and the S40 has no issues happily thumping along a 65+ for the whole trip.