Ok so I went for a ride today to see my bro (round trip of about 160km).  when I got home and took off my riding boots I noticed that my left boot where the gear change leather tab is located was wet with oil.  Went outside with a torch to check the bike and noticed oil leaking out of the gear change shaft down the changer and all over the rubber changer grip.  I also noticed oil leaking from the underside of the engine (no not the sump plug) but more to the left of where the gear changer is.

I will be taking the bike into the dealer Monday morning and getting the leak fixed under warranty.

This is now my second 08GS500 and I am not having much luck with them.  This same bike when it had 250km on the clock the left pot flooded with fuel and had to go in to have work done on it.

I know the GS is not the highest quality built bike but bloody hell this is getting stupid.  2 lots of warranty work with only 2000km on the clock can't be right.

Anyone had any simular problems with oil leaks from new?

Cheers

Its a chance you have to take......it all depends on the guy in the factory fitting the seal. If he gets bored or is distracted or just cant be arsed...... you suffer 

I just posted the same exact problem.  I only have 60 miles on my new 08 GS and it leaked oil all over my left boot, shifter and its a mess.  The dealer told me its most likely a seal problem.  What I am not sure of is if its safe to drive it to the dealership or should I just have it towed?

At 175km (yes, that's less than two hundred kilometers), my bike's head gasket failed.

Dealer admitted it was manufacturing error - and that there was a problem with the head gasket that had been factory installed. 

I had oil all over my left boot, all over the shift lever, and oil was literally dripping off of the inside of the fairing.

The oil leak almost caused me to drop my bike at a light, when I stopped, put my foot down and my boot took off on me.

As for your question about driving it into the dealership - depends, how much oil is still in the bike?  Will the dealer tow it for you?  Do you feel safe driving the bike with oil spraying out?

That makes THREE of us with very low milage brand new '08GS bikes with what sounds like to me is a head gasket issue. (Anyone else out there?).

I'm located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada - where are you?