Oil leaking concerns

[sprocket rocket]

So I have an 02 600. I bought it two and a half years ago with 8,722 miles on it. She now has a little over 35,000. I have kept the oil changed with synthetic every 3,000 miles and had a valve job at 12,500. The bike has always used a little bit of oil, not much and it doesn't seem to be using more but I am noticing it getting all over my rear wheel now and there is a lot of it on the underside of the bike. A couple of the fins that you can see through the fairing holes have always gotten black, but now I can notice a little drip of oil on my fairing that seems to have come from there.

One of my friends thinks its leaking where the shifter goes in, my other friend thinks it is the oil pan gasket. The shop I use says that there is no way to tell without taking out the engine which would be expensive. I want to take good care of my bike and ride it for years to come but I don't know what to do since my personal mechanical skills go as far as changing the oil and I am not sure what the problem is.

[Stumpy]

Start by taking the fairings off and scrubbing the whole engine with warm soapy water. Pay special attention to the fins. Get it all clean and shiny but whatever you do, don't use a jet washer!

Once it's dried, put some newspaper or cardboard underneath, and start it up. Let it run for a minute or so then switch off. Look all over for weeping oil. Go and make some coffee or grab a beer or something, and come back. Check the cardboard for spots, and work your way up to find the leaky area.

Depending on where it's leaking from - it could be as simple as a quick turn with a wrench, or a complete engine rebuild.

Pics will help!