Posted by Jon D. on December 16, 2002 at 02:14:01:
In Reply to: Need parts and info! posted by Randy Carter on December 14, 2002 at 23:27:57:
Hello Max-
Welcome to the world of motorcycling. Anything you have to go to the dealer for will cost you big bucks. Example: I dropped my bike and broke a mirror. A replacement mirror was around $25-30 from the dealer. Instead, I bought a *pair* of custom ones from a catalog for the same price!
eBay is always well stocked with Savage parts auctions. If you're patient, you can get anything you need at a fair to cheap price.
The saddle bag brackets are special, so you may pay a high price for them. Most of the riders in this forum probably don't use the brackets with their bags anyway. There's ways around *needing* them. (any follow-ups here?, I don't use saddle bags).
I bought a spare set of keys from the dealer for pretty cheap. I can't remember what I paid, but it was well worth the price for insurance if I lose my original set and would need them quick.
You can buy tool kits from aftermarket companies. Price ranges vary. I searched the web and found this site among others (http://shop.store.yahoo.com/midnightsupply/metric.html). I can understand if you want the original, I'm the same way about stuff like that. But, the only thing in the original tool kit that you can't really pick up at a local hardware store is the belt tension gauge. If you don't plan on doing that adjustment any time soon, I'd just buy 20 amp fuses, cresent wrench, screw drivers, pliers, allen wrenches, etc. and make your own.
You will also want to buy the Clymer manual. It's a good thing to skim through and a must-have if you plan on doing *any* work on the bike.
On a final note: I would suggest taking the MSF Safety Course if you haven't done so already. The sooner you take it, the fewer bad habits you'll have to break later. I would also read books like Proficient Motorcycling (Hough). Read cycle magazines too. There's tons of them out there and you pick up a lot of good info.
You should check your tire pressure each ride. I bought this product so I could check tire pressure just by looking (http://www.accidentzone.com/tirepresure.htm). Buy these!
Riding is fun, but I learned last June that it can be pretty dangerous too (see my web site).
I've had my bike for about 18 months. I took the safety course just prior to buying the bike and *still* took a spill within the first year of ownership. Wear safety gear! And most of all, RIDE A LOT. As an adult, there are very few surprises left in life. But each time I ride it's fun and exciting.
Spend some time at this forum making friends and getting info about your bike. Anything you want to know about your bike is probably listed in this forum. It's helped me out tons and improved my riding experience.
-Jon
'95 Savage