Posted by Joe on May 25, 2003 at 10:31:29:
I bought my 2001 Savage brand new in 2001. I wanted it because it is simple and it has a belt drive. I have owned a Kaw. 400, Kaw. 750 and a Yam. XS650. I have been riding street for the past 7 years. In 2000 I cut my index finger of in the chain/sprocket of my 650(ouch). I love my savage. It has 7,500 miles on it, no problems except for a leaky gas cap that I fixed by making a rubber seal. I have added a split fire windshield, raised my seat in the front by adding spacers, sidecar (for winter) and cut and raised my sissy bar. My sidecar is a 1980's CA Sidecar I bought for $350. Texas Sidecars built my mounts for the rig for $350. I rode with the sidecar most of the winter and it was great. With the rig I got 45mpg and top speed was 70mph on the flat. I still need to paint my sidecar; it is primer gray right now. I cut my sissy bar in the middle and tig welded a 4 inch mid section in, I still need to have it chrome plated. A local upholstery guy made a slipover pad for $10. My windshield makes a big difference in rain and winter. Without my sidecar I average 52mpg. I want to buy another bike for my sidecar by the end of the summer (Kaw 450 Ltd). The savage does not run well on below freezing days. I may have to build a windshield for my engine this winter if I do not get a new bike. Once I get the new bike I want to get a set of adjustable triple trees and buy extended forks. I also plan to build a new low slim seat like some of the ones I have seen in the gallery. I am working on a custom air box and a gadget that will spin my air as it enters my carb (Amazing Tornado), making an exhaust using an Emego muffler and making an inner end cap to restrict airflow for max power. I have made brackets to extend my forward control assemblies but I can't install if I am going to use my sidecar. This winter I may buy a radial tire from Coker Tire to use with the sidecar. The tire will probably last 20,000 miles, adds better tracks ion. Don't buy one unless you use a sidecar! I also plan on changing my rear fender to a strut less slim fender.
Hey has anyone tried an Iradium or Beru spark plug. The Beru plug has 4 tongues. Sorry I forget what the arc reaches for. I know some of you want a bigger tank. See JP cycles catalog. They have tanks starting at $90 that will work. The Mustang or Porkster (4.5 gal.) look good. Seeger Cycle has pics. with the mustang tank on their Chopped Savages. Also JP cycles has a Jap. catalog for free. JC Whitney has a small speedo for all Suzuki s that mounts to the handlebars. If you get the Dennis Kirk snowmobile cato. there are temp. gauges that read head temp. or exhaust temp. for about $50. I have seen a temp. gauge on the Internet that replaces your oil cap for about $160. It was in German hopefully it is less. I love this sight.
Savage Forever,
Joe