Posted by George on April 20, 2000 at 05:03:36:
In Reply to: I Wanna Bike posted by Scott Hoffer on April 20, 2000 at 00:35:19:
Yes, Savages backfire, at least until you modify the exhaust and the carb. And some leak oil; mine's about to go in for the fourth repair on that. On the other hand, the Savage doesn't vibrate too much, in my opinion (and I just rode an hour on the highway), and the rear suspension is adjustable. Motorcyclist magazine has tested all three bikes. Here's a quick comparison (I hope the formatting sticks):
Savage 800 Drifter Shadow VLX
Displacement (cc) 652 805 583
Weight (lbs.) 352 578 445
Tank capacity (gal) 2.8 4.0 2.9
Miles per gallon 51 44 45
1/4 mile time/mph 16.33/77.2 14.91/86.5 16.42/78.1
200-yd from 50 mph 68.9 67.3 65.1
MSRP in USD $4249 $7299 $5299 - $5499
By the way, I'm 50, too, and returned to riding last spring after a 25-year absence. I like the Savage's light weight and easy handling. A little more power qould be nice, but in the whole, it's the right bike for me.