Posted by Matti Toivonen on June 07, 1999 at 16:56:42:
In Reply to: Small Luggage rack for back of Savage posted by Pat Thompson on June 02, 1999 at 18:25:05:
Hi, Pat!
I just tried to install the small luggage rack from Highway Hawk to my girlfriend's 89 Savage - without any real success.
The rear holes in the rack that I received are bored too high: the rack would end up sitting tightly on top of the rear light and any load on the rack would probably harm or even break the red lens of the rear light.
This problem seemed easily solved though. All I would have needed to do was just drill new holes below the old ones. But then I would have faced another challenge. The upper edge of the rack would have risen high enough to prevent the original square tube of the sissy-bar from reaching the attachment screws in the rear of the fender.
Solution?
1)To do some heavy-duty machining (drilling/filing) of the beautifully chromed rack. NOT! I ordered the rack as a bolt-on accessory. I'm not going to start a machine-shop just because of this rack.
2) Take the rack and the Suzy to a pro. Naah! To expensive. It's supposed to be easy to maintain yourself.
3)Bind the sleeping bag to the sissy-bar right on top of the rear light - like we've done before. And return the rack to the AllRight Motor shop.
(Besides that rack wasn't that pretty to start with.)
I think the best solution would be a small rack which is attached to the sissy-bar instead of the chromed "handles" on the rear fender.
REMEMBER TO CHECK THE OIL LEVEL
And once you embark on a trip long enough to necessitate a sleeping bag, please listen to this piece of advice.
Check the oil every time you fill her up!
This summer we're experiencing some nasty troubles with excessive oil consumption. And the only reason I can think of is that the previous owner(s) of this 27500 km beauty didn't treat her right. The oil capacity (1,8 l) of the Savage is somewhat small for a big single whose piston and cylinder (even in a brand new motor) will expand and warp a little and burn some oil when driven hot for any longer stretch. So don't let your Savage run dry or even on low oil level. Keep enough proper motorcycle-oil with you and have fun. It's a great bike, although I'm no longer sure about a Suzuki single being that easy to maintain.
Have a great summer all you Savage folks around the Globe!
matti t.
The square