Posted by DDD on September 03, 2000 at 17:39:28:
In Reply to: Is the Savage a Lemon? posted by bwlaw on September 03, 2000 at 16:16:22:
Sorry to hear you're having trouble. Knock on wood, but our '99 is holding up very well. Aside from the normal rattles and squeaks, etc., the bike has not had a single problem in 8,500 miles; not even an oil leak. SOooo ...
It sounds like you need to find a new dealer. If your area is anything like ours, this can be quite a challenge.
As far as the backfiring ... I've run out of gas on the interstate to the sound of multiple backfires. I'd check the plug for fouling, and the fuel system for obstructions. The petcock seems to be a weak point on some bikes.
The only time my battery has run down was after I did some work that entailed removing the seat. When I put it back on, I did not make sure that the wiring harness was properly located. The seat puts pressure on the connector that connects the charging circuit to the battery causing it to disconnect. The bike ran fine ... till the battery died ... come to think of it, it backfired like the dickens before shutting down!
Anyway, after making sure everything was connected and charging the battery the bike ran fine.
Don't give up hope!