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Message started by Karen627 on 05/12/05 at 00:30:59

Title: S40 101 questions.
Post by Karen627 on 05/12/05 at 00:30:59

I've been thinking about asking these questions, but they're sort of "Riding 101" questions, and I was afraid of appearing stupid. Then I decided I'd just embrace the horror. So here we go.

First question: What speed should I be doing in each gear? Here's what I'm doing:

1st gear: 0-15 mph
2nd gear: 15 mph to about 28 mph (not exact -- around high 20's)
3rd gear: high 20's to 40 mph (or thereabouts)
4th gear: 40-55 mph.
5th gear: 55 mph and up.

Those are close to the speeds I'm doing when I shift, but not exact. I've read the manual, and then when I'm riding I can never remember specifically what the manual says, so I've just been going by feel. So far, the bike doesn't feel like it's lugging when I upshift, and the rear wheel doesn't skip when I downshift, and overall, the bike seems, well, happy enough. So I think I'm okay. But if I'm wrong, please tell me -- I'd really like to know before I break my bike.

Second question (and this may be the really stupid one):

A few weeks ago while riding, I ran out of gas. Not having ever done this before, and believing I had more gas than I did, I just assumed I had done something horribly wrong and, yes, broke the bike. So I wound up running the gas tank to empty without switching to reserve.

So now the bike's completely dead, the tank's empty, and I'm walking it on to the shoulder. Upon realizing that it was simply out of gas, I tried switching to reserve, and the switch wouldn't move. Is it normal for the switch not to move if the tank is completely empty? Or should I have that looked at?

And I promise, one day I'll have something intelligent to add to this forum. :D

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by klx650sm2002 on 05/12/05 at 02:06:56

3700 5000 6500
1st 21 28 37
2nd 31 42 55
3rd 43 58 75
4th 51 69 90
5th 55 75 97

3700 rpm's is peak torque speed
5000 rpm's is peak power speed
6500 rpm's is max revs.
these numbers are for the Savage but i assume they are the same as the S40

Clive W :D

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Kropatchek on 05/12/05 at 02:46:31

Maybe the little handle of the petc0ck was already in reserve ( pointing forward). Fill-up the tank and put the fuelc0ck to PRI ( pointing rearward), wait for a few seconds for the floatchamber to fill-up. Start the engine, you'l be fine, no harmdone. Don't forget to switch to normal ( pointing downward).

To resume:
Foreward - Reserve
Down - Normal running
Rearward - Prime ( Open, does not need vacuum from the carburator to open)

Greetz
Kropatchek ;D

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Karen627 on 05/12/05 at 04:51:19

Thanks, guys.

So Clive, if I'm understanding you correctly, it seems I've been babying my bike, huh? At least in first and second gears, anyway.

Now I just have to learn the difference between peak power and peak torque. (Told you I was a beginner. Man, I have a lot to learn. ::) )

Kropatcheck -- no, the handle wasn't on reserve at the time. I'm wondering, though, if there was nothing in reserve, perhaps? And a whole other dopey question: what's the float chamber?

See, this is why I'm reluctant to ask questions -- I knew I wouldn't fully understand the answers. ??? Feel free to smack me down when I get really frustrating, okay? :D

(Meanwhile, I think it's time I find a decent motorcycle-mechanics-for-beginners book, so I can figure this stuff out.)

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/12/05 at 06:23:44

Oddly enough, the owners manual tells you the recommended points for shifting. But I just do it by feel and circumstance. In heavier traffic, I prefer to stay in the lowest possible "comfortable" gear to make it easier to change speed and get out of a bad situation. After changing my air filter and exhaust and rejetting, the increased power slightly changed my shift points too.

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by mornhm on 05/12/05 at 06:46:37

Karen627 wrote:

"Is it normal for the switch not to move if the tank is completely empty?"

I've never run my tank empty, but I'm wondering if you for sure have the tank selector in "normal." I can't think of a reason why the selector wouldn't work with the tank empty (need to prime when this happens) unless it was broken. Would it not turn either direction? It's easy to think the pointer is pointing at normal when in reality it is pointing at reserve. Check the prime position and which way the pointer indicates. That way you'll be sure to know which way to turn the valve. Different bikes look different, so what "looks" normal for one bike might 180 degrees wrong for another bike.

How did you determine the tank was empty? You may already know this, but there isn't a separate "reserve" tank, only a lower pickup level in the tank when you switch the valve from normal to prime. If your tank ran completely empty in the normal position, there is something wrong with the pickup.

Kevin

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by klx650sm2002 on 05/12/05 at 06:49:41

Hey Karen

Peak torque is your engine's most efficient speed, and peak power is where you get the most performance. More important in higher gears.

Clive W :D

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by WD on 05/12/05 at 07:43:58

Karen,

There are no dumb questions on this board. We were all new to the bike at one time. I've had mine for 7 years, will freely admit I don't know everything about the bike yet. HD, no problem, I could rebuild one in my sleep, with one hand cut off and the other paralyzed. The Savage? It's a Japanese bike, haxen't had to do much to it mechanically (okay, I have to do some carb work, I'm lazy) other than oil, filter, and sparkplug changes.

Was your gas tap handle just slightly rearward of RUN? If so, it was in fact slightly bypassing the vacuum only operating position and was drawing gas directly on the PRI circuit, which operates off the lowest point of the valve, meaning what should have been your reserve fuel. As for the sticking handle, put a couple ounces of oil in your gas, it will keep the carb happy AND lubricate the fuel tap a bit better than straight gass does.

Shift points? The book is a general guide. That's all. If you like how you've been riding and shifting, stay with it. Gradually work yourself up to increasing the RPMs/ground speed. As long as you keep the oil changed and the level correct, you won't hurt the bike. Late shifting is better than short shifting, for the motor. Opposite for the transmission. If your bike has been running fine, don't sweat it, you're in the powerband for YOUR particular bike.
-WD

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Reelthing on 05/12/05 at 10:57:56

Karen627 wrote:

Thanks, guys.

So Clive, if I'm understanding you correctly, it seems I've been babying my bike, huh? At least in first and second gears, anyway.

I certainly do not think those speed ranges are babying the bike - keep the oil clean and it should run a long time driven like that.

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Karen627 on 05/12/05 at 21:58:39

Okay. I assume that we're all talking about the same thing -- the fuel valve. (I now have the manual in front of me. ;D ) On my bike, the fuel valve lever (the handle/switch thingy I keep referring to) is pointing straight down at ON (let's say the 6:00 position). (And of course, at 9:00 is RES, and at 3:00 is PRI.) The lever hasn't been moved since I first got the bike in February.

WD, according to the manual, leaving it in the "PRI" position is dangerous because, it says here, "the carburetor may overflow and fuel may run into the engine. This can cause a fire or cause severe damage when you start the engine." The lever's pointing to "ON" on my bike, and I haven't had any fire or severe damage in the three months I've had the bike, so I'm guessing there's not a problem with the lever position, and there's no gas being pulled directly on the PRI circuit.

Kevin, I can't say for sure if the tank was completely empty -- there may have been some in reserve that I couldn't access because I couldn't switch over, and that I couldn't see when I opened the gas tank cap. But it looked empty and definitely needed gas to get started again.

Anyway. Since the gas silliness, I haven't tried moving the fuel valve lever again. Kropatchek, I was thinking of doing something similar to what you suggested. Perhaps when I get home, can I try moving the lever to RES and then starting it, just to see if it'll move, and then when it starts, move it back to "ON"? (I'm not sure if PRI is a good idea, since I've ridden the bike since the time I ran out of gas, and the gas doesn't need to flow straight into the carburetor...?) Is there any reason why I shouldn't try this? (And after all this, wouldn't it be funny if it worked? ::) )

Clive, thanks for the torque/power definitions. :)

Reelthing, yeah, the bike doesn't seem to mind the speed ranges. I might pick it up a bit, as WD suggested.

Savage Rob -- yeah, I've been letting feel and circumstance dictate my shifting also. Of course, being completely new to riding, I just need to make sure I'm reacting correctly to said feel and circumstance. I love this bike and don't want to take any years off its life. ;D

Thanks so much, everyone.

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by diesel on 05/12/05 at 22:32:42

way back in '86, I left fuel valve in "RES." and ran 'er dry in middle of nowhere. NOW WHAT THE He## DO I DO? I'll tell ya. lay that baby down on her left side and roll up on left peg or bar, gas remaining in right side of tank will run over to left side of tank. set 'er back up, turn fuel valve to "PRI"fire 'er up and find a gas station quick(mabey 10 mi.) hey, worked for me. next time DON'T forget to turn valve back to "RUN"

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Kropatchek on 05/13/05 at 01:52:02

Karen627 wrote:

Kropatchek, I was thinking of doing something similar to what you suggested. Perhaps when I get home, can I try moving the lever to RES and then starting it, just to see if it'll move, and then when it starts, move it back to "ON"? (I'm not sure if PRI is a good idea, since I've ridden the bike since the time I ran out of gas, and the gas doesn't need to flow straight into the carburetor...?) Is there any reason why I shouldn't try this? (And after all this, wouldn't it be funny if it worked? ::) )

The floatchambers is the bottom part of the carburator, the fuelhose is connected to it. It contains, as the name suggests, a float. This is connected to a floatneedle which will shut-off the fuelflow when the floatchamber is full.
Search in the technical section which has a couple of references to other sites explaining the working of a carburator.
Now, when you run out of fuel the floatchamber is empty.
For safety reasons fuel is permitted only to flow to the carb when the engine is running. This is done by vacuum, the hose runnung from the right side of the carb to the petc0ck, which opens the c0ck in the RES and ON positions.
When you put the petc0ck on PRI it allows fuel to run straight into the floatchamber untill the chamber is full.
In short : you dont have to start so long.

Switch to ON when the engine is running.

Greetz
Kropatchek ;D

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Bluejeanz on 05/13/05 at 05:12:53

Karen627 wrote:

I've been letting feel and circumstance dictate my shifting also. Of course, being completely new to riding, I just need to make sure I'm reacting correctly to said feel and circumstance. I love this bike and don't want to take any years off its life. ;D

Thanks so much, everyone.

Hey Karen, welcome to the Savage. It's great to have another girl onboard! I can't offer any help and it sounds like these guys have you covered.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. The folks here are great and the Savage was new to all of us at one point. I'm still terribly new myself and a real dummy when it comes to all things mechanical...

BUT, thanks to the folks here, I've changed my own oil and I'm psyching myself up for an exhaust change(SuperTrapp), air filter change (K&N Stock replacement) and carb rejetting.

If you don't mind asking, and get past that "I'm gonna look stupid" feeling, these folks can talk you through anything.

Welcome to the board and enjoy the ride.

Your bike may say Boulevard, but underneath, she's still a Savage 8)

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by Karen627 on 05/13/05 at 06:49:22

Diesel -- thanks for the tip. That's definitely something I would never have thought of.

Kropatchek, thanks for the extra info. I'll go look on the techincal board for more detailed explanations.

Bluejeanz -- thanks for the welcome. I see what you mean about how great everyone is here. :)

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by gitarzan on 05/17/05 at 16:22:20

diesel wrote:

Another similar tidbit...

If you need to switch on the reserve tank but can't fill up right away, like maybe you're late for work, make sure you set it back to Run when you park it.

Why? So you'll remember for sure, after you finally remember to switch to Aux, to get it to gas station, pronto.

Title: Re: S40 101 questions.
Post by diesel on 05/17/05 at 22:34:28

karen627: many bikes back in the '30s and '40s, this was the ONLY reserve they had.