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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> How fast?
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Message started by Joel on 05/24/05 at 20:04:34

Title: How fast?
Post by Joel on 05/24/05 at 20:04:34

I had my '87 savage on the freeway for the first time today. I only got it up to 70 and it felt like it was a little strained to me. Granted, im not used to riding a bike that fast (and hearing the engine rev that high for an exented period). It felt like the bike would go faster, but I didnt really want to try. Is it ok to cruise a 4-speed Savage @ 70 for a long time? Could it do 65-70 going two-up?

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by bobo383 on 05/24/05 at 20:34:30

Wife and I have hit 88 mph riding double on my Savage, and that was before the recent carb & exhaust changes. I have hit 95 on it by myself.

70-80 all day long is no problem, just keep an eye on oil level when you fill up.

I 've gotten used to the squirrely feeeling over 70 I guess - it used to bother me but not anymore. Going 140 on a sportbike will re-calibrate your senses to what's really fast and what's not.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by babbalou on 05/24/05 at 20:35:32

It's up for it in my opinion. My S40 feels WAY undergeared at 70+ & could easily pull a taller gear. On the other hand, it's a mildly tuned, understressed engine that's getting plenty of cooling breeze on the highway. I remember going flat out on my old Honda SL-100 (about 68 mph & 9,500 rpm) for a full tank lots of times back in the day. I think this engine can take it & more. 8)

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by lancer on 05/24/05 at 21:23:05

The Savage will do 100 if you get it set up right. Several of us have had it there, though it is a bit squirelly unless you have replaced the front and rear suspension with something a little more substantial. It is a fun ride for sure!

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Susan on 05/24/05 at 21:26:18

Joel wrote:

Is it ok to cruise a 4-speed Savage @ 70 for a long time? Could it do 65-70 going two-up?

Yes to the first and probably yes to the second depending on the two in question and how the bike is set up... ;)

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by WD on 05/24/05 at 23:07:24

Yes to solo, possibly to double up riding. The bike can do it, but your passenger won't like it... unless the passenger is about 4 feet tall, maximum.
-WD
Some minor carb tweaks will make for a much better behaving machine.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Reelthing on 05/25/05 at 04:17:54

Joel wrote:

Is it ok to cruise a 4-speed Savage @ 70 for a long time?

I may just be getting old, but it seems to me 70 for a long time (if say that means a hour) is too high of rpms for a long engine life - @ 60-65 I'm spinning around 4k and for sustained speed that seems about max to me.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by klx650sm2002 on 05/25/05 at 04:46:38

KLX is limited to 95 ish due to stability problems but man it turns in good, 33" bars might help that too.

Clive W :D

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/25/05 at 05:29:10

I don't think I've taken mine past 90 but I regularly ride at 75 with traffic on the freeway and she seems just fine at that speed.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by S40rider on 05/25/05 at 10:22:51

My S40 after having the dealer put a shim in the jet area now goes 95 and used to only go about 87. I travel at 70-75 every day about 60 miles round trip and still get 55-60mpg. I think that you could ride this bike at 85-90 all day long and it would last forever. 5th gear redlines at 100 so as long as you keep it at 90 or so you will be fine. Even at 85 the engine does not seem revved up enough to do any harm. Keep the oil changed and at the right level, adjust the valves when needed and make sure to clean the air filter as needed and you should get 80-100k out of the bike. I saw a savage early 90's that a guy had with 85000 on it and he did nothing to it other then the stuff I mentioned. He did other routine maintanence but no engine work ever done. He commuted at 75-80 120 miles round trip every day since he bought it with no problems.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Reelthing on 05/25/05 at 11:49:55

Like I said - may just be getting old :-/

anyway - what kind of shim on what ?

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Dingo_Jones on 05/25/05 at 13:04:04

I picked up a savage a few months back. The first time up on the freeway @ 75 did feel like I was pushing the engine just a bit too hard. However, I now ride regularly @ 75-85 and feel pretty comfortable. As comfortable as you can be on I-5 between seattle and olympia. I took the windscreen (Plexistar 2) off last night, and this morning on the way in to work had no problem hitting 90, I'll probably try for 95 on the way home tonight, I ran out of road before I felt like I'd pushed the bike to redline.
Anyhow. Safe riding and keep the oil fresh.
Jesse

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by WD on 05/25/05 at 14:50:10

Vashon Island!!! Got a dock? I'm in Puyallup, love to go fishing...Pop by the shop some time, to say hello if nothing else. Bent Bike Auburn, if there is an orange highbar Savage or green/green/white 69 Dodge truck out front, I'm there. Going on the Ash Run? June 12th, we can hook up at the Roy Y if interested.
-WD

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Bluejeanz on 05/25/05 at 18:06:44

WD wrote:

I hit about 75 on the interstate riding 2-up for a brief period (one exit) and trust me, even the 4 foot passenger isn't happy about it. He wanted us to take the "other way" back home.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by WD on 05/25/05 at 18:20:55

Bluejeanz, back roads or frontage roads are more fun to ride on anyway. I take the back way to work. 30-45 minutes to go 17 miles. The "freeway" is a parkinglot that time of day. When your 4 foot passenger hits 5 foot, best plan on buying a scoot for him as well. :D
-WD

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Dingo_Jones on 05/26/05 at 07:05:04

Hey WD
No dock, but I'm half a block from the beach, a block from the burton (Quartermaster) yacht club/marina, and half a mile from the public boat launch. If you're ever out this way, let me know. The roads out here make for some of the best riding around.
I work in Tacoma, I ought to swing by and meet you before the big Ash run.
Roy Y on the 12th sounds like a plan. Anyone else from Seattle area going?

-DJ

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by vroom1776 on 05/26/05 at 12:36:15

I rode my savage ('97, bone stock) 5,000 miles in 5 days. The last 800 miles really sucked because the cam chain tensioner broke and the bike wouldn't do over 65. Runs good now. Also, one of the footpegs vibrated loose and fell off with 50 miles to go.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Greg_650 on 05/26/05 at 13:08:32

I have hit 85 on my Savage, twice. That was it. Just to test my work. That was all that I needed to satisfy my need for speed. I don't have any other expectations of the Savage, nor a need to go fast.
8)

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by freerider23 on 05/26/05 at 13:21:10

i got a '88 savage that wouldnt do 80 to save its life!! then again, i am 6-1, 220, so i dont push the little thing too hard. 2 up i can do 70 with a tailwind.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/26/05 at 13:31:28

Greg_650 wrote:

Yup, I took mine to 90 shortly after I replaced the muffler and rejetted just to see what the high end felt like. I usually try to keep it at about 65 on the freeway for myself but if the HOV lane is moving at 75, I'll stay with it. On back roads, I just stick to the speed limit (usually between 45 and 55) and enjoy the ride.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Greg_650 on 05/26/05 at 15:41:49

Savage_Rob wrote:

By the way....I read the banner. Congratulations on graduating from "Newbie" status. ::)

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by woodworker on 05/26/05 at 16:17:31

Since breaking the engine in on my 1986 LS700 while dialing in the stock carb (jets drilled out as follows: main- #177.8, pilot- #61, pilot air- #74.2, jet needle raised .150") got to 160 km/hr very quickly and the little thumper was still pulling like hell. I must be getting too old so I let off on the throttle - that was fast enough for me!

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by lancer on 05/26/05 at 19:16:14

Now that sounds fun to me.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by -=G-Star=- on 05/26/05 at 19:24:50

I've once pushed close to 90mph, and I felt it would have gone faster, but if I did, I'd have missed my exit and been late for work.

Last time I tried it close to that fast, my front end began to shimmy.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Reelthing on 05/26/05 at 21:36:32

Vstar-Vader twas the helment - anyway you guys are talking about short run top ends - the question was about - i thought - how fast would you ride for say an hour without letting off ?

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by WD on 05/26/05 at 21:45:27

If you chop off a bunch of unnecessary weight, you can peg the speedometer pretty easily. Bike weight. Front fender, stock muffler, belt covers, front fender, passenger carrying (torturing) parts...

10 pounds weight reduction is equivalent to 1 horsepower gained. I've weighed every nut, bolt, screw, washer and major piece I've removed. When I pull the shocks and run aluminum struts, it comes in at under 300 pounds rolling weight...
-WD

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Greg_650 on 05/28/05 at 06:20:57

Exactly what all have you removed to make the bike lighter by 52 pounds?

I'll give ya 4 pounds for each shock. That leaves room for 46 pounds of nuts and bolts.

Wheels? ::)

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by bobo383 on 05/28/05 at 06:56:03

Reelthing wrote:

Vstar-Vader twas the helment - anyway you guys are talking about short run top ends - the question was about - i thought - how fast would you ride for say an hour without letting off ?

True! I wouldn't stay past half-throttle (about 80mph) for very long, the bike just feels too light to be comfy faster than that. The rider will give out before the motor I believe.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by WD on 05/28/05 at 07:17:47

I've run it for a tank at a time at highway speeds in the 75-80 mph range. Bike had no problems. I was so cramped up that is wasn't even funny. Me + Savage = pain, for any run over 25 miles at a shot.
-WD

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by Bluejeanz on 05/30/05 at 20:03:56

WD wrote:

Oh, I absolutely agree. The backroads are best. We just wanted to try out the interstate, for giggles. As for the parking lot affect...it doesn't happen here. We couldn't turn the interstate into a parking lot if everybody in town got out there at once. We're too sparsely populated...and that's a good thing.

As for the 4 footer hitting 5 feet and getting his own ride...unfortunately, he'll be too young. He just turned 14 and he's shooting up fast. He's already eyeing my Savage now that I've got the Intruder too, but I told him to forget it for at least two years.

He does have a little Honda Aero125 scooter that I let him ride around the rural neighborhood.

Besides, despite the fact that I love the Intruder, I still love my zippy Savage too. It's got lots more "pep" than the Intruder.

Title: Re: How fast?
Post by WD on 05/30/05 at 20:53:48

I seem to recall prophesizing something along those lines... ;D

I know all too well growing up tall, too fast. I was 5'10" by age 13 or 14. Hit 6'2" sophomore year of high school.

I started riding street bikes at age 15. Let your son set hisown pace. Starting him out on an Aero125 isn't actually a bad idea... start smalland graduate to bigger bikes.

Enjoy the bikes.
-WD