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Message started by WD on 07/17/05 at 21:57:23

Title: No more Savage...
Post by WD on 07/17/05 at 21:57:23

I let my stepson pick the bike up Saturday morning. He rode up to work with me on it, I had the VS800, his roommate on a SV650S. He'd gotten his permit the day before. 8)

The screwballs left my shop on an all day adventure. Look on a state map of Washington and follow along...

Puyallup to Auburn. Auburn to Naches via Highway 410 through the Cascade range, over Chinook Pass, paralleling the White, American and Naches Rivers. Naches to Randle via US12. Forest Service roads from Randle to Ashford. Followed by Ashford to Tacoma via SR7. All in all, about 300 miles, maybe more. For his first "real" ride ever. And he could still walk afterwards... >:(

They rode some more today. I think my bike is gone...

Could I have kept it? Yes. Could I have sold it? Easily. Would either have been as satisfying? Not even close. I can always build another bike, he learned on the Savage and took to it like he was born on it.

I WAS going to replace it with a KZ1300 (6 cylinder 1.286L touring bike). My wife took one look and said (and yes I quote) "no more than 50 cents per cc, WITH new brakes, tires, fuel filter, etc.". Was showing it to a customer, and found out the hard way that the new fuel filter was defective. OOPS... ::) Back to the drawing board, I HATE cleaning carbs, tanks, and such.
-WD

Title: Re: No more Savage...
Post by PerrydaSavage on 07/18/05 at 01:34:51

:( Sorry to hear WD that the 'ol LS has been adopted ... but you could always find another one ... or another scoot at least! In the meantime, there's always the missus' VS800? And those're fine m/c's too.
Ride Safe man ... and hopefully we'll continue to see you posting 'round these here parts!
Ciao! (gotta practise some Italian, seeing we have an exchange student from Trieste, Italy with us for the next 4 weeks) ...

Title: Re: No more Savage...
Post by Paladin on 07/18/05 at 06:14:23

WD wrote:

I let my stepson pick the bike up Saturday morning.....about 300 miles, maybe more. For his first "real" ride ever. And he could still walk afterwards... >:(

They rode some more today. I think my bike is gone...

Could I have kept it? Yes. Could I have sold it? Easily. Would either have been as satisfying? Not even close. I can always build another bike, he learned on the Savage and took to it like he was born on it.

It's still in and a part of the family. That counts. The attitude that will get on a Savage and ride 300 miles looking as if he was born on it is the same attitude that makes the Savage the 3rd least crashed bike. This bodes well for his safety. Is he stretched out like you or is he a more reasonable fit to the Savage?

Quote:

I WAS going to replace it with a KZ1300....

Just noticed the "was" -- bummer. Car dealers drive their inventory, do bike dealers do the same? Keep us informed on what you ride and what you end up with -- there has to be something that agrees with your back.

Title: Re: No more Savage...
Post by WD on 07/18/05 at 07:21:36

For the time being I'm riding the 800 Intruder. I don't particularly like the bike, but, it beats a 42 mile round trip in a 36 year old truck that gets 8 miles per gallon, downhill, with a tailwind.

Rob and I are the same height (6'2"), same shoe size (14), BUT, he's 50 pounds lighter.

The first time he rode it, he piled it up in a rhododendron at our old house, after jumping it over an apple tree stump. When we got to our current place, after a couple rides around the parking area, he could drag the pegs for 5 minutes riding circles in either direction without so much as a low speed wobble. Made him learn to use the brakes properly by having him get the bike up to speed (15 or so) and jumping out in front of him with NO warning. Never dropped the bike or hit me with it. On Saturday morning's ride to work, I kept watching him from the 800's mirrors. Just need to convince him that Savages DON"T have HD's self canceling turn signals. Just called me (literally, at 7:17 a.m.) and is riding up to the shop with me again. Wants a job at the shop I work at.

Like I said, he's hooked. 8)

I won't have my settlement money for a few months, but am already looking for another scoot. V-star, Shadow, Road Star, BIG Boulevard (the "new" Marauder 1600), BIG Twin HD, etc. Desperate to get back on a liter plus sized chassis. 650cc engine is plenty of oomph, just not roomy enough. Even an HD would need stretching of the frame to really be comfortable.
-WD