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Message started by geo on 11/27/06 at 20:16:20

Title: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by geo on 11/27/06 at 20:16:20

I have wondered how the acceleration of my LS650 compares to the Harleys. My savage is pretty quick up to 55-60 mph. I have not ridden a Harley so I have no basis of comparison.

Some of you have ridden Harleys, so how does this LS650 compare? ??? Now, I have done the modifications shown below, and this makes a difference, say 5hp.

I suspect my LS650 is no match to the crotch rockets.

Should I be embarassed with the performance of this bike relative to other cruiser type bikes? ??? Is the LS650 worthy of respect? ???

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Reelthing on 11/27/06 at 20:24:09

Stay clear of the crotch rockets or multicylinder standards - but jump on a hog or two from a light
pi$$es them off

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by azjay on 11/28/06 at 05:58:32

the savage is a good match for the HDs, there are several of us husband/wife couples riding that combo as pairs. debby's suzuki will get with most stock/mild HDs and give 'em a good run for their money. she keeps trying me ('84 fxrp, cammed, carb'd, piped, etc), i can give her a head start and beat her with one of my daughters two up on mine ;D but i can pick the front tire up through third gear :o

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Reelthing on 11/28/06 at 06:24:45

That's absolutely right - some of the hd's make a lot of power but at least around here it seems the majority just make noise and have an extra 200lbs of shinny stuff bolted on - now most will blow past the savage once they getting them going about 60

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by hutch on 11/28/06 at 11:05:06

Don't be ashamed of the Savage. I have owned several Harley's over the years and love my savage. My sons father in law just spent another $1000 on his 1200 Sportster to beat me from 0 to 70. Total investment for him $12,000. My investment $4,500 with jardine pipe and new carb jets..

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Hashbrown on 11/28/06 at 11:45:16

You can definately keep up with HDs in the first few gears. When they blow by you after 60 just nod your head and smile knowing you have $7000 more in your account then they do.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Steve530 on 11/28/06 at 16:02:42

Hashbrown wrote:

You can definately keep up with HDs in the first few gears. When they blow by you after 60 just nod your head and smile knowing you have $7000 more in your account then they do.

Yea, or just slow down, like "I don't WANT to ride that fast".

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by WD on 11/28/06 at 21:14:47

Stoplight to stoplight, you'll smoke any stock HD, except MAYBE an FXR pre-1992.

On the highway, let them get the ticket. Mine will do 100+ without breaking a sweat. My v-twin will run out to 140.

Where I live, 5 mph over is now a minimum $101 ticket. Both of my cruisers will go lock me up under the jail fast...

Savages make great raw material for 1960s 'Frisco/East Bay style customs. Lightweight, narrow, factory mid-mount foot controls... It's all about handling, and my apehanger equipped Savage will ride circles around my Vulcan.
-WD

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by stinger on 11/28/06 at 23:15:00

I actually think my Savage accelerates faster than my friends kawasaki 1000cc police cruiser and my others buddies BMW (I believe 1200cc) Duel Sport Only to about 60mph tho, after that they seem to out accerate me a bit. If we all go to pass a vehicle traveling maybe 55, sometimes I have to back off a bit to keep from going up the back of my friends bikes Granted, less motor than my old 880 cc Sportster, but like 100 lbs lighter. Id say my Savage was a bit quicker til maybe 50 then the twin cylinders opened up and thenit wasnt much of a contest. The Savage shifts gears alot smoother and quicker on my Savage then the Sporster.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by lancer on 11/29/06 at 15:10:36

It is a lot of fun playing with the big twins. Usually when you show up on a Savage for a club ride, where 95% of the bikes are HD's, they look at you and offer a "kind" comment about your "little" bike. But when it is time to take off and you leave them behind ... or even just stay with them as they try to accelerate away ... they start taking double takes back at the "little bike". Granted, I have done a bit more to mine than most, but even so it is great fun playing with their heads and keeping them humble. I do not give up anything up to 80 mph, after that the cubic inches begin to take over.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by torque on 11/29/06 at 15:47:14

my dads stock 2006 sportster 1200c,always killed mine and jim-r's modded savage's,from light to light.it'd do a wheelie while spinning the wheel ;)but on my new bike the sporty's always in the mirror ;D.one of our freinds just bought a 2005 triumph bonniville and damm does it look good,but it does not take off for sh!t :P,and it really doesnt want to keep rolling either.no performance whatsoever >:(

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by elrockk on 11/29/06 at 18:56:13

well i dont know how zippy a savage should be,but i got one for my wife last month, and it was raining when i took it for a test ride so i didnt go to crazy,but the one i got has no balls at all, its a stock 96 and it was like riding a big mini bike. i have a 1450 harley and theres no way this will even come close. is my savage a dog?
it sounds like maybe the muffler is clogged? so before i judge anything im gonna put a sportster muffler on and do the carb and air filter mods. any input would be greatly appreciated
thanks gene ???

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by azjay on 11/29/06 at 19:55:42

yes sir! open her up, there is a completely different animal hiding inside that demure appearing little ride. consider the math;
harley=80ci@700lbs
suzuki=40ci@350lbs
it is easier to get less weight in motion, you will be pleasantly surprised how it performs, after you get away from the factory lean condition.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Dynobob on 12/01/06 at 09:58:26

elrockk wrote:

is my savage a dog?
it sounds like maybe the muffler is clogged?

Stock Savages are very leanly jetted and the muffler is very restrictive. Yours probably runs as well as it should.

These bikes respond very well to simple mods - freer flowing muffler, rejet, and opening up the intake. I was disappointed with mine stock, but it pretty much rips now ;D

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Stimpy on 12/01/06 at 12:35:58

When I "punched" through the middle of my silencer´s baffles using a 1" drill bit ;D (and made it essentialy a free flowing muffler) and opend up the carb´s gas/air screw to make the mix it a bit richer (about 2 1/2 turns out) the bike went immediately from 75mph to 85mph w/o rejetting (.150 main jet, I think) and got insane mid-top end acceleration and a great sound.

Luv it!

(*Note: I also used the same 1" drill bit to make about 9 holes on the side of my air filter box to insure a better air supply).

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by elrockk on 12/01/06 at 18:28:51

i got it registered today, and the local weather says no rain so tommorrow we rip. maybe it just needs a good cleaning out?

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Dynobob on 12/02/06 at 00:08:47

elrockk wrote:

i got it registered today, and the local weather says no rain so tommorrow we rip. maybe it just needs a good cleaning out?

Probably the carb. Try adding 2 or 3 ounces of Sea Foam carb cleaner to a full tank of gas. It works wonders.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by hutch on 12/02/06 at 08:59:17

A stock 1995 80 ci Harley motor only puts out 57hp.
I owned a Lowrider, and it cost me about $4000 to make it accelerate with the same feel as I get from my
Savage. These were not simple mods either. I had to change the cam, screaming eagle heads,alloy push rods,screaming eagle carb and aircleaner, and screaming eagle pipes. Should have bought a Savage
a long time ago, and I have been a die hard Harley
fanatic for years.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by YonuhAdisi on 12/02/06 at 09:51:27

I'm hoping all the mods I'm currently doing to my Savage gives me the same gain that is talked about in this thread. I'm basically taking all the info on this site and implementing it.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by hutch on 12/02/06 at 10:23:17

belive me if you do the mods on this site you will be amazed at the performance that you can get out of the Savage. I have only put on the Jardine Rumbler slip on pipe, 152.5 main jet, 55 pilot jet and KN drop in air filter.
The bike is still wanting for fuel from 75 on so I think I might go to a 155 or higher main jet. If I drill the air box I know I will have to go with a 155 or more. What I have done so far has made a very big change. These bikes have a lot of potential.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by firsts40 on 12/02/06 at 23:11:07

:)I have a 2006 S40, and I am very pleased with it's performance completely stock. It is no crotch rocket, but it will get my 205 pounds to Interstate speeds as fast as is sensible. It will jump from 60 to 75 very quick to get around slower traffic on the Interstate without twisting the throttle all the way. In fact I have never twisted it all the way because I have never had a reason to, it is just great the way it is.
And yes, the HDs are surprised when I pull on the Interstate with them and I am still with them at 70 or 75.
Like I have said, the S40, Love it for what it is, as it is.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by hunnus2000 on 12/03/06 at 06:03:37

firsts40 wrote:

The S40 is one surprising little beast! My wife has no trouble keeping with me on my 1100 Sabre. She would like a louder pipe however.

You say you've gotten it up to 75? How does it feel at that speed with a light weight bike? My only concern is that my wife and the bike are light and how it feels with a Semi coming up to pass or passes us in the opposite direction.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by firsts40 on 12/03/06 at 06:27:54

:o I was surprised with the way it handles the Interstate. Of course you feel a little shaking when a semi passes you, but it isn't bad. You can still feel the road very well and the bike remains quite stable. I am at 205 pounds, but I am sure your wife wouldn't have any problems either. The longest I have had my S40 out at one time was around 6 hours, and it wasn't bad at all. Stopping to get gas every 100-120 miles helped though.
I think your wife will love it. Enjoy and ride safe

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by hunnus2000 on 12/03/06 at 07:00:22

firsts40 wrote:

Thanks so much for your response, that makes me feel better!!!

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by davedra on 12/03/06 at 16:39:46

We're trying to make my son's 1998 Savage sound better. He's got a stock pipe on it. I've read your comments about Jardine's. Are "screamin' eagles" available for this bike? He wants it more throaty or meatier. How much am I looking to spend?

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by Dynobob on 12/03/06 at 17:36:32

davedra wrote:

Are "screamin' eagles" available for this bike

Folks are buying used Screamin Eagles off Ebay or from their local Harley dealer. They can usually be found pretty cheap. It takes a little adaptation, but they do sound good / loud. You'll want to rejet the carb if you add any muffler but stock.

Title: Re: LS650/S40 Acceleration
Post by geo on 12/03/06 at 19:16:10

I originally put on the SuperTrapp to get rid of the embarassing stock muffler backfireing. But I got a wonderful surprise, I got a lot more power! :D There was even more pull a lower speeds. :D

The SuperTrapp upgrade by itself made my pipe start to yellow. :-[ The cure for this is to rejet the carb, so I did that. Then I polished my pipe with Blue Buster.

By the way, the SuperTrapp weighs 10 pounds less than the stock pipe.

Another thing that helps is the K&N air filter. This filter has a much better seal at the intake flange. It also increases the higher speed power when the engine demands a lot more air. I observed the same thing when I put the K&N in my Miata.