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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
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Message started by mclay on 04/30/07 at 04:01:40

Title: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by mclay on 04/30/07 at 04:01:40

Howdy fellow Savage riders.

As you can probably surmise, I just bought a 2000 Savage....originally rode a Buell Blast for a couple of seasons and then stopped for a few years.

My thoughts on the 650 after a few rides:

Plenty of power....great acceleration and keeps up highway speeds.

Nice lines...a classic design.

Definitely better on the ears...my blast was friggin' loud.

All in all, I like it....sorry no pictures yet (I know someone will request pics). It's yellow...kinda looks like a taxi. Ha!

So I'm thankful that there's a forum dedicated to just the Savage....muchos gracias to the webmaster. I'm already learning alot about what to expect with my new thumper.....very cool.

-sean

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by Savage_Rob on 04/30/07 at 04:20:11

Welcome aboard!

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by LANCER on 04/30/07 at 04:30:16

Welcome aboard. How would you compare the two bikes power and handling characteristics?

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by mclay on 04/30/07 at 04:50:37

Hi again,

A comparison....let's see. The Blast was I believe rejetted and had a Vance and Hines exhaust (before I bought it). The blast was quite snappy in 1st gear...a bit touchy I'd say....not as smooth as the savage for take off. The upright riding position was not bad on the Buell, but the seat was not built well for longer trips.

Both bikes being thumpers have nice low end torque...you actually feel the power, which in my opinion makes for a more interactive ride.

I'm gonna say that the savage has better acceleration at highway speeds....basically you don't feel like you're losing power if you decide to pass someone on the highway.

I have noticed that it's quite necessary to hold on tight during hard acceleration....the savage really pulls.

Both bikes do fine at handling the road....they're both fairly light so tight turns are not overwhelming.

Obviously this is entirely subjective....but I like the look of the savage better. The Blast looks part cafe racer, part sport bike, part standard.....not sure what category to put it in. I remember getting looks and questions all the time with it. The savage is more classic and appealing to me.

-sean

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by azjay on 04/30/07 at 07:20:12

welcome, from sw arizona. what part of NY state are you in? there are other savage members up that way too. enjoy the ride. 8)

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by Doc_Holliday on 04/30/07 at 20:09:21

My bike is a 2000, its green. I wish mine was yellow, love the look of the yellow. Congrats on getting a savage, im loving mine.

-DOC

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by verslagen1 on 04/30/07 at 20:31:54

You ought to add a checker board stripe! ;D

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by davedra on 04/30/07 at 21:59:26

Welcome!!! I bought our 98 Savage for my son but I love riding it! I have an 06 Honda VTX 1300S and if I really want to get back to basics, I hop on his Savage! Best feeling in the world! (except when I want to feel like I'm riding a Cadillac)

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by mclay on 05/01/07 at 03:53:54

Hi azjay...wish I was in Arizona. I'm an hour south of Rochester....basically the middle of nowhere. I live one town away from Alfred University...small private college.

Well after a couple days of ownership I've noticed some of the signature Savage traits....backfires, lean mixture, etc. I may check the valves and spark plug soon though, never know what the dealership really inspected.

I ran a search regarding the backfires...not a big deal in itself. One post mentioned the junction at the header pipe and muffler....apparently this is fairly common to not have a perfect seal at this spot???

Long story short, my bike does the same thing...the junction isn't air-tight. I pulled the muffler and applied some high-temp silicone. Replaced the muffler and gave the silicone time to cure.....started her up and there's still an exhaust leak. Ugggh. Oh well, at least I tried.

Hmmm, what else. I decided to pull the wind-screen....too much concentrated wind on my helmet.

So there you have it folks...I'm settling in on my new ride and getting used to her quirks. I must say, the look of the single giant cylinder is growing on me...at first it looked lonely with all that empty space around it.

Anyways, I digress. That's all for now.
-sean

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by YonuhAdisi on 05/01/07 at 15:56:33

Welcome from New Mexico U.S.A.

I too have a 2000 however its got blue tank with deep forrest green fenders. Oh by the way, it looks ugly as sin and I love it. ;D ;D

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by splash07 on 05/01/07 at 18:18:10

well I got a 2000 and it is the wonderful yellow. I am currently in a bobbing process (slow due to lack of funds) but i dont think that ill be keeping the yellow paint much longer.

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by georgekathe on 05/01/07 at 21:22:51

you said you used silicone to fix the joint between the header pipe & muffler - how long did you give it to cure? I used permatex copper & gave it 24 hours before I started bike up when I replaced muffler. when I took original muffler off I noticed the previous owner (or maybe one before that) had used what looked like a coke can to shim the joint between the pipe & muffler - maybe you will have to go that route?

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by mclay on 05/02/07 at 03:35:44

Hey George,
I used the Permatex Black High temp gasket silicone...should hold up but I may switch to the copper, unless it's just a different color.

I didn't give it the full 24 hours to cure either....my bad. :-[
Because reinstalling the muffler required several twists and turns and manipulation for a proper fit (darn brackets), I might have forced some of the silicone out of the junction. Might just pull the header pipe/muffler assembly as one piece and rework it.

Then again, the blackish smoke I saw post silicone application could've been excess silicone being burned off seeing how I didn't allow the full cure time. It definitely smelled funky...not like ordinary exhaust fumes. I'll check it out today...will report back.

If this is the most amount of trouble I encounter with my Savage then I'll be a happy man. Honestly, this is just to try and reduce the occasional backfire. This type of thing definitely doesn't make or break a bike. As long as she's mechanically sound....that's all that matters.

-sean

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by mclay on 05/02/07 at 13:46:19

Ok...another update on my new (to me) savage.

After a full day of truly letting the silicone cure, I can say that the muffler has a tight seal....already notice a decrease in backfires. So problem solved.

Still trying to think of a name for her....I'm quite the wise-guy when it comes to things of this nature. Something that has to do with the color yellow obviously. Perhaps I'll call her "Jaundice" or maybe "Chiquita". Who knows.

Well I took the banana-bike out on the highway today....at 65-70mph. Dang, the wind is killing me without the shield. It felt like I was gonna fly off the bike...and yes I maintained a relaxed posture. I'm a fairly tall but lightweight guy....so essentially I'm a big sail.

Lesson 1: The windshield, although cheesy looking, really helps out. So I put it back on the bike....yeah I'm a wuss. Maybe I should refer to it as a "wuss-shield".

That's all for now.

-sean

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by georgekathe on 05/02/07 at 16:48:41

glad the longer curing time worked for you sean - I would not have known to do this had someone who had not already gone through what we did (putting on new muffler) advised me to do it.

must admit I'm not bothered by wind - maybe because my bars give me a lean forward stance. only ever had 1 bike with a full fairing (a BMW R1100RT sports tourer) - it certainly paid @ the speed I would haul on the odd occassion (like over 100 when overtaking a truck before settling back to a mere 85 - the interstate limits here are 75 but I've found the cops fairly forgiving of folk doing 85).

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by J Mac on 05/05/07 at 19:59:33

Congratulations, and greetings from Houston, TX, USA. I got a 2003 Savage in March and have finally gotten around to posting here. Mine is blue/green metallic, completely stock. It only had 1725 miles or so on it when I got it! I noticed the backfires too, but I kind of like them. It seems to take a while to warm up, but, other than that, no complaints. There have been a few times where I REALLY wished I had a windshield, but I thought I would try going without it for a while. I was lucky to get this bike, and I don't have much $$$ set aside for accessories. I had been away from riding (1982 and 1993 Suzuki 1100s) for about 12 years and thought I'd get something cheap and simple this time. The power seems adequate most times, but I don't have the luxury of limitless power like I did with the 1100s to get out of trouble on the fwy, etc. Of course, I had windshields on those bikes, which helped. The seller was a great guy who helped me load it up and gave me some tie-downs. There were no real surprises, except for a missing screw on a rear turn signal assy. and a missing battery tube. Of course, there was the inevitable "used vehicle single key" and no manual. I was grateful for the 2002 Owner's Manual scan linked on this site (only one year off from mine!). Anyway, the bike looks great, handles great, and sounds QUIET. I think I'll be keeping it forever. I may put that Dynamuffler upgrade on it, but that's it for accessories for this year.

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by mclay on 05/06/07 at 04:22:31

Hey J Mac,
Sounds like we're in the same boat....not willing to spend loads of cash.

My bike didn't come with a manual or tool set....bummer.

And you're right, it does take awhile for the savage to warm up....I notice slight intermittent hesitations while riding at about 30mph (usually closer to startup). Highway riding is smooth, but slower riding at lower RPMs can be a bit touchy. Then again this could be something as simple as a loose throttle cable I suppose.

Gonna change the subject abit:

One really cool thing that I've noticed is the signature wave from fellow bikers. It's such a simple gesture that means a whole lot. The moment you hit the road you become part of a sort of brotherhood. I'd say 99% of riders will give you the wave....regardless of what type of bike you or they have. I think that's cool....a wide-spread acceptance simply because you ride. I wish this sort of tolerance and acceptance would span out to other aspects of our society.

-sean

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by J Mac on 05/08/07 at 19:50:24

Hey McLay. Fellow Scotsman? The warmup issue is no big thing. My old 1100s seemed to warm up faster, that's all. I don't like leaving the choke on long, because I feel like I'll forget. I rode today, and there was plenty of popping. I've heard Harley's pop quite a bit.

Oh, of course I didn't get a tool set either. Whenever I trade in a car or sell anything, the new owner gets 3 keys and everything that came with the vehicle and probably more. I guess I'm just conscientious that way, but not a lot of others are. The last truck I sold had an MP3 AUX jack that I added for $70. I need to get around to building a minimal tool set I guess. Somebody mentioned you should include a good range of metric wrenches, a plug wrench, and some pliers. I haven't taken a long road trip yet anyway.

Yes, the wave is kind of nice. It makes you feel part of something. Sport-bike riders don't usually wave. I'm sorry, but I've noticed they do not; nothing personal against them. Maybe the position is too awkward. This guy I knew once said the wave in the 70s was a clenched raised fist. When I road in the 80s/90s up North it was kind of a short regular wave. In TX, where I live now, it's kind of an angled point to the ground, which I like better (feels easier/safer). Harley guys even usually wave at me, which is nice of them ;).

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage. 101BR
Post by Dynobob on 05/08/07 at 20:46:13

Welcome. The Permatex you're using isn't really the correct one. What you used is only rated to 500 degrees.

You want to use Permatex Ultra Copper Maximum Temperature RTV Silicone Gasket Maker 101BR. It's rated to 700 degrees. It's orange in color.

http://www.permatex.com/products/automotive/automotive_gasketing/gasket_makers/auto_Permatex_Ultra_Copper_Maximum_Temperature_RTV_Silicone_Gasket_Maker.htm

Title: Re: Hey all...just got a 2000 Savage.
Post by mclay on 05/09/07 at 03:46:08

Howdy,

Thanks Dynobob for that piece of info...I guess I never studied the temp specs on the copper stuff...will definitely use that next time.

And J Mac...yep a fellow Scotsman here, well by a couple generations. My Grandfather came over from Glasgow in 1920 I believe. You don't need to ask what my drink of choice is either...I'm sure that's fairly obvious.

Latest Savage update:
Don't have to worry about checking the plug or changing the oil as the dealer did those.
I did adjust the valve clearance and the Decomp. cable freeplay. Thanks to all of those who posted in the Tech section....extremely helpful.

Nothing was really that far from spec.....the valves were at .006 and the decomp cable was at about 2mm. This makes me feel good....hopefully the previous owner didn't beat on the bike.

I put everything back together and she started up no problem....everything sounds great.

Now to go ride.

-sean