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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
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Message started by Bryan on 08/04/09 at 08:40:22

Title: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by Bryan on 08/04/09 at 08:40:22

Does anyone have the owner's manual (not the repair manual) in a pdf they can send me? I just bought a 96 Savage yesterday, and I've got no manual. I'm definitely gonna buy a repair manual, but in the meantime I'd love to have my hands on an owner's manual at least so I can see all the specs for fluids, etc. This is my first bike and I've got no clue what I'm doing. For instance, I really don't know the difference between "ON" and "PRI" for the fuel switch, and when I need to use which one, or what the different positions of the choke are for, how much oil I need to have in the bike, tire air pressure, thread depth, etc. (feel free to answer any of those questions :D)

I found a bunch of links on this site for an owner's manual, but none of them were any good. If anyone's got one, feel free to send it to vanillaxtrakt <at> gmail.com

Thanks!

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by serenity3743 on 08/04/09 at 10:14:49

I've got it on my computer. I'll email it to you.

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 08/04/09 at 10:45:44

5D4A454247474A535F594A405F2B0 wrote:

PRI vs ON : PRI = prime, it allows fuel to flow without the aid of a vacuum. Used primarily to fill the carb bowl after a long storage or carburator work.

On = well, on. This is the setting you use when riding. The engine creates a vacuum to allow fuel to flow in to the carb. When bike is shut off, if there is nothing wrong with the petcock, no fuel will flow.

RES = Reserve. This setting is to allow you to get the last dregs out of the tank if you run out of fuel while riding. Usually it will give you about 5 to 10 miles (just guestimating) so you can find a fuel station. (remember to put it back to the on possition after fuel up or next time you begin to spit and sputter because of low fuel, you will be out of luck and have to push. Res works off of vacuum, like the On possition does.

You can ride while in the PRI possition, but will have no reserve, and if you did not put it back to on after shut down, you can flood the bike.

Oil capacity is about two quarts.

The "choke" is actually an enrichener. Instead of closing off the air flow it dumps more fuel instead. It depends on your particular bike on whether how much "choke" to use. All bikes are different even if they are the same exact brand, model, and year.

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by serenity3743 on 08/05/09 at 05:05:57

To add a little to what Yonuh said, the total gas tank capacity is 2.6 gallons. About 0.6 is the reserve, so if you're getting 50 mpg and you have to switch to reserve, you can travel 25 or so miles. Probably not wise to push your luck, however.

Oil capacity is right at two quarts, although the owner's manual says more, I think 2.5. There are reference marks on the sight glass on the lower crankcase near your righthand footpeg. Keep it between those marks and you're good.

Recommended tire pressure is 29 front and 33 rear for solo riding, and I think 30 front and 36 rear for double.

Here's something you didn't ask about. The ignition key has three positions: off, on, and park. Sitting on the seat and twisting around to look at the ignition, you will see off is at about 1:00, on is about 3:00, and park is about 5:00. Be sure that you don't leave it in park because this activates the tail light and will run your battery down quickly.

Hope this helps. Any more questions, just ask.

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by Bryan on 08/05/09 at 07:06:20

Great, thanks for all of your help.

Does anyone recommend a certain type of oil? I normally use the cheap store brand stuff in my car, but it's got 200K+ miles on it. My bike's only got 2300. Should I use synthetic? Synthetic blend?

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by bill67 on 08/05/09 at 07:48:33

Synthetic for motor cycle most people think is the best.

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by serenity3743 on 08/05/09 at 09:35:24

6F787770757578616D6B78726D190 wrote:

I have always used Suzuki brand dinosaur oil 10W-40 in cooler weather and 20W-50 in hot weather. There's a lot of evidence that synthetics lubricate better and I'm seriously thinking of switching. There are some here who also swear by the Rotella T (diesel) oil sold by the gallon at Wally World and everywhere else. It's certainly cheaper........

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 08/05/09 at 09:42:56

When checking the oil, be sure the bike is vertical and not on the side stand. Otherwise you risk over filling the oil trying to get the level between the marks on the site window.

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by serenity3743 on 08/05/09 at 09:50:56

7046475C41684D405A40290 wrote:

When checking the oil, be sure the bike is vertical and not on the side stand. Otherwise you risk over filling the oil trying to get the level between the marks on the site window.

Good point!

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by JC on 08/12/09 at 11:18:27

Bryan,

I just bought my first Susuki Savage 650 about 4 months ago, I am having some of the same issues that you were having in your post; so your post was very helpful.

Did you ever recieve your owners manual in PDF form? If you did can you send me copy too? I would appreciate it. Ive been having a small oil leak from the side of the motor that I am trying to fix, this site has been very helpful. Thanks for your help.

Regards,

John

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by voldigicam on 08/12/09 at 15:56:09

Mirror from auto store on collapsing pointer thing - makes seeing the window possible. When changing oil, rock bike a long way each direction sideways, gets oil out of all kinds of places.

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by PTRider on 08/13/09 at 07:25:32

45525D5A5F5F524B4741525847330 wrote:

Does anyone recommend a certain type of oil? I normally use the cheap store brand stuff in my car, but it's got 200K+ miles on it. My bike's only got 2300. Should I use synthetic? Synthetic blend?

Use anything except an automotive 10W-40 and Castrol Syntec (which my mechanic says makes a clutch slip faster than anything else). Any of the diesel 15W-40 or syn 5W-40 will do a very good job; Shell Rotella-T is a favorite, although other top brands are equally good. Or use a motorcycle oil, 10W-40 or anythingW-50. If you're in a hot summer climate or get the engine very hot with lots of idling, one of the 50 wts is better. In the fall and winter the 5W-40 will flow very well to start the lubrication when the engine is cold. HiflowFiltro oil & air filters are very good, cost less than Suzuki brand filters, and are available by special order at any non-Suzuki shop. (Very few synthetic blend oils are worth their extra cost. The blend label gives the oil maker a marketing advantage. Many are lower quality conventional oil plus lower cost/quality imported synthetic in small proportions. The result meets the minimum spec, not much over, at a higher price.)

Quote:

Mirror from auto store on collapsing pointer thing

Inspection Mirror

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by sakara on 08/13/09 at 08:22:00

I've had no problem just holding my bikes (two ls650's and one sportster) by the handle bar grip and checking the oil level window. The savages especially are very low and not heavy at all.

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by Shmiggs on 08/13/09 at 10:50:15

Hi. I have a pdf of the service manual, but not an owner's manual. Is anyone willing to email the owner's manual? I will gladly send you the service manual if you need! Thanks!! ;)

Title: Re: owner's manual? (or a few beginner questions
Post by voldigicam on 08/13/09 at 11:33:07

5F4D474D5E4D2C0 wrote:

I've had no problem just holding my bikes (two ls650's and one sportster) by the handle bar grip and checking the oil level window. The savages especially are very low and not heavy at all.

It's just hard on knees, and difficult for some folks to tell whether the bike is level. With the mirror I can check the oil sitting down, then pop the mirror back in my tank bag.