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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Looking for a solid bike.
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Message started by Crash-V on 05/27/10 at 09:29:51

Title: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Crash-V on 05/27/10 at 09:29:51

Greetings everyone!
I have been looking to buy a simple and reliable motorcycle, and have narrowed it down to two; the s40 being one of them. I am looking for a bike that will go 25,000+ miles without having to mod anything and without having to add oil every time I fill up (a little exaggerated). I am drawn to the s40's simple and effective design, but have a few questions:

1) Does it use oil? I currently have a gs500 and the little thing uses no oil, no matter how hard you run it.

2) Will this bike require mods to get high mileage out of the motor or is the stock setup reliable?

My riding will mostly be 55-65, some in town, and an occasional interstate jaunt of 45-50 miles with a 75MPH speed limit.

Thanks in advance!

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by dasch on 05/27/10 at 09:34:33

Under those conditions I say you found the perfect bike! Can't vouch for oil consumption, that depends on luck and maintenance history.

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Serowbot on 05/27/10 at 09:57:38

I find that I get some oil use if I cruise at 75+mph for any length of time... This is normal for a big thumper... otherwise I have zero consumption between 2k oil changes...
... and I have 24k miles with no major failures other than a petcock...
Neither me or my bike, like going faster than 70mph for more than short passing spurts...
I'm gonna' look into my camchain for wear soon, but no symptoms yet... some people have reported problems there much earlier, but I don't know why...

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by verslagen1 on 05/27/10 at 10:35:16

as far as oil use goes... I am not a good example, at least not in the summer. Winter time <80ish °F, it uses no oil. Summer is totally different. Burn off 1/2 a qt a week. 1/2 hour at 70mph twice daily will do that.

25k w/o mod's... no
timing can is an issue as the guides and chain wear, the tensioner falls apart and can be catastrophic. See verslavy in the marketplace.

And most likely there will be comfort mods most want to do, seat, forward controlls, and handlebars. You don't just get this bike and do an iron butt tomorrow.

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Oldfeller on 05/27/10 at 14:44:49

Curiosity, what is the other bike you are looking at?

Betcha one of us owns it as a second bike (many of us have multiple bikes)

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Crash-V on 05/27/10 at 15:28:44

Kawasaki Versys.

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Oldfeller on 05/27/10 at 19:18:45

The Versys is a nice bike, little tall in the crotch for me but appealing on a whole lot of other points.

I wish they had a sit up style Versys with a nice low 28" seat height, but if wishes wuz fishes we'd all cast nets, huh?

The Versys beats the Savage on all performance criteria and the predecessor for Versys had a rep for durability as a race day bike.

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by verslagen1 on 05/27/10 at 19:53:43

Sounds like my kind of bike... at least in name. 8-)

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Crash-V on 05/28/10 at 08:54:10

Thanks for the responses. I am STILL drawn to the simplicity of the S40 though ;) Been doing some research on the cam chain problem and it does not seem like that hard of a fix. The price for the S40 is another selling point for me as well. In any case, is there a mod to help talk my wife into it ;D

Thanks all!

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Bubba on 05/28/10 at 10:02:42

When I was looking for my bike I just kept telling my wife everything about all the research I was doing, searching on craigslist, how much better gasa milage I'd get going to work, how fun it would be to ride around town with her, how it would give me something to tinker with...finally she just said "you're going to get it anyway, just go ahead and buy it!" 2 weeks later I had my bike... ;D

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by babyhog on 05/28/10 at 11:46:01

Here's a tip concerning the wife... I'm assuming she doesn't ride, so if you think, even at the most remote possibility, that she'd ever want to ride on her own, let her know that this is a great bike to learn on. Its a "beginner's" bike for many, but soon becomes a passion that holds on.

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by verslagen1 on 05/28/10 at 13:30:57

Try the "you'll look sexy in a leather vest" mod or the "this bike is like a love seat" mod and "we'll be spending some quality time" mod.
Of course if those don't work you can always resort to "box of choclate" mod and the "bambi eyes" mod.

good luck in all your 'mods' ;D

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by mick on 05/28/10 at 18:42:53

Take her out for steak and lobster, but first have the waiter slip the Suzuki Savage brochure in the menu, when she opens it just say "ooops how did that get in there,must me an omen"
I would say "worked for me" but it didn't ,so I just got rid of the wife,
and boy did that ever save me mony.
Don't do it if you have kids.

Title: Re: Looking for a solid bike.
Post by Skid Mark on 05/28/10 at 20:30:24

Kept the wife. Apparently the puppy dog eyes mod was effective.