|
SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Couple of Modding questions /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1343313679 Message started by gutwrenchinggore on 07/26/12 at 07:41:19 |
|
Title: Couple of Modding questions Post by gutwrenchinggore on 07/26/12 at 07:41:19 Question 1: the replacement carb is the VM roundslide carb, correct? Is this part an improvement on the stock carb? I want to know if it's worth it just for that, instead of getting it just to get the UFO. Question 2: If i wire a 12v cig lighter port up directly to the battery, will I be able to let the savage sit for longer than a few days? My worry is that it will slowly drain battery while it is attached. I have read some threads on a battery tender, and battery tender disconnect terminal something or others. Question 3: What is the purpose of a battery tender? How does it do whatever it does? Question 4: Is there any legal reason that I can't fabricate my own fenders and whatnot for my bike? I want to make a custom back fender/sissy bar combo, with a wider wheel clearance for an eventual wheel upgrade. Question 5: More of an opinion poll, what mods and fixes can you reccomend without hesitation? Little to big, I'd like to hear about them. I'm getting this baby for a long trip cross country, and want it to be in the best condition possible. Thank you! I know I type alot. If you don't feel like reading that whole thing, the short version is Help!, I dunno how to make Savage better! How make savage better? |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by Badass94Cad on 07/26/12 at 07:52:18 I can't comment on everything, but what I can tell you is a Battery Tender (or similar product) is a trickle charger/battery maintainer. Batteries discharge slowly when not in use. If you go a couple weeks without riding your bike, there isn't much parasitic drain. However, batteries don't last forever, so a trickle charger will keep the voltage up with a small number of amps, generally 1-2A. Some are constant and some are smart that will continually analyze the battery condition and charge it when it drops below a threshold. Legality of fenders is up to your state. Some places you have to have a front fender, some you don't. As far as overall size and whatever, that's up to you and what you want to get away with. ;) |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by brucey on 07/26/12 at 08:09:32 wiring a 12 volt cigarette lighter plug won't draw from the battery unless you leave something plugged into it. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by ZAR on 07/26/12 at 08:14:15 Good questions. Like Cad I can't answer them all but here's a few. Fenders.....While some states don't require them,I would not ride cross country without them. They do one job and do it well....they keep the rain/mud/rocks and debris off you and the bike and out of your eyes. Many people make their own from trailer fenders,cut down sportster fenders or from raw steel. The choice is yours. As for other add-ons.....you can fab up whatever you like,just make sure you secure it well and it does not interfere with operation of the bike or rub/cut hang in the belt and wheels or block air to the engine. The very first mod I did was the seat mod...raising the front of the seat an inch or so to give more legroom and keep me from sliding forward. My next mod will be moving the rear turn light back to the liscense plate bracket to make better fitting of the saddle bags. There are so many mods you can do,both for better preformance/running and for looks you'll be working on the bike a long time and never get to ride if you do them all! |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by gutwrenchinggore on 07/26/12 at 12:20:24 Okay, so if I install a battery tender with a 12v car adapter, that will allow me to keep the battery charged, as long as I have an extension cord or whatever is required to hook it to house electricity. Having plugins is just extended circuitry, so it won't actually drain battery while not in use. To ZAR: Yeah, fenders are important! I am not getting rid of the back one, I want to make a new one with an attached sissy bar arrangement, while simultaneously moving the turn lights and getting rid of the back seat. To Cad: So if i put in for storage (Highly unlikely, a fairweather motorist I am not) the trickle charger is a good idea. But since this is my day to day ride, Just having a Cig lighter plug won't drain my battery too fast. I plan on just having my GPS plugged in to it, mounted on the handlebars for easy access. As well as a freakin speedometer in easy eye range, rather than this "interesting"( read stupid) placement on the tank. But from what I'm gathering, modifying a motorcycle is pretty much legal, so long as it doesn't make it too loud or polluting. Right? Of course, having it not mess up the bike is very important. Thank you all for the help, I'll be keeping a project log which I'll post up on my blog eventually. Another idea I had, what about, instead of buying leatherlyke or what have you, I get some surplus high calibre ammo canisters, and weld up a mount for the modified fender? I think if I rubberize the seals and latch so it doesn't rattle, it would look and be pretty bad arse! *Edit* I work in a sheet metal fab shop, so theres all kinds of scrap extras laying around. I figure I could get a big enough peice, have it cut out on the laser and then press brake it to dimensions. Just need to measure everything out! Also, I've read that there are some tires that can be used to replace the stock back tire that are wider. What are the product numbers and whatnot to start trying to find those? |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by EJID on 07/26/12 at 12:34:28 First...Battery Tender Jr works fine for a MC battery: http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343329592&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+tender http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41UkhG4yoeL.jpg You can also get a pigtail adapter for the cig lighter for your GPS that plugs right into the Battery Tender pigtail... http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=pd_sim_auto_3 http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41gNXOCZUZL.jpg And the back tire...you can usually go with a 140/90-15 which are more readily available, and might only cause you to swap some of the bolts to button-heads if you have clearance issues. Good luck, and post up the pics from a starting point and along the way. 8-) |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by Dave on 07/26/12 at 13:55:43 The cigarette lighter port is only an access point for electricity - it does not use up any power by itself......it only uses up power when you have something plugged into it that is turned on. If you are intending to need a place to plug things in, it can double as an access point for using a battery tender. Make sure you have an inline fuse installed as near the battery as possible. The stock carb works fine for most of us, and maybe you should/could rejet it to get the engine to run a little better. There are plenty of threads on this forum to help you with that......do some reading on past posts in the Tech or RSD section. The Roundslide carb conversion is expensive, and not really needed on a stock engine. Al from NH has mounted ammo boxes on his bike and painted it a military theme - I can't remember which section it is posted in. He does have pictures of it. Go slow on your mods for a while......get to know the bike a bit better before you make major changes. It may turn out that the changes that look cool are not the ones that make it ride nice. I agree on the speedometer thing.....it is really inconvenient to have to bend your head way down to read it......and there is no way to keep your eyes on the road when looking down at the speedometer. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by teabowl13 on 07/26/12 at 13:59:11 If you have access to all of that equipment, building your own fender, or modifying the stock one should be pretty easy. Just remember that the stock fender isn't just for looks; it's structural. There's no frame under it really, so the fender is what is supporting the passenger seat and everything else that you might be loading onto the back of the bike. That probably won't be too big of a deal if you are doing your trip solo, but keep it in mind. Also, if you're planning a long trip, I'd focus on mods that make sense for travel. Changing out the carb would make sense if you were building a faster bike, but probably won't make any difference for your trip. Upgrading your shocks, and maybe your fork springs could save your butt and your back! So could the right seat mods. There are lots of threads here about all of those things. The ammo boxes will look cool, but for such a long trip I think they would be too small and too heavy to be worth it. I've personally always preferred soft luggage. It's light, and can hold a ton of stuff well. Being softer makes it easier to pack, plus you can take it right off and bring it inside if you are staying at a hotel somewhere. You'll want to move the rear turn signals backwards to give you room for them. If you are tall or long legged, have you thought about forward controls or foot rests? Lots of recommendations here for good windscreens. I like the Givi that I got from Twisted throttle a lot. Taking that wind off of your chest can add several hours a day to your ride; I'd say some sort of good windscreen would be essential. Remember, these bikes aren't built for long distance comfort; a lot of guys here say they can't ride for more than an hour or two without getting sore or cramped. Anything you can do to improve the long term ride will really help. Good luck!! |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by Serowbot on 07/26/12 at 14:01:07 Only really need the speedo when cops are around, anyway... :-?... |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by gutwrenchinggore on 07/26/12 at 14:32:50 To Teabowl: New shocks and springs are on the way, as this particular bike has been mistreated rather badly in it's life. The previous owner rode it up from Nevada with his wife and luggage. My priority for mods is functionality rather than looks. I find beauty in things that serve their purpose well, rather than a sweet paint job. As for soft vs. hard luggage, I have been swayed. I'm mostly trying to find ways of doing things that don't invovle purchasing a bunch of aftermarket stuff that everybodies got. I like doing things myself on all my vehicles. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by WD on 07/26/12 at 18:11:57 I might have you beat already for a chick stick, sissybar or whatever you choose to call it. Old aircooled metric 4 banger unit that fits behind my saddlebag spacers (3" mahogany) and supports the rear fender. Which is supposed to be on a 1970-84 FLH... Seat and paint color have changed since this pic, now has floorboards instead of puny pegs (I wear anywhere from a 12-14 boot depending on the maker). Cross country set-up? Other than needing a decent front fender... This... http://ravenscroftart.net/watchtower/chikstik1web.jpg |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by WD on 07/26/12 at 18:17:51 And if you want it to actually handle worth a crap, get a 90/90-19 front tire. The stock 100/90-19 is too fat/heavy for the scrawny front end. A 130 on the rear helps a lot as well. Or a 135 VW tire if you plan to criss cross the country a few times (or run the Columbia Gorge, trust me, 14 on the Washington side is a bike killer). I've had mine since 98. I'm a bit more cynical than most of these guys. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by spacepirates on 07/26/12 at 20:19:37 You asked about the Mikuni VM carbs? Yes, the VM 36 and 38 are upgrades to the stock carb. 36 is a better choice, if i recall correctly as the added size of the 38 doesn't do anything for us. I just recently made the switch to a vm38 with a UFO installed. Carb was around $110, cable from barnett clutches was $55, spigot mount was $15 or so, then probably $30 in jets (because I messed around too much). I'm still messing around the with the carb, but it IS an upgrade. Faster throttle response, smoother, etc. Though it does seem more temperamental when it comes to weather and elevation. I busted my stock carb up so I had to switch. Not sure if I'd do the switch on a whim unless I upgraded the engine internals (overbore, hot cam). |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by J C Stokes on 07/26/12 at 20:30:16 Be careful with tyre mods, there's a lengthy post about car tyres blowing out when fitted to the rear,because of the high pressures need dt seat them to the bead. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by WD on 07/27/12 at 04:01:27 That applies more to radials than to good old fashioned bias ply tires. But you will have to shave the bead with either, and use a good tire mounting compound. Otherwise you're looking at stepping up to a 16" rear hoop and running a quality bike tire. Specifically one meant for rear use on HD Geezer Glides (touring bikes). |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by teabowl13 on 07/27/12 at 07:30:18 When you say "Cross country" how far exactly are you planning to go? Do you have a rough trip plan? That might help us to give advice too... |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by gutwrenchinggore on 07/27/12 at 07:37:15 To WD: I have read the post about tire replacements, and am more or less confused. These tires aren't designed for the Savage, right? So the turkey carver process is to... shave off extra something or other? This allows it to mount to the stock rim? To Spacepirates: So you're saying that while it is an upgrade, it is an unneccessary one. Unless I bore out something and put a hot cam in. Is that because it makes the engine run hotter, and the boring makes for a larger piston or something? To Dave: Good advice, I will be taking it slow, but there isn't any harm in drawing up diagrams and fantasizing wistfully while I work is there? To EJID: 140/90-19? What exactly do these numbers mean? And what are the advantages of having a larger back tire, exactly? Better MPG? or just looks/feel? To Teabowl: Roughly, I'd be leaving Oregon around June, heading north to Seattle, the East through Canada to Ontario. Then Down through Michigan, and East again to the East coast, either in Maine or NY. Then down the east coast till Florida. Then West again till New Orleans. Then depending on several things, I'll either head back to Oregon, or to one of 5 different places. This is a really long trip, but it wouldnt be constant, there would be at least 5-6 days of stop between jaunts. I'm going to be visiting a lot of people I met over the years. I did some research, and found that the Savage was a highly reccomended model for cross country, mostly for it's simplicity and gas economy. So my priorities as far as functionality is to increase travel distance/time per day. Total Distance is roughly 5000 Miles. I've got a bit more than a year till I would be leaving, so I'm not in any rush to get out there. Hopefully ya'll don't think that I have made an error in getting the Savage for this trip. It's only gotta do it once! well maybe twice... Who knows? I'm planning on being gone for quite a while, at least 6 months. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by verslagen1 on 07/27/12 at 09:34:40 50626360657279747F7E797070786572170 wrote:
I hope that's an FN typo... 19? really? 140 width 90 aspect ratio or tire hight 19 rim size (should be 15) |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by teabowl13 on 07/27/12 at 10:31:27 WOW! That's a really long trip... I'm jealous; it'll be a lot of years before I have the time to do anything like that. A larger rear tire might make the bike ride smoother and slightly more comfortable. The 140/90/15 rear tire that these guys are recommending is just the size of the tire. You can find a lot of different brands and types out there. Also a lot of opinions on here about which tires are best. Look for a good long distance touring tire. I believe that size motorcycle tire should fit right to your rim like normal. When you're talking about the post that discusses the turkey carver, I believe you are referring to the thread about using a MUCH larger car tire on the Savage. I definitely wouldn't recommend that for your needs, and if you read that whole thread, you'll see it's generally NOT recommended at all. I wouldn't worry about changing the carburetor either. There are a few simple mods that you can do to the stock carb that will help performance, but the more you do to make the bike faster, the more you're going to lower your gas mileage. In your case, if you're happy with the stock bike's performance, which should be perfectly reasonable for that kind of traveling, I think you're best off leaving it alone. It'll also be easier if you do end up having problems on the road if you have a more-or less stock bike and need to find a mechanic to help you out in a pinch. I'd be focused more on your shocks, springs, seat, and handlebars. All the things that are going to make you more comfortable. If your bike is older, I'd also be sure your steering bearings and other bearings are in good shape; wheel bearings, swingarm bushings etc... You're going to be putting a lot of miles on that bike; a lot will depend on how old your Savage is and what kind of mechanical shape it's in. What's the bike you are starting out with? Most importantly, if your Savage doesn't need one of these yet, it probably will before your trip is done. Might as well do it before you leave!! http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1180206459 |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by verslagen1 on 07/27/12 at 10:40:06 7A48494A4F58535E5554535A5A524F583D0 wrote:
What mileage is currently on the bike? For a 5k trip, I'd want to know what the status of the cam chain adjuster is before hand and either swap in a new chain or a verslavy. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by gutwrenchinggore on 07/27/12 at 12:14:53 To Verslagen: Its got 7600 miles on it right now, and a verslavy is one of the definite replacement parts I'm going to be getting. Just waiting on funds, which will start to appear once school starts up again, and I pay back my buddy who spotted me the loan to buy this beast. The bike was definitly not maintained very well, I've found quite a few little things that are eyebrow raising on it. Nothing big, just loose bolts where its kind of concerning. I have decided what my first mod is going to be, however. I'm going to fabricate a seat bracket that fits into the existing configuration, and has the holes and whatnot to hook the stock seat in a different angle and height. Then longer handle bars to keep me from reaching forward and straining my lower back. We've got a whole bunch of aerospace quality aluminum piping out back that I can grab off of for free, and with a little luck and a lot of patience, I think I can increase this bikes comfortability for me by a bunch. Just need to take some measurements and figure out what angle would be best. This will require removing the back seat, but this isn't a passenger oriented build, so i figure that'll be alright. I'm hoping that by moving the seat back and up I can fit a bigger tank on, maybe like a 4 gal or bigger. I'm limited by the slimness of the frame for now though, as I don't want to be banging my knees on the sides of the tank. We'll see! I'm probably gonna start a Project thread sometime in the next couple weeks. Soon as I get the seat mod on. Pics and commentary will abound! |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by gutwrenchinggore on 07/27/12 at 12:22:46 To Teabowl: Yeah, it's alooootttt of miles, and I want to be as confident in this bike as possible. If a 140/90 will fit without having it explode or something, I'm in. I just priced out some decent harley tires of the two sizes reccomended, and that is totally doable, at least in the next couple months. And the verslavy cam tensioner is on the list. I've yet to open it up and clean and check everything, but it's running quite fine so far. It's my daily commuter for the next while, so taking it apart for a couple weeks is a bit in the future. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by Badass94Cad on 07/27/12 at 13:09:25 Not to sound mean, but if you couldn't afford a beat-up Savage, how can you afford a 6+ month, 5000+ mile trip? Sounds like a lot of sleeping on couches and spare-changing for gas money. :P |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by teabowl13 on 07/27/12 at 14:44:44 2102070210105A57200207630 wrote:
HEY MAN! When you gotta make things happen, you find a way to make them happen! Afford it-schmord it... just DO IT! |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by teabowl13 on 07/27/12 at 14:49:30 Seriously, I think right now, if it's running good and you're riding it every day, that's the best thing you can be doing. Ride the pants off of it. put as much time in the saddle as you can. Getting familiar with the bike and how it fits you is the best thing you can do. You'll find a lot of ideas on here from people who've modded everything under the sun on their bikes. Almost all of them are good ideas, but only you will know if they are good ideas for you. As far as a bigger tank goes; there's a guy here who put a Harley tank on his for extra gas, and it was pretty easy for him as I recall. Also, there was a thread this week from a guy doing more of a cafe bike project who used a tank from a 1970's GT 550 I think. That went on pretty easy to according to him. Most tank swaps (such as mine... ho ho ho...) are not so easy... |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by gutwrenchinggore on 07/27/12 at 17:00:36 To Cad: Wasn't that I couldn't afford it, just that I didn't have the cash up front. My friend agreed to spot me the cash for a couple months, So right now my priority is paying him back. When you've got a friend willing to spot you a grand or so randomly, you work to keep that friend happy, y'know. To Teabowl: All sound advice, and things I am considering. All these ideas are merely ideas. What becomes real is probably going to look nothing like what I have in mind now. And the bigger tank is just an economic consideration, time wise. I'd rather have to stop every 150 miles on a 5000 mile trip. I think a 4 gal, with around 50mpg, is a bit more reasonable. About 3 hours between mandatory stops is good, and hopefully I'll have made this bike a fricken easy chair with wheels. In general, I know I want a bigger tank, and I know I want to at least bring the seat up and back 3 or 4 inches. I'm in dreaming stage, dreaming up what would be awesome. Couple weeks I'll be in reality stage, where I try to make my actually feasible ideas work. |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by bill67 on 07/27/12 at 18:20:44 I think the tank was 500 not 550 |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by J C Stokes on 07/28/12 at 03:46:03 According to the experts here the 140/90 15 makes the speedo read correct. I'm only quoting what they say. Another expert favours a 130/90 15 and I'm only |
|
Title: Re: Couple of Modding questions Post by WD on 07/28/12 at 05:31:57 140/90-15 isn't any wider than the stock tire, just 14 mm taller sidewalls. 130/90-15 has a rounder profile when correctly inflated and goes into curves easier, the bike will lean faster. If you really want to run a big tank, your options are limited by how compact a distance you have from forks to seat. And by the fact you are dealing with a flared out frame roughly 1/3 of the way up from the rear of the tank. To fit the 4.75 gallon tank I really want to run I'd have to stretch the frame 6 or 8 inches. Not that big a deal, I could use the extra reach, even with 15" apes it gets crowded as is. The tank I have now is an old unit from the send to the melt yard pile at a bike graveyard I used to work at. Same capacity as stock, but the shape allows for better leg positioning. I wish I got 100-150 miles to the tank. With 15" rise handlebars and my 6'2" 225# self as a sail, I get 36 mpg on a good day. Still better than any of my cages. |
|
SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2! YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. |