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Message started by aitea on 04/10/14 at 13:12:31

Title: 0 - 30 mph
Post by aitea on 04/10/14 at 13:12:31

Hi, I am still new to motorcycle after one year ridding on my Honda Rebel 250 with 1,000 miles. It is my first bike, and I like it for it's small frame, low seat and light weight, easy control, but there is one thing that really bother me that I have to clutch up to the third gear before I can reach 30 mph, it makes me nervous when I am the first one at a red light knowing the car behind can go faster than me. so I am looking for an upgrade and Suzuki s40 is one of my choices. My question is how fast a S40 can go on the first gear? All advice are highly needed and appreciated. Thank you all.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Michael L on 04/10/14 at 13:19:05

I don't know exactly how fast it can go in the first gear, but I do know it's not fast.. But that shouldn't be a factor.. IMO you only wanna use the first gear to get you rolling, and as soon you take the 2nd, the low end torque will get you moving quickly.. Quicker than your 250 atleast.. ;)

Im preeety sure that the savage hits 30 mph in second, just before you change to 3rd... It's not a racer, but it definitely doesn't slow down traffic..
Btw. I understand why you would wan't more power than the rebel can deliver, but you shouldn't bother about those behind you..

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by verslagen1 on 04/10/14 at 13:23:21

You really don't wanna redline it... but here you go...
http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt82/serowbot/rerun/stockchrt.jpg

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Dave on 04/10/14 at 13:23:23

Just shy of 37 miles an hour in first gear....if you go all the way to the red line.

The Savage has no problem keeping up at traffic lights. Interstate highways are a different story.....the bike doesn't like 75 mph speeds all that much.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Michael L on 04/10/14 at 13:34:22

Ok, that I wasn't aware of.. Guess it has alot more power than I thought, yay! ;D

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Dave on 04/10/14 at 13:53:49

4C7336353030000 wrote:

Ok, that I wasn't aware of.. Guess it has alot more power than I thought, yay! ;D

It has torque.....and it is fun! ;D

Look in Craigslist and find a dealer or person that has a Savage for sale, ride your Rebel over and take the Savage for a test ride.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Paladin. on 04/10/14 at 21:45:34

The Savage can be frisky, or lazy.

When the traffic signal goes green you can be doing the 35 mph speed limit in first gear, before you even clear the intersection.

When the traffic signal gives you the left green arrow you can do five pops then shift, five pops then shift, five pops then shift, five pops then shift, and be at the 35 speed limit before you are vertical.

You can merge on the freeway at 70 mph in third. You can roll in from 30mph to 85 mph in fifth, no need bother with shifting.

IMO, the Savage is a great Interstate tourer doing 65-70 mph, not buzzy, just thumping along at 40 pops per second.

Only problem with the Savage is that it is too much fun.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by WD on 04/11/14 at 00:50:14

57666B66636E69070 wrote:

Only problem is the thing is gutless. 68 mph top speed on the freeway, wide open, 5th gear... I got some troubleshooting to do... and 46mpg is about 20 lower than it should get... Has to be the windshield, I hate them, but these days I need to use one.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by seedubs1 on 04/11/14 at 07:24:13

Yup. It's great at everything but riding the interstate. But who likes riding on the interstate anyway. I avoid it at all cost. Much more fun (and safer) riding highway and backroads.

If you want an interstate cruiser, look elsewhere.

It's great around town, though. Never had an issue with holding up traffic with it.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/11/14 at 09:45:03

Is there anything that does everything well? I have short & long screwdrivers, small & large hammers, If I could, Ive have a dirt bike & a dual purpose & a Savage & a good highway bike & a pickup & a 2 seater sports car & Caddy or a Lincoln for trips & a van for people hauling,,
For around town? The Savage IS a Savage beast. Its light & nimble & will go to 45 MPH in a flash. Sure, a Ninja 500 will hit 45 or 50 in a flash, too, but its not ( No, I havent ridden one) comfortable & its not as well suited to a short guy with crummy shoulders. I was riding some roads that were fairly curvy & maybe a mile between stop signs. The Savage would do those roads every bit as fast as I would have ridden a Ninja. I never felt threatened by the bikes power, afraid it would throw me & stomp on me in a corner. I could ride it to a higher %age of its capacity than I could ever hope to on a Ninja. Id Rather have my speed limited by a bikes handling in a corner than by MY inability to ride it to its capacity. IOW, Id probably get hurt if I had a hot rod bike because Id Want to see what it would do & Id get in over my head.The Savage isnt for everybody. Some folks just have more ability & good sense & the physique to belong on a bike that I shouldnt ever ride.. I believe the Savage is a great little bike & I was able to get across town very quickly. I can get across town quicker in my pickup than the wife can in her car & I drive to stretch the MPG.. Im just quick to see an opening & I work thru traffic,, on the Savage? OHH, man,, Eatin traffic & gigglin,,
It DID the Innerstate, but it was physically tiring & boring,, Theres as many reasons for for all those different bikes made as there are riders,,
The Savage has been in production a long time,, if its not a decent bike, then the word hasnt made it to the consumer..
If I had kep[t mine I would have the Versy and I would have a clutch throwout machined from a chunk O steel, They break rarely, but they do break and at speed that can do plenty of damage AND put a guy to walking,,& theres no warning,, Ditch the stock muffler, the cheapest, sexiest answer is the Dyna, get the carb jetted right and youve got a scalpel on wheels for carving traffic & having fun on the curvy roads.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by old_rider on 04/11/14 at 10:44:02

I'm not seeing where you guys are saying the savage/s40 is crappy on the interstate.
I drove from mary esther, florida all the way to BMC in north Carolina and 60% of that was on the interstate.
I cruised along at 70mph just fine and had no trouble passing semi's.... and I did not take any oil with me, got there fine rode around all week and rode back and only had to add about 1/2 a quart.
The wind screen on it was a tombstone style 17" and worked well..maybe it was the dyna exhaust add or maybe its just tuned right, I got no idea, but I was passing semi's and tooling along just fine on the interslab...

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Paladin. on 04/11/14 at 12:39:42

6774300 wrote:

If you cannot top 68 mph you have major problems. My LX150 does 65 mph on the freeway.

6D6E66706B666770020 wrote:

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by nickeynicknick on 04/11/14 at 21:26:59

aitea,

I, too, started out on a Rebel. And I love it for the same reasons you mention. And providing you feel comfortable sitting on a Savage(more leg room and more arm stretch), I guarantee you will love everything else about it. To me, it felt like a direct upgrade from a Rebel. Definitely more power and torque. And I've had no problems 75+ mph (but i'm 125lbs ::)) As stated already, I would find one and sit on it, get a feel for it, but performance wise, it's just an amazing bike.

And the interstate riding is more personal opinion I think. Even though its a single cylinder, it's 652cc. Robert Pirsig (Zen and the Art of M/C Maintenance) rode a Honda cb77(305cc) across country with him and his son. we Americans nowadays are just use to bigger, bigger, bigger. It definitely starts winding up over 65, but the power is there. I regularly get up to 80-90 range

Good luck whatever you decide! Happy Riding!!

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by WD on 04/11/14 at 22:42:24

70414C4144494E200 wrote:

[quote author=6774300 link=1397160751/0#7 date=1397202614]Only problem is the thing is gutless. 68 mph top speed on the freeway, wide open, 5th gear... I got some troubleshooting to do... and 46mpg is about 20 lower than it should get... Has to be the windshield, I hate them, but these days I need to use one.

If you cannot top 68 mph you have major problems. My LX150 does 65 mph on the freeway.

6D6E66706B666770020 wrote:

What matters is each person's comfort range. In 2004 I was looking at 250's, since I know that is all I really need. 'Til I noticed the Savage, only 50 pounds heavier with a 652cc single. Saw one, fit me near perfect, got one, rode it for 8 years. It is wicked quick and I backed down at 85mph. When I killed the Savage I was looking at not swinging a leg over the saddle, hence a "scooter." Rented a LX150 and found it was capable on the freeway. So I got one.

BUT

I am comfortable near WOT doing 62 mph on the Interstate, slowing down on the truck lanes up hills. Even on the Grapevine I was 45+ mph. I like pushing the limits of the vehicle. Most people do not.
[/quote]

The 98 would clear 100 with ease. Exhaust, extra rich jetting, serious weight reduction. So stupid me turned it into a 50s style custom when the electrical system had a massive failure. After it had gone from a stock bar equipped 70+mpg commuting, 80+mpg freeway to a 15 inch rise bar barhopper... ;D

Whoever did the carb "adjusting" bent Pine over a barrel. Cold idle is too low, warm idle is too high. Slide seems to be sticking a touch as well. All fairly simple to correct, and a big part of the fun, seriously, I like dialing them in.

I'm 6'2", 230#, plus the bike is wearing my old VN800A's Memphis Big Shot windshield and a stock garbage can muffler... Combine those stats with a funky carb and a bronze stone fuel filter and you get... a bike that won't/can't do 70mph right now. It came with a carb kit, no worries.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by s40guy on 04/15/14 at 17:41:37

I tried out a Rebel before going with my 2006 S40. Here is what I liked and disliked:
First I am 5'10" and about 165-170 lbs. My knees were touching the handlebars on the rebel even if I tried to readjust them, it just did not feel comfortable. the Rebel seemed to me to have more shifting involved. With my S40, you can feel and hear when it is time to shift and the ranges are pretty wide. The chart I think does a good job showing that. The Rebel got way better gas mileage then the S40, but the best thing was the way it fit me. Here is a real good link for those who would like to see what you would look like on a bike. http://cycle-ergo.com/

Just click on the add motorcycle tab and go from there. There is a whole bunch of bikes and scooters to choose from. This is a very handy site. Type in your height and weight, etc., and you can see what you would look like sitting position wise on that bike. Yes I know it is the web version of the stick man (or woman) but you will see it is a pretty cool site. I am very happy with my S40 and the Belt drive verses the chain drive is far better. I like to ride and enjoy. Not clean and lube a chain every 2,000 miles, and then have to clean off the flinging chain excessive even on the no fling type of lubes. There is some noise when it is very cold outside from the belt when you first start up, and I always clean mine with a stiff brush when I wash the bike. I usually wash about once a week, or every other week at best. I hope this helps you and hope everyone likes the Cycle-Ergo site. S40 Guy

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by shorty on 04/16/14 at 10:25:08

I regularly ride interstate 75 and 95... rarely do less than 75mph and if traffic is doing 80, so do I...

my dislike is the engine spins kinda fast at 75... 80 sounds too busy for sure

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by aitea on 04/16/14 at 14:46:06

Thank you all for your encouraging comments, I can't wait to upgrade, but I have heard that HD is releasing a light bike this year, street 500, how do you compare it with S40? I have no intention or guts to ride a motorcycle on interstate, just around town is fine.

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by old_rider on 04/16/14 at 15:10:26

Going to have to wait till they get to the dealerships to give you a "which one".

As I see it, easy maintenance and 385lbs. is what makes the savage/s40 so it for me. Savage puts 30.5 ft lbs at the rear. Savage has a 2.5 gal tank and gets 52mpg (avg)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Boulevard_S40

But, the Harley is water cooled and fuel injected...weighs 489lbs,(mikuni single port 35mm) Street puts 29.5 ft lbs at the rear. Street has a 3.5 gal tank and will get approx. 41mpg
http://street.harley-davidson.com/en_US

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Steve H on 04/16/14 at 17:41:28

Sounds like the savage will eat the street big time up to about 70 or so. Wonder what top end is on the street?

Title: Re: 0 - 30 mph
Post by Dave on 04/16/14 at 17:44:48

Well.....I wouldn't be the first one to buy the new "Made in India" Harley. I think I would give them a year to two to work the bugs out.