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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Suzuki s40 /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1498091318 Message started by norm92de on 06/21/17 at 17:28:38 |
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Title: Suzuki s40 Post by norm92de on 06/21/17 at 17:28:38 I was on a road trip yesterday- in a car. We stopped at a hotel where a large group of motorcyclists stopped also. I can say unequivocally that the S40 doesn't qualify. All the bikes were at least twice the capacity, or size of our bike. I don't think I could have kept up with this group. The smallest bikes were a couple of Triumph 900s. I don't know what I am trying to say except that most motorcyclists are into BIGGER bikes. I still love the S40. Freeway riding in 100 degree heat isn't my thing. :) |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Dave on 06/21/17 at 18:16:46 57564B54000B5D5C390 wrote:
Depends what roads you are going to ride. The S40 will keep up with most bikes in the mountains and curvy roads (not counting the sport bikes or supermotos with qualified riders. The only place the S40 is at a big disadvantage is the 70+ mph highways. Most of the time you see a big group of riders.....their pace is not going to be very quick as a collective herd. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by batman on 06/21/17 at 18:29:47 I don't think I could have kept up with this group. The smallest bikes were a couple of Triumph 900s. .Have you ever tried? doesn't your bike exceed the speed limit by 5-10 mph? If it does you can ride with anyone ,or any group. If they travel any faster than that you don't want to be with that group anyway!Not unless your dad is the judge. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Andy RN on 06/21/17 at 18:34:03 This thread seems like it's better suited for the cafe. Yeah... I think about that kind of thing often too, Norm, especially today as I went to a dealership and sat on a few more relatively luxurious bikes. But the S40 is special to me for a variety of reasons... yes, it has a classic look... it's got the nice torque thing going... and the nimble maneuverability and low seat height... but for me the biggest draw right now is the elegance (simplicity) of its design. As I learn more about mechanics, I'm so glad the Savage is my first bike. Mechanics kind of intimidates me, but I feel like I can really own this bike in that regard. I think I will eventually be able to do nearly all my own maintenance, and that makes me feel good. When I first got the bike, it was such a mystery. It had hoses and cables and shiny parts that I didn't know up from down - it just moved when I turned the throttle - and that was exciting enough. But now when I look at her, I see my vacuum line from the carb, I see the head, the cam chain, sprockets, pulleys, forks, seals, poppet valves and header bolts... I also see oil leaks and stripped bolts and lots more that's harder to be happy about :D In any case, she isn't so much of a mystery anymore. I'm still a baby mechanic, but I feel like I can grow up with my S40. In a few years time, I can see me breaking down on the road and fixing it myself, and getting back on the road... this little 650 might not be as glamorous as a bigger, fancier bike - but she's mine, and I'm going to own it... not just be helpless. It's a journey with this bike. I don't know if I could have made the same journey with a big, complicated bike. I might have been scared off too much or overwhelmed. The savage is just my cup-of-tea :) I guess what I'm saying is that there's a deeper level of satisfaction to my bike, besides speed. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by norm92de on 06/21/17 at 18:47:49 I wasn't trying to say anything disparaging about the Savage at all. Just that most riders seem to like bigger bikes. I'm not one of them. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Andy RN on 06/21/17 at 20:53:34 I didn't think you were :) |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by IslandRoad on 06/21/17 at 21:28:01 I tried to like the bigger/flashier bikes when I was shopping for my first bike. I just couldn't get passed the nimble-ness of the S40. And it does everything I want it to do. With time and experience I've really come to appreciate what a great little bike it is. Doing some mods to the ergonomics and look has helped heaps in that regard 8-) |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Gary_in_NJ on 06/22/17 at 05:13:57 7574697622297F7E1B0 wrote:
I've owned all sorts of motorcycles and many open class sportbikes. What's in my garage now: FZ6 (600 cc 4 cylinder sport tourer) LS650 Cafe DRZ400 Street Tracker I don't give a crap about displacement. I can ride the FZ6 all day at go-to-jail speeds. It makes 100 friggin horsepower! It's not the bike, its the rider! |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by batman on 06/22/17 at 07:06:28 I guess I'll agree with Gary, I took my 95 on a trip from N.Y. to Tenn. and back 3yrs ago . 2,100 miles in four days ,3/4 of those miles on the superslabs ,with speed limits of 65-70 . total maintenance was checking and adding oil. So you see the bike can do it if you can. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/22/17 at 07:40:31 Beat Duck left Florida, went to Burning Man, up to Canada, across, down at the Falls, dropped to home. Took a while, and he had to buy tires. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Ruttly on 06/22/17 at 10:16:20 A lot of us have many bikes , but also have our Savage. Must be something special about these bikes besides just being a under powered cruisers. Maybe we just like thumpers. IDK |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Dave on 06/22/17 at 12:37:13 644342425A4F360 wrote:
On my local curvy 50 mph back roads....the big single really does a good job. It can motor along the straight sections without any fuss - and the torque can pull you out of the corner without the need to downshift. The multi-cylinder sport bikes are faster - but I am into riding therapy more than into the HP game. (I have modified mine enough that it is probably near 40 HP). |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/22/17 at 12:48:25 FTW |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by jcstokes on 06/22/17 at 13:45:21 It's some three years since I did any long distance stuff. However, the group I was with who all had larger bikes and much more riding experience, were often amazed at the S40'S ability to keep up in a variety of two lane black top conditions. Admitedly, this is New Zealand, 62 mph open road limit, with a sort of tolerance to 68 mph excuses for motorways and no Super Slab. There were places where some went faster, but never over 80 mph. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Ruttly on 06/22/17 at 19:43:39 My bike has got to be between 40 & 50 H/P , if I apex too soon just turn up the volume and away I go. Nothing like a big single on a back country road, fast enough for big thrills and still slow enough to enjoy the scenery. You don't need to do 160 mph to have big fun. Found out the guy doing my paint work has a friend that owns a motorcycle shop in my home town of San Bruno CA and the shop has a dyno , so one day I will have to do a dyno session. My sporty is fun , but the tracker ROCKS , it's no KTM supermoto , but it's plenty fast and it turns heads wherever I go. Love this bike , Love riding any big single , Thumpers Rule !!! |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by norm92de on 06/23/17 at 14:15:47 I can remember when a 500cc Gold Star was a big bike and a Triumph Tiger 110 was a road rocket! :) I'll bet the s40 could give the Gold Star a run for its money. |
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Title: Re: Suzuki s40 Post by Ruttly on 06/23/17 at 20:35:58 A Norton Manx or a BSA Goldstar would whoop a$$ on a Savage , well at least a stock one anyways. |
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