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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Suggestions/possibility for a road trip /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1499358498 Message started by bradyGOAT on 07/06/17 at 09:28:18 |
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Title: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by bradyGOAT on 07/06/17 at 09:28:18 Hey folks, I've been thinking of taking a road trip of the following loop (simplified): Boston, Appalachians (WV area), Austin TX, Albuquerque, Denver, Chicago, Boston. I guesstimate it's about 100 hours of riding, based on google saying it's 78 on highway. I have about 20 days to do it, so 5 hours of riding a day. I've read the savage isnt the most comfortable/practical thing to take on long trips, but in my rides around new england I've never felt much discomfort (I'm not the biggest dude). My main concerns are mechanical. I have an 05 with 9k miles on it, 1000mile old tires. Say the trip rings in at about 6k miles. Am I crazy? What are some common issues that long trips like this could cause? This would be mid August. Thanks!! |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by stewmills on 07/06/17 at 09:33:28 Get a 25 tooth kawasaki front pulley if Dave has any for sale. WELL worth it, especially for a trip like this. Makes it a totally different bike at cruising speeds. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/06/17 at 09:35:44 You'll be flirting with the danger zone on the cam chain. Slap a Versy on. Run the valves. Get a Raptor petcock. Carry a spare headlight. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by bradyGOAT on 07/06/17 at 13:24:45 5B444245585F6E5E6E56444803310 wrote:
I appreciate the responses. I've already mentioned to Dave I'm interested in the pulley. Raptor petcock already installed 8-). I'll talk to Versy as well. What do you mean by "run the valves"? I'm fairly new to shade tree mechanic business :) |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by verslagen1 on 07/06/17 at 14:20:48 6B7B686D704E46485D090 wrote:
I appreciate the responses. I've already mentioned to Dave I'm interested in the pulley. Raptor petcock already installed 8-). I'll talk to Versy as well. What do you mean by "run the valves"? I'm fairly new to shade tree mechanic business :) [/quote] My guess would be adjust the valves, there's a how-to in the tech section. JOG has his own lingo... even though he's never used that term before. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by SALB on 07/06/17 at 14:32:38 My guess would be adjust the valves, there's a how-to in the tech section. JOG has his own lingo... even though he's never used that term before. Diesel mechanic lingo for adjusting the valves (and injectors on some engines) is "run the overhead" ;) |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/06/17 at 14:34:34 Our shop said run the valves. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by old.indian on 07/06/17 at 15:25:23 Do all the mechanical work 1st. Stay on back roads where possible. Keep to 60 MPH or below, and an eye on your oil level. The Raptor doesn't give a lot of "reserve", so pay attention to how long it's been since your last fill up. Expect the weather to change, take rain gear and watch for wind gust west of the big muddy. AAA is a nice thing to have on a motorcycle or an old car (like the original '37 coupe I had). |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/06/17 at 15:49:35 Don't go dumping a fancy ultraslick oil in it. If you can get some roadside assistance coverage, that'd be good. Flats on tubed tires SUUUUX,, |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by batman on 07/06/17 at 20:06:24 First aid kit ,with a couple of tubes of super glue(seals deep gashes quickly,the ER doc's will hate you, but you won't bleed to death on the way there). |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by piedmontbuckeye on 07/08/17 at 07:47:47 Get another motorcycle. The Savage has to be one of the worst road bikes I have ever ridden - esp. on 300+ mile trips! Designed to look at, not ride! |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by LANCER on 07/08/17 at 07:57:39 A "medical gel pad" under your butt can make a world of difference. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by old.indian on 07/08/17 at 08:22:09 7C656968616362786E796F676975690C0 wrote:
I respectfully disagree.....Windshield. longer shocks, 4"forward controls, and a seat pad works just fine for this 75 year old on my 350-450 mile days. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by hotrod on 07/08/17 at 13:45:33 About once a year I ride from NC to upstate NY---600 miles, on a Harley Sportster. No windshield . 66 years old. I hope to do this on the Savage one day. The big problem is how to pack gear on the thing. A larger tank would be nice. The bike does the work. I just sit on it. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by piedmontbuckeye on 07/08/17 at 16:47:56 5F767A7A726526170 wrote:
While I don't consider the Sportster a great road bike either, I would bet it is far better than the Savage. Smaller motor, lighter weight, and shorter wheelbase make the Savage a not-so-good trip bike. I do, however, like it for shorter trips - up to North Carolina - ride the mountains, Parkway and back home. Around 150 to 200 miles round trip. But that last 50 miles is pure agony! |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by piedmontbuckeye on 07/08/17 at 16:53:24 153C3030382F6C5D0 wrote:
And you have just spent another $1,000.00 or so to make it into a different bike! And it still is not much more than a Savage when it is said and done. Based on what you have suggested I can't see how it would be any more road worthy in Interstate travel. It gets blown all over the place, and the frame and wheelbase send practically every road bump up to the rider. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by badwolf on 07/08/17 at 17:25:27 If you hate the S-40/Savage that much for long trips, why do you have one at all? Get a Gold Wing and a little Ninja and let us ride our bikes in ignorant bliss. I did 5400 miles on my S-40 last July, and have long ago quit wrestling with 800lb bikes. I went from a Gold Wing to a Pacific Coast and while my S-40 does not ride as well on 800 mile days, it is set-up VERY comfy for me and ALOT easier to handle. Actually, I just bought another -06', stock, with 998 miles, and will keep it mostly stock for short trips and running around after I sell the Pacific Coast. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/08/17 at 21:02:01 The older seat design is much better. I was hurting in forty miles on the 05. The trip home was nine hours, no misery. Lifted front on the seat. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by Dave on 07/09/17 at 08:37:25 If you want to spend all day doing 80 mph on the interstate and are looking to get into Bun Burner club and get 1,0000 miles in less than 24 hours - the Savage is not likely to be a great bike for the trip. If you are willing to ride at 70 mph or less, and do a bit of work to get the Savage ready - it will do fine. You also need to spend some time conditioning your body to spending seat time on the bike - take some shorter rides and work your way up to some half or all day rides before you leave. ] Sure there are better touring and sport touring bikes - but if you own a Savage and want to take a long trip.......the bike will do it once it is mechanically prepared. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/09/17 at 08:46:22 Beat Duck.. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by Steve H on 07/09/17 at 10:26:27 I just wish the Savage had a better seat. I'm going to have to get mine recoverd soon. It's 30 years old and the cover is beginning to split. I'm gonna see if I can get the upholstery dude to bump up the thickness so it's pretty much level with the pillion seat and do a bit of reshaping to make it a little wider to distribute the weight a little better and maybe make it into an all day seat. I wouldn't hesitate to go pretty much anywhere on my savage. It's not an all day interstate bike. It's intended to be a back roads, country roads, around town bike. I hate riding the slab anyway. Too many oblivious, uncaring idiots on it. The trip is much nicer if you can take your time and enjoy it. If planned right, the trip is its own reward in addition to the destination. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by hotrod on 07/09/17 at 18:23:12 Adjust the clutch so you can put it in neutral from first gear with little effort. This helps when stopping at a toll booth. Remember that you may have numbness in your hands, which can make it difficult to handle money at the toll booth or gas station. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by batman on 07/09/17 at 19:48:56 The stock seat is a killer ,I changed to a sportster seat and did N.Y. to tenn. and back 2100 miles in 4 days . |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by kawazacky on 07/10/17 at 19:32:32 Airhawk's seat is a very good solution for someone with seat problems, but well-placed foot controls help a lot too. And good handlebar placement. |
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Title: Re: Suggestions/possibility for a road trip Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/10/17 at 19:47:19 I think the buckhorn bars make it more comfortable. |
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