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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Never ridden a motorcycle before... /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1599705577 Message started by JED on 09/09/20 at 19:39:37 |
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Title: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by JED on 09/09/20 at 19:39:37 Caught the riding bug a few years ago. I still haven’t taken the MSF course but will do so this fall. I’ve researched a lot of different machines to start on. For some reason the Savage speaks to me. Its size, displacement and look all resonate with me. Hard to describe but it’s just what a motorcycle should look like. A few days ago I visited a dealer. I sat on motorcycles for the very first time in my life (44 years). Tried several sport bikes, nakeds, standards and cruisers of all sizes. I saved the s40 for last, expecting it to feel small and inadequate. The reviews and motorcycle publications describe the savage with monickers like small, beginner bike, ladies bike and anything but “savage”. I was sure it would fall short of the others I’d tried. Well, the Suzuki s40 felt perfect! I was not expecting this. Although not much larger it somehow seemed more substantial than the 250s I’d sat on (vstar and an older rebel). I am smitten. I’ll soon start shopping for a second hand savage or boulevard but the one thing I can’t ascertain from reading reviews is the exact nature of its vibrations. I keep hearing that it’s buzzy being a thumper and all. My riding style would not be aggressive at all, mostly country roads in the 50-60 mph range - 2 hrs max. How uncomfortable are the vibrations really? Is it no big deal? Thanks kindly. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by bobert_FSO on 09/09/20 at 20:06:22 The Savage is a great bike for back roads at 50-60 mph. That's what I did with mine. Vibration is not a problem at those speeds. You have to be going 70 or 75 for things to start getting buzzy. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by ckahleer on 09/09/20 at 20:49:03 My son loves his 2012 S40. One cylinder, one carburetor, belt drive, about as simple of a motorcycle you can buy. To me, that simplicity is what make it look so good. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by SoC on 09/09/20 at 21:00:35 JED, I would highly recommend you go get a full helmet and take a rider education course before you buy anything. An S40/Savage is a good bike for those learning, but I would say it's better suited to those who have had some experience. It's fairly low to the ground, is not very heavy and not overly powerful. All positives when learning to ride. But having ridden before would be very helpful in undertanding how motorcycles operate. I began riding at 13 years old on dirt bikes. Rode through college on several smaller "around towners". After some time away I came back to riding and the first thing I did was take an MSF riding class. Only about 60% of participants made it through and passed. Some who failed had bikes and had been riding for long periods of time. Many just couldn't get it. Your profile does not include where you are from, if you were in Jersey I would invite you to come ride one of my S40's to check it out. I keep my bikes in my business shop which is in a fairly quite industrial park. Plenty of empty parking lots and side roads to get accquainted with one. It's all good and hopefully you find a nice bike to get you on the road. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by Ruttly on 09/09/20 at 22:32:57 As a newbie you don't want anything that doesn't feel right. Having the controls where it feels good is super important as well as seat height and a comfy seat. If all those things feel right you will become one with the bike much faster than if it was too tall or too heavy. The Savage is all those things you said and more ! I came here to build a custom and now want a stocker too. If it feels good , buy one and ride the crap out of it. Experience the feeling that still thrills me to the bone after 50 years of riding , every time I ride it's a rush of adrenaline. It renews the soul every time I ride. Ride Safe ! |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by Dave on 09/10/20 at 02:30:11 Vibrations are fine on the bike.....as others have said it does not become objectionable until you get to interstate speeds. If you end up doing a lot of that you can add a Kawasaki pulley mod and a larger diameter back tire and lower the rpm at speed, and that helps immensely. A lot of the folks who notice the vibrations are used to bikes with multiple cylinders.....and the more you have the smoother the engine runs (and the heavier and more complex it becomes). The bike is fully capable of being a "forever" bike for some people, and for others it is a fun 2nd bike when they want something light and nimble. You will likely get bored with a small 250cc or 300cc single cylinder bike - however a Kawasaki Ninja 300 or Versys 300 has enough power to keep you riding for years. The Honda 500 Rebel would also be a good bike to start out on. (All 3 of those bikes have chains which is not a good selling point for those of us who prefer the belt drive of the Savage) - although modern chains are far less maintenance than the ones we had 40 years ago. You will drop your first bike a time or two - so I would not buy anything expensive or horribly shiny until you get enough experience to be competent. The motorcycle safety course is definitely a good way to get experience and learn how to operate a clutch/throttle/brake lever/brake pedal and throttle simultaneously while also negotiating traffic and keeping your balance. I have been riding for nearly 60 years, and I still find great pleasure in riding. City riding and dealing with traffic is not all that much fun for me - curvy country roads are what I love the most. And.......not everybody that buys a motorcycle and learns to ride falls in love with it. There are plenty of low mileage bikes for sale, as the new riders find out they don't like getting hot in the summer sun, splattered with bugs, wet when it rains.......or scared when a car or truck pulls out in front of you. Riding just isn't for everyone and some don't find out until after they spent $20,000 on a big V-Twin! |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by SpamyToo on 09/10/20 at 08:12:17 LS650 is a great bike to begin with. Vibrations will only bother your hands, its not like this bike shakes your fillings out. Just learn to ride without a death grip on the bars. Keep your hands and arms loose. Hold the bike with your legs and steer with your legs and feet enough to loosen up on the grips and you wont even notice the vibration. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by Serowbot on 09/10/20 at 09:11:29 The Savage would have been considered a big bike in the 1960's. Not small or under-powered at all. Vibration is less than many larger multi-cylinder bikes. It's a great bike and very capable if you leave your ego at door. Just ride and enjoy. Ride safe... 8-) |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by Tocsik on 09/10/20 at 09:44:23 Welcome, and glad to hear you're planning on taking the MSF course. It also sounds like you did your initial research, but also took the extra steps to throw a leg over a bunch of bikes. That was a great idea to save the Savage for last, since it was already in your mind. I rode bikes back in the 80's and was off until 2008 at which point I bought a 150cc scooter. Put 40K on that and also did research on what bike to get. Decided on the Savage for many of the same reasons you cited (and that was without even finding this amazing site). This place is the best, provided you stay out of the Tall Table, unless you want to hear a VERY wide range of very strong opinions on things not related to motorcycles. There are folks with all levels of abilities on this forum, and most seem to be more "mature" or "seasoned" gentlemen. Some of these guys have an impressive bank of knowledge on bikes, engineering, mechanics etc. What part of the world or country are you in? |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/10/20 at 10:07:53 Take the course before ya buy. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by JED on 09/10/20 at 16:28:09 Great insights here and I appreciate them all. Thanks folks for responding. I was hoping to take the rider course and buy a bike this year but the poor economy is delaying my plans (possible furlough). When the economy turns around I’ll search high and low for a second-hand savage. Tocsik, I live in the Houston area since you asked. That raises another question; do these air cooled 650s ever overheat in hotter climates? |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by Dave on 09/10/20 at 18:09:10 3A2C3B263E2B263D490 wrote:
Great way to describe this bike. A lot of big V-Twin owners look down on the bike.....until you actually start riding and they find out they can't keep up when you get to the curves! Our member "Oldfeller" found particular delight in hunting down Harleys and leaving them far behind when we were riding in the mountains! As long as you keep moving the bike won't overheat. If you get stuck in a traffic jam in 100 degree temperatures - you will likely overheat before the bike does......however it is best to keep moving if you can as the bike is air cooled and doesn't cool well when stationary. I don't know of any owner ever reporting an engine failure from overheating - but you will certainly feel when the engine is running hotter than normal.......it becomes a "testical toaster"! |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/10/20 at 18:17:17 That raises another question; do these air cooled 650s ever overheat in hotter climates? Caught in a parking lot at 5:00,, they sure can.. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by BobH on 09/10/20 at 18:56:25 786761667B7C4D7D4D75676B20120 wrote:
Can't emphasize this enough. I've been riding for about 5 years, so am still learning. I took the course, but then never got a bike. Two years later, I decided to buy a bike. Took the beginner course again and then the intermediate before buying a bike. Best thing I ever did. There is A LOT to learn. I saw an S40 on a trip to PA. Loved the looks and it was sized just right for a beginner like me. I have no desire to upgrade as it suits me perfectly for the riding I do. I just had it painted and love it even more. On my first ride after painting, I had comments like, that's an awesome bike! ;D So Proud! This is both a GREAT beginner bike and a Great long term bike. You can't go wrong with it. And this is a Great forum. Good luck! |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by ohiomoto on 09/10/20 at 19:20:16 My best tips are... 1) Keep a very loose/relaxed grip on the bars. 2) Lead with your helmet by keeping your head and shoulders slightly in front of your hips. Especially when cornering and when you panic (because you will want to do the opposite when fear strikes). Watch any performance based 'cycling sport and you will see this. 3) Bop and weave! Bop and weave!!! Move around out there so others will see you. I make it a habit to move the bike around in my lane A LOT when I'm in areas with traffic and intersections. I want to be seen and I'm looking for eye contact before I commit to going anywhere. Don't just ride straight down the road. You will blend in. Have fun! |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by jcstokes on 09/11/20 at 01:00:36 When you've completed the MSF course, you can start looking. The bike appears to have ceased production last year. As they aren't a "popular" bike you should be able to get a low mileage good order STOCK one at a fair price, you may even consider new as franchise dealers will probably wish to unload old stock. I've had mine just on ten years and have covered 52000 plus miles. The bike has been very reliable and has never had much done to it, a couple of batteries and oil change. These are best described as a fun, rather than performance machine. You will love the torque, or you can play with the gearbox as you please Two pointers, 1/ if you buy new or low mileage new get rid of the OEM IRC rear tyre ASAP. These things are useless in the wet and may put you off the bike both psychologically and physically, in the sense of physically dumping you on the road. There are plenty of far better tyres out there, a popular brand on this forum is the Shinko, cheaper than Michelein, which I run, and apparently good quality. 2/ The rear brake has quite a tendency to lock under hard or emergency braking, be very aware of this. Another piont is that the OEM brake pads have a tendency to start sqealing early on, aftermarket pads cure this. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by zevenenergie on 09/11/20 at 01:24:58 I only recently started riding the savage. I used to ride fast 2-strokes. They vibrated so hard that the steeringbar felt twice as thick. I think the savage is a real joy to ride. The engine has a balance shaft, which keeps the vibrations very well within limits: http://https://i.imgur.com/ohHPJf2l.jpg I which I had bought this bike yaers ago. :) |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by Serowbot on 09/11/20 at 08:41:52 Most important Savage specific tip. Keep the idle speed up. Low idle makes low oil pressure. The bike should purr not lope. Actually,.. a lot of Harleys end up with top end troubles. Potato sound has a price. :-? |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by Tocsik on 09/11/20 at 09:34:34 1204130E16030E15610 wrote:
And don't start the bike and leave it idling on the kickstand, even if you have the RPM's adjusted appropriately. The tilt and low pressure oil system starves the right side of the cam of oil. No Bueno. |
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Title: Re: Never ridden a motorcycle before... Post by JED on 09/14/20 at 19:34:55 Thanks all of you kind folks. Much appreciated. Looking forward with enthusiasm! |
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