SuzukiSavage.com - Savage underpowered???

wspllrll Ex Member	Savage underpowered??? 10/14/04 at 05:02:44 I read many posts on other forums stating the Savage is underpowered. I assume the single puts out about 30 horses. Most people talk about low end torque. Does the performance of the Savage ever leave you dissappointed? ow about on hills and highways??????
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thehoghunter Full Member 2004 No Login Offline Chop Suey Posts: 181 Tampa Gender:	Re: Savage underpowered??? Reply #1 - 10/14/04 at 05:24:11 Have never had a problem with 'underpowered' - ridden at highway speeds + on both Savages (both when they were stock and then with different mufflers). And I believe it's 36 horses. What forums are you reading that state 'underpowered'?
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jendesigner

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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #2 - 10/14/04 at 05:47:52

I just rode in a Rally that had over 2000 bikes in it. No problem keeping up. At some points I lead the group and they had to keep up with me

Rode comfortably at 70 mph in the wind with no problems on the highway (no windshield does make for an interesting ride). Mine is rejetted which does make a difference. It was fun taking off from the stop light and leaving some of the "bigger" bikes behind. I love my bike! Most people who haven't rode a Savage would say it's underpowered but they like to compare it to much larger bikes. I can ride mine at 80 mph with no problems, I just don't want to. And on the curves, well, I'll take a Savage anytime!

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Jen

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klx650sm2002 Serious Thumper Offline The more I learn the less I know. Posts: 2041 Cumbria,England Gender:	Re: Savage underpowered??? Reply #3 - 10/14/04 at 06:22:20 Standard Savage 24.6 bhp @ 5000 rpm 30.5 ft-lb @ 3700 rpm No snorkel + Raask pipe = 32 bhp Clive W
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Susan

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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #4 - 10/14/04 at 06:59:40

I think it depends on what you want. The only time I have heard someone complain about power on the Savage was someone who wanted to commute on the freeway, drive 80 mph and be able to blip up to 90 mph quickly if needed. This is not really what the Savage is best at. It can do it and we have highway commuters in this group who are very happy with their Savages (sunny is one I can think of).

The Savage is best at country roads, and twisties. The low end torque makes it a peppy ride. My Savage has been known to leap into gear. There is no lack of power and the bike is a joy on hills. I've never had a problem with power on the highway or merging -- there is always enough get up and go to do what I want to do.

As Jen mentioned, the Savage can be quick off the line and dust the big bikes if that's what you want to do. I have ridden with plenty of larger bikes and never had an issue.

Really the only times I've heard a complaint is when someone actually wants a long-distance highway cruiser OR if someone thinks he knows what he is talking about but hasn't actually ridden a Savage.

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Susan
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2004 Purple Savage

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wspllrll

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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #5 - 10/14/04 at 08:47:43

thehoghunter wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:

Have never had a problem with 'underpowered' - ridden at highway speeds + on both Savages (both when they were stock and then with different mufflers).

And I believe it's 36 horses. What forums are you reading that state 'underpowered'?

It was actually on the Google rec.motorcycles group.

Of course the people on there tend to trash anything below 1100cc as underpowered. I am assuming their are diminishing returns for HP vs weight as you go up the food chain. Especially riding 2 up which I will rarely if ever do.

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PerrydaSavage

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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #6 - 10/14/04 at 08:52:29

8)Living here in eastern Newfoundland, there are lots of steep hills ... both in town and out on the open road ... and compared to my old '85 Rebel, my '03 Savage is a "goat" when is comes to climbing steep grades! No probs whatsoever ... in fact, she seems to scamper up hills better than many of the larger displacement twins & fours ridden by some of my friends ... gotta love the Big Singles torque!!

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Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by arseholes!

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cphilip

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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #7 - 10/14/04 at 09:18:18

I guess it all comes down to HP to Weight ratio...

Lets look at the closest competion. I do not have HP numbers for these so we need to know that. But I think both of these are twins and one is water cooled (honda) so they make a tad more HP for what they are in Displacement. However I seriously doubt it makes up for the weight the add... nor the price!

Yamaha V Star - 649cc V twin Air Cooled - 474 Pounds dry weight

Honda Shadow (close as they get to compare) - 583 cc Liquid Cooled V twin - 452 pounds dry weight

Suzuki Savage/S40 - 652cc Air Cooled Single - 352 Pounds Dry Weight.

So lets find those HP numbers and calculate the Weight to HP ratio

By the way there is a price return for value to be considered.

Yamaha V Star lowest model lists for around $6000. Or just shy of that figure if I recall correctly. Can't seem to find it now. Might have been like $5800 or $5900....

And Honda wants about $5400 for that Shadow model.

And what was the last list on a S40? Like just under or around $3500?

These are all Crusiers in the About 650 range metric bikes. So they compare out good. So what is the HP to Weight to Value figure here....

With out all the figures you probably can see the Savages value has to be high. And its performance perhaps a tad better with its lower weight.

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sluggo

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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #8 - 10/14/04 at 10:23:05

i believe most people confuse geared wrong with under power.

there is little difference between 4th and 5th. 5th is more like an overdrive.

the savage is geared to top out at about 85-90 any more than that is just plain nuts that with the weight of the bike.

wanna have some fun with a savage just sit up a little closer to tank and you can really blast though the twisties.

underpowered no under geared yes

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SINGLES RULE, HARLEYS DROOL

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wspllrll Ex Member	Re: Savage underpowered??? Reply #9 - 10/14/04 at 12:22:28 OK - I am back on board.
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wspllrll Ex Member	Re: Savage underpowered??? Reply #10 - 10/14/04 at 13:08:46 I would think that a single with 650cc at 350 pounds would perform better than a 583 cc v twin @ 450 lbs. Even though I think the VLX is 30.9 HP and Savage is 30 hp. According to something that I read.
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sunny Senior Member 2004 No Login Offline rock this town Posts: 293 d/fw texas Gender:	Re: Savage underpowered??? Reply #11 - 10/14/04 at 13:25:26 5th gear is perfectly geared for american highway cruising speeds where you don't need to go slower than 50mph. 4th is perfect for those off highway roads where you can get up to 65 on the straightaways but have to contend with decelerating for curves and such.
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Mr 650 Serious Thumper Offline The LS650- Classic style & 4-valve engine Posts: 1389 Mempho Gender:	Re: Savage underpowered??? Reply #12 - 10/14/04 at 21:52:21 sluggo wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10: there is little difference between 4th and 5th. 5th is more like an overdrive. Actually both 4th and 5th are overdriven. Just love that slow turning thump.
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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #13 - 10/14/04 at 22:58:03

wspllrll wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:

Of course the people on there tend to trash anything below 1100cc as underpowered. I am assuming their are diminishing returns for HP vs weight as you go up the food chain.

The more hp/pound the quicker & faster your ride will be.
Power being torque x revs.
Look at an F1 motor cranking up in the high teens.
Lots of little cylinders taking advantage of "free hp" by operating in the stratosphere. Just imagine a Savage w/ an 18K redline. In reality the 4-valve Suzy has potential, but suffers from low compression and a counter balancer. The BMW 650 thumper makes 50 hp w/ 11.5:1 compression. I would like to swap a beemer or the SV650's 70+hp into a Savage frame just for fun...when I hit the lotto.

http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/machine/models/imageGallery/color_specs.jsp?mod...

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SilverBlue '01,K&N,Snorklectomy,125mm NOS carb, 1/2 spacer & 155, 'Trapp, NC flyscreen, Suzy GelSeat, Osram H4
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Savage underpowered???
Reply #14 - 10/15/04 at 03:10:05

wspllrll wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:

I read many posts on other forums stating the Savage is underpowered.

I assume the single puts out about 30 horses.

Most people talk about low end torque. Does the performance of the Savage ever leave you dissappointed? ow about on hills and highways??????

I think the issue is "underpowered, compared to what?" There is really no comparison. There is no other 650 single cruiser bike on the market. No other big single is a cruiser and no other cruiser is a single. You end up comparing apples and oranges, which after accepting that both are round, there is nothing else.

The Savage does what it was intended to do....Being easy to ride and more at home at slower speeds on back roads...just like the Suzuki advertising states. The bike should suit the rider for how he wants to ride.

There is nothing wrong with the Savage, unless the bike is wrong for the rider.

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