SuzukiSavage.com - low ground clearance

short round Junior Member 2005 No Login Offline Posts: 88 mid Missouri Gender:	low ground clearance 02/11/05 at 23:08:29 Looking at it today it looked there is not much ground clearance. Anyone had any problem with that? I ask because I like to putter around on gravel/dirt roads, crossing creeks, etc. Not "dirt riding" but poking around the out of the way places. It's one of the things I like about the bike, light enough to pick back up if necessary.
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klx650sm2002 Serious Thumper Offline The more I learn the less I know. Posts: 2041 Cumbria,England Gender:	Re: low ground clearance Reply #1 - 02/12/05 at 00:19:31 My KLX has 10.5" of ground clearance and never goes off road. Clive W
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Mr 650

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Re: low ground clearance
Reply #2 - 02/12/05 at 00:42:08

short round wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:02:

Looking at it today it looked there is not much ground clearance. Anyone had any problem with that? I ask because I like to putter around on gravel/dirt roads, crossing creeks, etc. Not "dirt riding" but poking around the out of the way places. It's one of the things I like about the bike, light enough to pick back up if necessary.

Have you checked out the V-Strom 650?

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Susan

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Re: low ground clearance
Reply #3 - 02/12/05 at 06:02:58

I don't regularly ride dirt roads but I have scraped my footpegs while leaning a time ot two! Grin

Regarding riding off-road, someone else with more technical knowledge should chime in but I'm not sure the Savage is well suited to it. I think someone here has mentioned that the design seems to throw rocks and dirt onto the belt which obviously isn't a good thing.

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Susan
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2004 Purple Savage

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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: low ground clearance Reply #4 - 02/12/05 at 07:50:38 Yep, rocks and dirt on the belt, plus the rake is stuck our there a bit too far for any quick steering response in dirt. Not a whole lot of ground clearance either. I have thumped up a couple small hills just for grins, but the Savage is more at home on asphault. I sure would hate to drop my Raask on a rock too :'(
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raytoews Ex Member	Re: low ground clearance Reply #5 - 02/13/05 at 13:04:17 Low ground clearence, fragile crankcase and no skid plate, poor handling with street tires, and tall gearing even in first. Tried going down a back trail once, won't do that again. Buy a KLR650 if you want to thump down a gravel raod. Ray
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bentwheel

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Re: low ground clearance
Reply #6 - 02/13/05 at 13:32:19

Allow me to chime in here. First off I love dual sporting. Last year my 2nd bike was a dualsport. I rode it more often than the Savage. So yeah I've been off road with the Savage. Nothing serious of course. I recall riding the Savage on a jeep trail and came across a shallow creek crossing and instinctively picked up my speed and stood up on the pegs to splash the creek. I forgot about the Savage's feet forward position so of course fell back into the seat and rode through the creek cruiser style. This was so stupidly funny to me that I laughed in my helmet all day.

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Gitarzan Serious Thumper 2004 No Login Offline ! Posts: 827 Columbus, Oh, Earth, Solar Sys Gender:	Re: low ground clearance Reply #7 - 02/13/05 at 14:26:00 Greg, Where'd you get the Raask? Are there any US domestic outlets? Or do you have to order them from Sweden? ???
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Savage_Greg

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Re: low ground clearance
Reply #8 - 02/15/05 at 05:39:45

Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:02:

Greg, Where'd you get the Raask? Are there any US domestic outlets? Or do you have to order them from Sweden?

???

Ordered from Sweden and paid by wire transfer. Worked very well and had my pipe in about 10 days. Much cheaper too....$285 total.

If you go to the site, just find the contact link and they'll get back to you quickly. The guys name is Sivert Raask.

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short round

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Re: low ground clearance
Reply #9 - 02/27/05 at 11:23:04

Sorry to be so long responding. Thanks for your comments. The problems with a dual purpose bike:

1. I'm 5'2" with a 26" inseam so a 31+" seat height is a REAL problem. (maybe I could get some of those platform boots to add 3" like the hookers wear, not to offend you ladies or others who might actually wear them. I guess others wear them too.)
2. I did not want a chain drive, all my prior bikes had chains and I'm tired of that.
3. I actually ride mostly on pavement but where I live a lot of shortcuts are gravel and the Missouri Department of Conservation areas (up to 7,000 acres) are gravel and sometimes have creek crossings. I certainly wouldn't try anything very rough. When I have time I may try to make a plate for the bottom. The trade off is losing even more clearance but having some degree of protection. I was thinking of a hardware cloth piece in front of the engine to catch rocks that could come off the gravel roads. Of course I'd have to still keep it "cool" looking too, if that's possible. Ha. This one Conservation area has some cool places to camp by the river but you have to cross a couple SMALL creeks to get there.

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Ron
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RadarORiley

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Re: low ground clearance
Reply #10 - 02/27/05 at 12:50:16

[quote author=rebslb13 link=board=RubberSideDown;num=1108192109;start=0#9 date=02/27/05 at 11:23:04]Sorry to be so long responding. Thanks for your comments. The problems with a dual purpose bike:

1. I'm 5'2" with a 26" inseam so a 31+" seat height is a REAL problem. (maybe I could get some of those platform boots to add 3" like the hookers wear, not to offend you ladies or others who might actually wear them. I guess others wear them too.)

I understand 26" inseam, that's the same as mine, but be careful with the "Hooker-Lady" boots. You can get the toe of them caught between the shifter and the foot peg real easy. Oops!

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Radar O'Riley

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Mr 650 Serious Thumper Offline The LS650- Classic style & 4-valve engine Posts: 1389 Mempho Gender:	Re: low ground clearance Reply #11 - 02/27/05 at 13:51:20 Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:02: Ordered from Sweden and ... The guys name is Sivert Raask. I got a vision of the the Swedish Cheif from Seseme St, (w/ a welder in hand). OOOORRDY, ORRRDY, ORRRDY .....NORK! NORK! NORK!!
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short round Junior Member 2005 No Login Offline Posts: 88 mid Missouri Gender:	Re: low ground clearance Reply #12 - 02/27/05 at 17:37:08 Radar, sounds like you speak from experience??? Not that you would be of the "working girl" profession of course.
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