How many of you out there would ride two-up with both of you being 200 lbs.?  Do you think the bike will handle it?  Would I bottom out the suspension?  I'm deciding whether or not a Savage is big enough before I go out and buy one.

i concur with susan.

my wife hated the rear pillon so much, she boldly proclaimed "i'm never riding on that seat".  so  i bobbed the rear. it's a solo machine now

The rear pillion on the Savage are like the back seats in an MG.  

Just looking at that pillion seat makes my tushie hurt.  If you go with the Savage and you really love your wife..... at least get her a gel pad or something.

I consider "windy" to be 20-30 mph.  The winds here get much worse, but common sense takes over at a certain point.  

I know some of these questions sound dumb, but I'm trying to avoid hitting that point where you get the itch to buy a new bike because you've "outgrown" the capabilities of your machine.  If I wasn't worried about that, I'd just get a brand-new GZ 250 or equivalent.  On the other end, my 750 Interceptor was more bike than I would ever use.  That thing could just make you wet yourself.  I don't need that much any more.

Almost all my riding will be single.  This will be my commuter bike.  Something inside me, though, won't let me consider anything that's not at least as quick as my car.  I love the idea of the Savage, in part because it's different.  My other option at this point is to go for a Yamaha Virago.  With a 750 or 1100, power wouldn't be an issue, but mileage might not be all that better than with my '04 Cavalier.

As you can see, I don't know what the heck I want.  I guess I want everything.  I want 60 mpg and a macho rush of power in a bike that corners like it's on rails.  

Hey, I read in Motorcycle Cruiser that they got 51 mpg when they tested an S40.  What are you guys getting?  Is that figure high, low, just right?

I'd be interested to know if that's true.  Anybody that reads this, please respond if you get similar mileage with these kinds of mods.  60 MPH would be great.  Do you have to baby it to get that kind of mileage?

MarkD1960 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:02:
I was that closeto getting the GZ250 when I noticed the specs on the Savage -- nearly the same physical size and only 50 pounds (17%)  heavier.
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My Savage is (so far) bone stock -- I understand you can get considerable more power with a rejet of the carb and an aftermarket muffler.  That said, the end of my morning commute is a traffic signal at Alondra and Broadway.  The light changes to green, I accelerate through the intersection to the speed limit sign 50 feet or so beyond.  It says 40mph.  I don't know what you drive, my my car is a '72 Camaro 350 LT1.  I can hit 40 mph passing the sign before I have to brake hard for the driveway about 100 yards past the intersection.  The Savage matches that.  On the freeway it will hit 80 too easy, and from what people have been saying about the fork brace I think I want one.
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I came from the dirt.  I wanted a lightweight bike, 400 pounds absolute max.  I did not want to have to crouch over the tank in a fetal position.  I did not want to have to stand on tippy-toe at the lights.  Which left me with the choice of 250cc cruisers.  Or the Savage. Quote:
About right; street riding, short runs, fairly aggressive aceleration.  HOW you ride make the biggest difference.  I managed to get 30mpg from a Honda sport 50.  Cruising the 2-lane backroads from L.A. to Seatle at a leisurely 45-50mph I hit over 80mpg on my GS450E

So, what I'm hearing you say, Paladin, is that the bike is quick

That would be the most important thing in town; as far as top end, I can't imagine wanting to go more than 80 very often.  The test I read says that in 200-yard accel from 50 mph in top gear, the Savage (S40) is running very close to, say, a Kawasaki Vulcan 800.  So why do some people feel they need more passing power?