I have a 87 LS650PH, that has some history to it. It originally belonged to my mother, it was bought for her as it is lower to the ground.

It was ridden for maybe 1500 miles before parked for 6 years. There it sat, with a half a tank of gas   . I cleaned it up as best I could, replaced the back turn signals as they had fallen off their mounts, the tank had rusted on the inside a bit, and the mesh filter on the petcock was torn up a little. At the time, except to clean it and replace fluids, and turn signals no other funds were available.

A year after she was ressurected the first time, the bike and I took a spill in some gravel. Due to me attempting to avoid two young girls in a car, that almost jumped a stop sign as I was turning.... Which torqued the left side handle bar down, the left foot peg, the shifter peg, and put a gouge in the tank.

Yet she still ran for a few weeks, then she had to goto the shop, no longer wanting to shift. apparently a bolt broke when I dropped it, and it finally worked loose as I was sitting at a stop light.

After that was fixed, a month or so later I noticed she would no longer keep the battery charged as I drove her. I had to keep charging the battery, that was even replaced with a new one, and the problem continued. So she was parked, couldn't afford repairs and couldn't stand driving with the handlebar bent like it was anymore.

And now, almost 8 years later, I'm planning on bringing her back to life.

I'm rather new to researching what parts fit what years, etc. So I have a few questions.

1) Is a stock tank interchangable on all years 86-2004?
2) Is the mesh filter on the petcock a big enough worry I should replace the entire unit, or just put in an in-line filter?
3) Is a stock pullback handlebar interchangable on all years?
4) With the draining the battery, should I be looking at the wiring or the stator first? Or something else?
5) Any things specifically I should look out for, for a bike that has been sitting this long?

I've already posted some pictures of her, she's sitting in my basement, with a few years of dust, and another one of the turn signals coming off again.

http://www.bikepics.com/members/setral/87savage/

Setral,

My answer to your questions are:
1) I would guess they are, Savages have used the same tank from the start.
2) I would go with the in-line filter, if the mesh is trash, the in-line will certainly help.
3) yes, 1" bars from the start.
4) I'd check the wiring, then the stator, then the regulator.
5) I'd take a close look at the tires, maybe the rubber is not in good condition, even if the grooves are deep; brakes are also to be checked, as well as fluids, spark plug and filters.

If you do this, and your engine is fine, it should fire up at first button push.

Welcome aboard and happy riding!!!!!  

RW

LOL.. yes Nightrain.. at least 4 years if not more of dust, though it was moved within the past year to the basement it sits in right now.

Red_Wine and WD, thank you both for all the information. Right now, I'm holding off on everything until I get a tank, which hopefully I'll have within the next two weeks.

Looks like you bent the bolt that holds the handlebar riser instead of the handlebar. I did the same thing when I dropped my Savage last year, thought the handle bar was bent but when It was taken apart all that was needed was a new bolt. I like your custom dust paint job, must of taken years . Don't trust the rubber, tires get hard and slippery when they sit for years. Luck on you project. Ed L.

If you can't find an LS tank, a VN500 Kawasaki tank is supposed to fit beautifully. That is per Peter the Blacksmith on another Savage forum, and he knows his stuff with the Savage. As a bonus, the VN tank holds more fuel than the LS tank. Sometimes they are easier to get hold of as well.
-WD

WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:


I just re-read it all, and pardon me but I feel a little stupid 4 ounces of ATF? I keep thinking AntiFreeze.

Even though I don't have the tank in my posession yet, I went ahead and started taking her apart.

And I found a pleasant surprise at the same time a minor annoyance.

The pleasant surprise is, I'm almost positive I have the entire original tool kit, plus a mini-maglight.

The annoyance, I found I'm missing two bolts (or a bolt and a screw). One of the main seat bolts is missing, and the top screw/bolt on the battery box, that holds the plate to hold the battery in the box (also which the toolkit rests on) is missing.

And I read the odometer..... "3,635.1"

Yep, tires are being swapped I've already commited to it. For the rubber head plug, I read about that, and I'm actually starting a checklist so I don't forget anything.

Another thing I forgot to mention, the petcock is plugged, I'm going to look into it tonight. No matter what position, nothing will flow through it.