3700    5000    6500
1st         21        28        37
2nd        31        42        55
3rd         43        58        75
4th         51        69        90
5th         55        75        97

3700 rpm's is peak torque speed
5000 rpm's is peak power speed
6500 rpm's is max revs.
these numbers are for the Savage but i assume they are the same as the S40

Clive W  

Thanks, guys.  

So Clive, if I'm understanding you correctly, it seems I've been babying my bike, huh?  At least in first and second gears, anyway.  

Now I just have to learn the difference between peak power and peak torque.  (Told you I was a beginner.  Man, I have a lot to learn.   )

Kropatcheck -- no, the handle wasn't on reserve at the time.  I'm wondering, though, if there was nothing in reserve, perhaps?  And a whole other dopey question: what's the float chamber?

See, this is why I'm reluctant to ask questions -- I knew I wouldn't fully understand the answers.   ???  Feel free to smack me down when I get really frustrating, okay?    

(Meanwhile, I think it's time I find a decent motorcycle-mechanics-for-beginners book, so I can figure this stuff out.)

Karen627 wrote:

"Is it normal for the switch not to move if the tank is completely empty?"

I've never run my tank empty, but I'm wondering if you for sure have the tank selector in "normal." I can't think of a reason why the selector wouldn't work with the tank empty (need to prime when this happens) unless it was broken. Would it not turn either direction? It's easy to think the pointer is pointing at normal when in reality it is pointing at reserve. Check the prime position and which way the pointer indicates. That way you'll be sure to know which way to turn the valve. Different bikes look different, so what "looks" normal for one bike might 180 degrees wrong for another bike.

How did you determine the tank was empty? You may already know this, but there isn't a separate "reserve" tank, only a lower pickup level in the tank when you switch the valve from normal to prime. If your tank ran completely empty in the normal position, there is something wrong with the pickup.

Kevin

Karen,

There are no dumb questions on this board. We were all new to the bike at one time. I've had mine for 7 years, will freely admit I don't know everything about the bike yet. HD, no problem, I could rebuild one in my sleep, with one hand cut off and the other paralyzed. The Savage? It's a Japanese bike, haxen't had to do much to it mechanically (okay, I have to do some carb work, I'm lazy) other than oil, filter, and sparkplug changes.

Was your gas tap handle just slightly rearward of RUN? If so, it was in fact slightly bypassing the vacuum only operating position and was drawing gas directly on the PRI circuit, which operates off the lowest point of the valve, meaning what should have been your reserve fuel. As for the sticking handle, put a couple ounces of oil in your gas, it will keep the carb happy AND lubricate the fuel tap a bit better than straight gass does.

Shift points? The book is a general guide. That's all. If you like how you've been riding and shifting, stay with it. Gradually work yourself up to increasing the RPMs/ground speed. As long as you keep the oil changed and the level correct, you won't hurt the bike. Late shifting is better than short shifting, for the motor. Opposite for the transmission.  If your bike has been running fine, don't sweat it, you're in the powerband for YOUR particular bike.
-WD

Okay.  I assume that we're all talking about the same thing -- the fuel valve.  (I now have the manual in front of me. )  On my bike, the fuel valve lever (the handle/switch thingy I keep referring to) is pointing straight down at ON (let's say the 6:00 position).  (And of course, at 9:00 is RES, and at 3:00 is PRI.)  The lever hasn't been moved since I first got the bike in February.  

WD, according to the manual, leaving it in the "PRI" position is dangerous because, it says here, "the carburetor may overflow and fuel may run into the engine.  This can cause a fire or cause severe damage when you start the engine."  The lever's pointing to "ON" on my bike, and I haven't had any fire or severe damage in the three months I've had the bike, so I'm guessing there's not a problem with the lever position, and there's no gas being pulled directly on the PRI circuit.

Kevin, I can't say for sure if the tank was completely empty -- there may have been some in reserve that I couldn't access because I couldn't switch over, and that I couldn't see when I opened the gas tank cap.  But it looked empty and definitely needed gas to get started again.

Anyway.  Since the gas silliness, I haven't tried moving the fuel valve lever again.  Kropatchek, I was thinking of doing something similar to what you suggested.  Perhaps when I get home, can I try moving the lever to RES and then starting it, just to see if it'll move, and then when it starts, move it back to "ON"?  (I'm not sure if PRI is a good idea, since I've ridden the bike since the time I ran out of gas, and the gas doesn't need to flow straight into the carburetor...?)  Is there any reason why I shouldn't try this?  (And after all this, wouldn't it be funny if it worked? )

Clive, thanks for the torque/power definitions.

Reelthing, yeah, the bike doesn't seem to mind the speed ranges.  I might pick it up a bit, as WD suggested.  

Savage Rob -- yeah, I've been letting feel and circumstance dictate my shifting also.  Of course, being completely new to riding, I just need to make sure I'm reacting correctly to said feel and circumstance.  I love this bike and don't want to take any years off its life.

Thanks so much, everyone.  

Karen627 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:


The floatchambers is the bottom part of the carburator, the fuelhose is connected to it. It contains, as the name suggests, a float. This is connected to a floatneedle which will shut-off the fuelflow when the floatchamber is full.
Search in the technical section which has a couple of references to other sites explaining the working of a carburator.
Now, when you run out of fuel the floatchamber is empty.
For safety reasons fuel is permitted only to flow to the carb when the engine is running. This is done by vacuum, the hose runnung from the right side of the carb to the petc0ck, which opens the c0ck in the RES and ON positions.
When you put the petc0ck on  PRI it allows fuel to run straight into the floatchamber untill the chamber is full.
In short : you dont have to start so long.

Switch to ON when the engine is running.

Greetz
Kropatchek

Diesel -- thanks for the tip.  That's definitely something I would never have thought of.  

Kropatchek, thanks for the extra info.  I'll go look on the techincal board for more detailed explanations.

Bluejeanz -- thanks for the welcome.  I see what you mean about how great everyone is here.