Hi, all!  I'm not a Savage owner (yet), but I'd like to be. I came close tonight, in looking at a 1998 with less than 2500 miles, but the motor had some strange hammering noises coming from somewhere within. It didn't sound like rod noises (clunking irregularly) or piston slapping, but a persistent hammering, that increased both in speed and volume as the RPM went up. There was nary a sound at idle. When I started it the motor hammered for a couple of seconds and then stopped as if the oil pressure was enough to calm things down, but once it warmed up, the noise came back as it came off of idle. Another thing that worried me was the exhaust system (all the way to the muffler outlet) was varying shades of yellow and blue. This thing must have gotten pretty hot sometime in the past.
I know the bottom end of most Suzuki's are fairly stout and probably over-engineered, so I doubt the crank end of things are toast, but does anyone have any suggestions as to what may be wrong with this thing? It looks like new and if it weren't for the  noise I'd probably have bought it on the spot. As it is, I feel like I should run away from this bike as fast as I can.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

well - if the price is right and you don't mind wrenching on it a great deal - it might be a very good buy - but with an unknown hammering internal - I sure wouldn't give um much - not over 1k.

Man without hearing it ... be tough - I understand if the cam adjuster rail breaks for instance - it can make a he77 of a sound with parts banging around against the cam chain - this would track rpm's without a dead broke engine - like say bobos fixer up that had a value head drop onto the piston - big noise and bang busted.

The noise your hearing in the savage motor is typical for this bike after it heats up. Its a air cooled bike so the interparts expand when the bike gets hot. The excessive heating in the motor causes changes in the clearance which wears down the parts quicker. This is what your hearing parts touching other parts and wearing them down.This is why your having to adjust the valves more frequently during the HOT summer months.This isn't a real problem any other seaon of the year when the temperture is more moderate and less hot. I have a new 05 and it does exactaly as you stated. My mechanic says that this is really not a commuter bike for long distance travel. Its a urban bike for short trips to the store or something simple like that. The bike sells real well because it's made cheap. The exhaust can also heat up enough on these bikes to crack. It has on mine. I have to question some of the folks in here who brag about there 200 mile trips. Hope there bike can hold up to there expectations. I guess if they don't there still cheap enough to buy another one.

RoughRider - Yes, I rode the bike 200 miles yesterday, and another 125 today.  It ran fine both days.  Actually, it was better today, since I installed a new SE muffler.

Whatever is wrong with the bike Kevin looked at is not typical of these bikes.  Read the archives & you'll see that.  

I'm in Baltimore, MD.  Drop by and I'll let you follow me around.  Bring your gas card - so far I've only been riding half-days.

DavidV wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:

I rode my '03 300 miles in one day during the heat of summer. It did fine. No noises. No cracked exhaust pipes. In fact the bike did really well. Aside from a sore @ss, everything was great.

From what I've read here, the original poster was probably hearing a busted cam chain follower.