1. How many of you ride stock (no mods to carb/intake/ exhaust)?  And, how satisfied are you w/performance?  
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Its ok.  Backfires aren't that bad, if its only once in a while.  But continous you will see some kind of damage, eventually.  I've ridden stock two years now.  Going mod this summer.  I can't imagine once you'd go there you'd ever want to go back stock.


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Re. the EPA regs, I wouldn't want to do the mods, then have to undo them.  I know a lot of people are saying the regs are unenforceable; but, we don't really know that -- especially w/a possible $10,000 fine.
We also don't know for sure if global warming is a reality.

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You don't have to do the mods.  Infact you could just drill out the brass plug and tune you carb better.  (which probably takes all of about 5 minutes.)  Do you really think someone at a testing site is going to know the difference between a Mac, Jardine, Stock, Harley, muffler?  I doubt it....

You'll find that all of us here (if I may be so bold) will tell you to ride the bike as you like.  That's the fun of the Savage, make it the way you like.  If you like stock, stay stock.  I for one,  would atleast drill the brass plug and tune the carb.

- Roadie  

Umm, not stock.

I run a bone stock 2003 LS650 and I have to say, for the type of Riding I do, I completely satisfied with the performance ... mine doesn't backfire much at all ... only little "huffs" once and awhile when suddenly closing the throttle on deceleration. No complaints, but the sound clip of the Harley muffler mod has got me thinkin' I'd like to do that one of these years ...

BTW when I say mine backfires, it backfires on almost every ride.  Sometimes when I downshift, and almost always when I shut it down.

Well, I know what I WANT to do:
high-performance carb from Lancer, 700cc oversized piston, JC Whitney glasspack fishtail muffler, etc., etc. (besides some structural & cosmetic stuff).  

Almost stock, except for one size larger on pilot and main jets and air screw out 2.5 turns.  Still backfires now and then with a frequency depending somewhat on warmup time, temperature and humidity.  I can almost guarantee a backfire slamming the throttle shut and holding at say mid rpm...... one-two-three... kapowie!  Sometimes like a howitzer going off.  The fun part is I can scare huge flocks of pigeons off the power lines.  The bad part was when it happened next to a cop car and I imagined he was reaching for his sidearm

I thought it only applied to model year 2006 and later too.