This is my 1st with a belt and I love it.  Back in the mid 80's, a friend had a Honda (350 Four, I think) that had a belt drive and it was my first experience with one.  Seemed good then and I'm sold now.  I may try to pick up a spare on eBay at some point too.  Another thought: I would definitely expect less damage from throwing a belt than a chain.

UPDATE:  It is with a heavy heart that I announce Scootworks has no belt/pulleys for re-gearing or replacing the Savage stockers.

If I can find a shorter belt from some supplier, I'll look into fabrication costs for a new rear pulley.  Again, like anything else, if we got a BUNCH of people committed to buying one it could bring the per-unit cost way down.  Anyone know how to find a shorter belt with the same width and tooth pattern?

Great question Jack!  The real answer is...it depends!
It depends on what you want.  For me, I've had some pretty fast bikes in my day, bikes that would do 0-60 in 3 sec or less.  I'm just not interested in that kind of thing anymore.  I want a bike that lopes along at 70 mph and doesn't sound like I'm trying to break land-speed records doing it.  A single-cylinder bike is the proverbial loping engine with the torque to back it up.  I'd like 2500-3000 rpms (less if I thought it were reasonable) at cruising speed which would turn the lowly Savage into a touring machine.  Big bike guys won't readily admit it, but the real thing that makes a comfy touring bike is a comfy rpm on the highway that doesn't produce a bunch of vibrations and sound.

If, on the other-hand you want to use the high torque/low rpm thumper for quick acceleration don't change a single thing!  You've already found the machine for you.  

barry68v10 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:



I couldn't have said it better.. It's all in what you want.  I would like for my S40 to run 70-75 without turning 4500 rpm.

BTW

Something that just MIGHT fit the savage as a smaller rear "sprocket" (after some drilling and welding a la McGyver that is) is one of those wheels from those old style pulley ventilator systems.

You know, a bunch of celling fans all interconnected by leather belts & pulleys but all ran by one electric motor mounted elsewhere on the wall. A real hoot to watch´em spinning too.

http://www.architecturalfans.com/  
See under "Motor & lineshaft"

Or maybe some kind of automotive fan wheel, the problem, again, are the teeth.  

I mention this because in my case 1st gear is USELESS, period. And it would be great if 2nd and 3rd could be a little longer, I mean, all that torque has a lot of potential. But I also like better 4th rather that 5th gear for high speeds.

As someone said earlier "this thing pulls like a tractor" so a 10-15% smaller rear "sprocket" would surely make an interesting expetiment.

Then again the problem at high speeds would be wind resistance.  It´s all in the numbers.