I am looking into buying a guide for my 2006 s40.

What is the difference between the official guide and the Clymer guide.

The Clymer's book seems to be cheaper by about half the price so does that mean it contains a lot less info?

Also I have seen another forum that had corrected info that the Clymer's may have messed up on....typos or whatever.

I am hoping to use one of them for just regular oil changes and small upgrades. Nothing fancy...unless later down the road I need to do my own repairs of some kind.

The Clymers website: $34.95

http://clymer.com/products.asp?Type=Motorcycle

And the official: $64.95

http://www.repairmanual.com/motorcycles/2006/62/0/18035/13577

when are they going to update the Clymers, they only go to 2004, is there much difference in the 2004 vs 2006 savage.

I have an 06 but haven't seen any other model first hand.

What I can tell by reading this forum :

There is a passing function on the left handlebar of the 06 that the older bikes do not have.

Also the electrical might be a tad bit different. Such as a relay on the main headlight while starting up. (It doesn't turn on while cranking the engine.)

I believe I have read other slight differences but don't recall them right now.

All in all, maybe 4 or 5 things may have changed but all very low key.  Such as the cushion on the seats....or maybe even the rails on the rear fender?

I had been making mental notes when I ran across something that seemed different....but now I forget.

They are still the same bikes outside of the name change of Savage to S40.

I have the Clymers - as was originally pointed out by another - Amazon sells it for about $25 - don't forget to take the free freight option @ checkout to save $3.50! I think the Suzuki manual, judging by other workshop ones, is more for the technically inclined - the Clymers works for me with every bike I've owned (or Haynes - the Clymers equivalent manual in England)

but like someone else says a mistake is the direction they tell you to turn over the bike to get TDC!

You mentioned this but I forgot to answer.  What differences are you worried about if you can't get an '06 manual yet?  A couple of wires colors are about all the differences that you'll find for your changes.

Either way, the Clymer won't be any more up to date than the SSM at this time...there is always a time lag in any manual.

If you don't plan to go into any depth with an engine rebuild, then get the Clymer.  You'll save $15-20.  On the other hand, (though I haven't confirmed it) if you get the SSM, you are supposed to be able to get updates for new pages as the are released.  That is why the SSM comes in a hard cover 7 ring binder with removable pages.

More money or more info?  The choice is still yours...

PS - get the Clymer

Like I said above, I just finished a complete tear apart and rebuild with the Clymer and it showed me everything I needed.

I must admit that I was a little offended with the statement that the Clymer manual is for someone who T140V wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:


I'm not a certified mechanic, but I definately know my way around a shop and I sure do know how to turn a wrench.

Greg_650 is right. I certainly didn't mean any offense praetorian. Since you are an accomplished mechanic the Clymers guide made it easy for you. A service manual would benefit a person such as yourself. If noshow wants to learn something about working on a " motorcycle" the Clymers Guide {and that's just what it is, a guide} would be a good starter book.

The Clymers guide will tell you how to find things such as crankshaft runout in a step by step descripion. The service manual will assume you already know how to do that and will only give you a measurement. I think it's really great you rebuilt that bike useing the Clymer's Guide. I'm just saying it would take me twice as long to read through the Clymers as it would to use the service manual. Sometimes the Clymers will put the technical data in with the discription and you have to go back and forth looking for the information you need at hand.

I have 5 or 6 Clymers/ Chilton guide's in my collection but I prefer the service manuals for quick referance. The LS650 service manual cost me $82.00 with the tax. I expected it to cost about that. The manual for my Ford pickup cost me $150.00, it has 5 books and is 6 inches thick. I wouldn't expect someone who is inexperienced to be able to use it. However the Clymers would be much thinner and involve one book. The Clymers can be very incomplete and sometimes down right wrong on their information.

$82.00 for the SSM?  What parts am I missing?

Mine cost $42.00 in 2000.  $40.00 is a big difference...