I haven't been on this forum lately, for the reason of ,I'm tired of argueing. So lets see if I can do this civilized. I have been riding for 43 years and owned over 50 bikes, of a lot of makes and size.First off KwakNut is correct about the Savage being underpowered,thanks to the EPA, but so is a 1340cc Harley at 60hp. I have a 23hp 500cc Royal Enfield, that is a twist and wait bike, very slow but I like it. All bikes are different, even the same model. I hear of people doing over 80mph on a stock Savage. I came up with the chain conversion to get over 70mph out of mine, and it is jetted and piped with a K&N filter. I only weigh 150 and the bike was bought new in 06. It now does 90mph. Handeling depends on what type of riding you want to do. That is why I own 7 different bikes. One for each type I plan on doing. The BSA 441 for trails, the 500 Enfield for trails and backroads,the Enfield 750 Interceptor for fast curves and highway cruising, the 650 Triumph chopper for cool bad handleing ego trips, the 100+hp custom V-Twin for shear power and speed. That leaves my 06Savage and my 2002 Kawasaki W650(Triumph clone). I am going to sell all my bikes but two. The Savage will be used for two lane black top at 60mph, and the Kawasaki for highway and out of state trips. All others are for sale. I do not blame anyone for standing up for their bike. Even though the Savage is underpowered, my 2000 Kawasaki 650 twin runs 50hp, and it doesn't handle as good as the Kawasaki, it is a great looking bike, and handles better than my Triumph chopper or my 100+hp custom. The Savage gets about 60mpg. The Kaw gets 70mpg and weighs more with 20 more hp. Everyone could compare bikes until the next millenium, but what it comes down to is that if YOU like YOUR bike, and it suits your needs, that is all that matters. A few years ago I wouldn't have beed caught dead on a JAP bike. I still wish I could hold up the Harleys I used to own, but that is not the case anymore. Harleys aren't fast with out sinking a ton of money into them either. Because of my physical state and present riding habits the Savage and Kawasaki fit my needs, and that is all that matters. I hope I didn't ruffle any feathers in this post, that was not my intention, and I don't think it was KwakNuts either.       Hutch

Bill67, my top speed was 70mph totaly stock. After a 152.5 main, a 55 pilot, K&N drop in filter, Jardine muffler, and the 17/43 chain drive conversion it now will do 90mph after laying on the tank for about 2 miles. The bike now has 3000 miles on it. It will cruise 75-80 all day now. This is what I mean about bikes being the same model and year and not running the same. Others claim almost that stock. I have seen the same thing over the years on different bikes and also cars. Same year, same model, different performance. Sometimes you luck out, sometimes you don't. One other thing to show comparisons is this. My 67 Royal Enfield Interceptor was static and dynamicly balanced from the facory.It revs like an Indy car and has no vibration. It is 60hp stock from a 750cc parallel twin. It only weighs 70 pounds more than the Savage, with 30 extra hp. Not bad for a 41 year old bike. My 68 BSA 441 is 29hp stock,for a comparison to another single. It weighs 25 pounds less than the Savage with about the same hp and is 40 years old. So much for Progress. But as mentioned, you can blame the EPA for that. When they went from 2 stroke dirt bikes to 4 stroke, they had to build a 400cc bike to run as good as a 250cc 2 stroke. Soon we will be riding 1300cc bikes with the performance of a 650cc. You can only choke a motorcycle motor so much and you have to go bigger to get the same output.As I have mentioned before, I plan on keeping my Savage because it is a beautiful looking bike, lends itself to a chopper look and is light. It fits my short ride needs. The 650 Kaw is just light enough for my physical limitations, but has the power, handleling, and that old British look I like so much. I love all bikes, but I could go on for days about where each bike shines and doesn't. There are no perfect bikes for all types of riding, only ones that YOU like for YOUR type of riding.As long as you are satisfied with your bike, that is all that matters.     Hutch

My stock "05 can do 85mph easily, thats all the fast i need,  I weigh 260. I can hit the same speed hauling the ol' lady around, though acceleration suffers, with the whipping post on back. I do regular 120 mile round trips and I am not the slowest thing on the interstate, by a long shot. I have a friend with a custom sportster, with twice the engine displacement and he can not pull ahead of me until we reach 65. Through 3rd gear he is actually playing catch up as I can out accelerate him on the low end. His bike is now up for sale. He wants a boulevard. To top that all of I get twice the gas mileage. Yes we stop for me to get gas, as his 5 gallon tank hold much more, but topping of his tank when we fuel up, cost him almost twice as much as I spend at the pump. I also have no over heating in slow traffic. If  someone gave me a Harley, I would own it about as long as it takes to sell it on ebay. I could get a lot blingage for my thumper with cash from selling that over priced over rated piece of junk to some weekend warrior. As for old verses new thumpers    no comparison.

I`m not an expert biker,but i`ve had a few bikes including a 750 F1 superbike and a Triumph 900 thunderbird. I am now the proud owner of a 2003 Savage,I love this bike,not for its speed or handling but for everything i want in a bike at my age (69).I cannot imagine wanting to ride anything other than the SAVAGE 650.
ps.  My top speed to date recorded on the Sigma is 90.4.
That will do.
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Bill67, Now you see what I mean about some bikes of the same model are faster. About a year ago I decided the bike needed lower rpm at 70mph and decided to come up with a way to convert to chain. A lot of people said there had to be something wrong with it, if I could only do 70 and it was redlined. I have been working on bikes for 40+ years and everything is correctly adjusted. Mine either needs more miles to loosen up, or it is a dog. It out accelerates most every Harley owner around here up to 60mph, but lacks top end. Since it cruises at 70-75mph all day, I don't care about top end. I can ride my used,$3000,now showing 7000 miles, Kawasaki 650 Triumph clone at 75-80 all day and still have 3000 rpm left, with a much more comfortable ride ,better handleing, and don't have to worry about cross winds or semi turbulance due to the extra 70 pounds of weight. It also out accellerates stock Harleys, to 90mph, and will due the 1/4 mile in 13.5seconds at 98mph. If my Savage is a dog, oh well, it is a pretty dog. Hutch

Bill67 With all the mods on mine it is struggling from 80mph to 90, and on a good day, laying on the tank will do 90.  I have been checked by a policeman friend of mine with radar, because the speedo is off with the chain conversion, and it has never went past a 75mph reading, that equates to a 88mph actual speed.   Hutch