Both of mine are ok with two people,and I'm a BIG guy. They're an '86&'87.look in the tech section for upgrades.There are carb/exhaust upgrades,changing cams,chain conversions for different topend,If it can be done it's there.  

From your brief into it sounds like your first experience with the Savage was with a stock machine.   By the way, there is no power difference between the Savage and S40 ... simply a name change.  
With a a decent muffler to allow more exhaust flow and a proper rejet/tune job the machine will run much better and do what you want it to do.  This engine makes good low and midrange torque which is what you want for easy two up cruising.
For max comfort for a passenger I would consider the gel pillow seat and changing the rear shocks to a set of Progressive 412's for much better control/comfort.  
The jetting, muffler, shocks and seat changes can be done for less than $400.

In all honestly, the Savage40 is capable of 2 up at interstate speeds, but you'll want to make that trip about 10 miles...especially for the passenger.  That stock pillon is about like a brick for even short trips.

The pillon is more cosmetic than comfort.

If your other savage just so happened to be older than a '96 model, they've added a 5th gear since then. Otherwise, chain conversion is probably your best bet.

The Savage is a great bike for solo riders.  It's just OK for 2 up riding.  On the express way, at  Interstate speeds?  What interstate?

65mph through western Ohio (where it's realtively flat, yes)  70mph through West Virginia (where you get 8% grades for 6 or 10 miles) no way.

My wife had ridden in pillion on the express way only once.  After that, she insisted on her own bike...

It wasn't awful with both of us on there.  But it wasn't comfortable either.

If you want to ride 2 up on the interstate, I'd suggest a much bigger bike....

spotrot wrote on 02/13/08 at 21:20:15:


Some of the older designed cruisers that are still made are relatively light weight.  The Intruder 1400 weighs 535 pounds.

All I've done is take out the white spacer and put a Sportster muffler on. I've not re-jetted or changed the air filter, although I do use a car paper air filter that I make fit in the box instead of the original. The paper filter probably allows a little more air flow now that I think of it. I get no pipe discoloration to speak of. Oh yeah, I run synthetic oil too.

I say all this to build up to the fact that, with my one size over Dunlop on the back, I can run interstate speeds all day with my 180 pounds and another 100+ pounds on the back in bags and strapped on all over the place. Add to that the weight of the different seat, the five gallon tank on the front and the four gallon one on the back and my bike is quite a bit heavier than stock. I've run at over a true 80-85 mph on the interstate in the hills of N. Carolina a time or two when it was needed although, I prefer a true 65 mph or so because of the vibration quotient, the VQ as it were. I've run with the big dogs in August (until I couldn't take the noise any more) on two different trips to Miami and one to NC from southern MN, mostly on interstate, and the bike just goes. That's with a full fairing type windshield too.

If you want to run you can run. I hope to try the Rockies this next summer if I can get the new hardened cam chain installed. And get permission of course.

Jack