Your Savage hails back to '87  so it is of the same design vintage as a Yamaha Virago.   Count your blessings .....  your bike is still in production and is blessed with VERY SOUND long lasting electronics.

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Virago's are obsolete, so parts are expensive and getting more rare.

Yamaha TCI and CID electronics got quirky with age and FAILED at a fairly significant rate.   Coils got old and dried out.   Resistor spark plug caps and wires gave out and were not easily replaced (one piece with the coil set).

Virago had both a fuel pump and a vacumn activated petc0ck.  Both like to fail on you, sometimes taking turns.  

A Virago fuel pump goes for $279, a stock exhaust & muffler goes for $898.  Aftermarket pipes cost $399.

It is not uncommon for one cylinder to run, then both, then one again (electrical issues with RPM voltage generated, coils and ignition boxes)

People get frustrated with their Yamaha virago bikes and just give up on fixing them -- for electrical/carb issues, generally.

A 400 Virago gets the same mpg as a Savage.   A 535 Virago gets worse mileage than we do.

Many Viragos are past the required "keep supplying old parts" age limit.  Virago people really are looking forward to Lifan starting to build the 400s again -- they need a source for new muffler and ignition parts.   Even Chinese electronics (reasonably priced) are a blessing to get.

You Savage folks really have it good --- you should stop and count your blessings.  

The Virago folks are nowhere near as well organized as we are, tech stuff is "words only" generally and they don't have folks buying them "better than stock parts" for their weaker components.   And they have LOTS more weaker components ....   and much older bikes in general.

Is it safe to point out that, even though my Kawasaki kz440 was discontinued in 1983, there is still a thriving parts market for them just because the bikes are so darn  good and the owners are reasonably organised?

Is this where the pelting actually starts?

I was a big fan of Yamaha back in the 70s (and even earlier) then into the early 80s. Had all the XS series "Special" cruisers at one time or another; including the more UJM SR500 model. I still wouldn't mind having another of those; or the 650 Special twin.

All were a blast; were dependable; and had character. Always favored the Yamaha dirt bikes after I felt Honda and Kawasaki had been letdowns too... But when they came along with the Virago I didn't care for the wide 90º V of the twin. I stuck with my old XS650 parallel twin and was much more happy with it after test riding some 535 and 750 models of the Virago. What with all the known failure modes of the Virago, I wouldn't trade a Savage for one on a bet!

Rockin_John wrote on 02/12/08 at 22:28:48:
On the whole I've not been a Yamaha fan, probably because the finish and electrics don't survive British weather and road conditions too well, but I really like the XS bikes.
I've been looking for a really good XS 1.1 Special for a year or so.  
I remember when they first cam out - before I had my bike license - and thinking to myself 'one day'.  They don't come up often in clean condition now, and I missed one a few months ago because I was in the Gulf when it was advertised, but I'm determined to have one.

Oldfeller,(I'm not a boy,but.....)
I'm glad you posted that! I almost bought a Virage 535! The dealer had a used one sitting next to a 05 S40......I was going to buy the Virago,but I sat on the S40 and the Virago(kept going back and forth between the two) and something felt better about the S40 than the Virago.

Although,I must say,the seat felt alot more comfortable on the Virago!

Now if I could just get a more comfortable seat on my Savage,I'd be totally happy I'll keep on til I find one