What a GREAT bike!  I have an 87 Savage 650 and LOVE it!  My wife and I have been riding for about 2 years now (we just took the MSP course 2 months ago together - TAKE IT IF YOU HAVEN'T YET!).  The Savage has been our main bike for the past year and it's a gem.

The big issue I've been having with it, however, has been a "cough" as I climb to higher speeds.  It doesn't do it if I come quickly out of a start, but  if I'm rolling at 45 and need to get up to 55, the thing starts to sputter like it's running out of gas.  Once I reach "cruising speed" it usually evens back out?

Is this a carb issue?  Someone told me that the blue on my exhaust pipe could indicate that I'm running "rich."  Would this also explain the jumpy-ness?

Thanks all!  I look forward to chatting more in the days to come!

Welcome to the forum Tim. It was great meeting you last night and I'm glad I could point you to the forums.

With any engine you need: fuel, air, compression, and spark.  air is always the cheapest place to start.  Check your air filter.  Then move on to the spark plug (as another has already pointed out).  Its not odd to find a bike that old with the original plug.  I'm not handy with the carb, so I can't tell you much there.  The others have posted good instructions regarding the fuel system.  

BTW, what type of gas are you using?

BTW, any Savage should be able to go 85+ mph if everything is working properly.

I have the same problem mine went to 85 once and I haven't been able to get it back up there again.

Ive heard of mechanical governors, & electrical governors,& they are set & not adjustable during a ride, Sphincterical governors are variable & can adjusted during a ride. I've noticed road conditions & weather can suddenly drop the max speed the sphincter will allow, & a long, straight, wide, smooooth road & the Guvnah relaxes & the speed slowly climbs to 90...

Jay wrote on 06/25/08 at 23:01:11:
Must admit, despite having been way faster than twice this on modified sportbikes, on the Savage 80+ feels awfully fast.

Sit on/in a wind-tunnel designed superbike in full leathers, expensive full face helmet, and wind back the throttle with 200 ponies at the wheel, and the combination of refined suspension, rigid frame and state of the art aerodynamics makes 100mph feel like standing still.

But, sit on the Savage in an open face helmet, in soft clothes, with a frame that feels like its made out of wire coathangers, suspension like jelly on springs and that cute little motor vibrating up and down for all its worth, and 80mph feels like you're straddling a Saturn 5 rocket as it leaves the atmosphere.

I’ll leave the high speed stuff for the high speed bikes – the Savage is just great at lower speeds.

I believe I pulled 88 out of mine on a downhill run on the freeway. She was giving it all she had. You're not gonna do very much without bringing the torque up a bit. Like some one else said speed is for the speed bikes. Ours happens to be a cruzin' easy riding SAVAGE!