My two bits:
j wrote on 06/30/08 at 09:31:01:....need a bike mainly for commuting to school. It's a brief drive with speed up to 55....
It's a FUN bike for that, not many can match the Savage on the city streets.
j wrote on 06/30/08 at 09:31:01:.... 2 up at least 50% of the time at this speed. My wife is tiny and our combined weight is 270.
We've had at least one poster who's mate did not mind long pillion rides on the Savage. The general consensus is that it's not comfortable. Your wife will have to make this call, 'tho as someone mentioned, the Sportster saddle provides a better rear seat. The weight is nothing. Extra weight affects acceleration, but top speed is mostly a factor of wind resistance, and a passenger doesn't add to that.
j wrote on 06/30/08 at 09:31:01:.... I also want to be able to make the occasional trip home to see our families, or an occasional road trip. Nothing over 800 miles round trip, most of the time 400 miles round trip (maybe doing this once a month). Also, an occasional 10 mile interstate short cut would be nice, but I wouldn't mind making road trips on back highways at 55-60 mph.
A 400 mile day on the Savage is not at all unreasonable -- going LA to OKC I did over 500 miles each of the first two days. 200 miles is a piece of cake. Had a buddy visit San Diego so I met him for lunch, it was only 115 miles one way.
Savage will handle the interstate at 65-70 no problem -- for the bike. Some people complain about the vibration as speed increases, for me it is not objectionable 'til I hit about 80. 10 miles at 80 is only 8 minutes -- you can put up with a lot for a mere 8 minutes.
j wrote on 06/30/08 at 09:31:01:....The main thing we want, though, is fuel efficiency. We're really poor and plan to be for awhile. The bike is really an investment to our future poorness, buying it now while I have a little money.
Between the savage and the v-star 650....
I can't comment on the fuel efficiency of the V*, but my trip to OKC was a bit under 60 mpg going out on the Superslab, and over 60 mpg coming home in US60 with 70 mpg crossing the Mojave on CA62. (City I get under 50 mpg, but have LOTSA fun doing it.)
I believe Progressive Insurance will give you an on-line quote, so you can plug in the two bikes and see if they each will cost.
If you go with the V* it would be for highway comfort, particularly two-up, so you'ld be wanting the heavier seatier Classic rather than the sporty Custom. About 190 pounds heavier, 5+ inches more between the wheels. If the pillion on the Savage is uncomfortable you might not have much of a choice. This sounds like the wife's call once she checks out the seating position on each bike.