Does your bike backfire?

(Ssshhh-I dont know that much mechanically,but if I post some type of answer,I find that the guys jump in and help more,just to correct me...LOL.  

Freespirit, thanks for achnowledging my ?, no my bike does not backfire, it does when I turn it off sometimes but not always, I was just wondering what this method was used for.

flcruzr wrote on 07/12/08 at 12:35:05:


Not necessarily. If the bike is sluggish in the midrange, you're getting alot of backfiring, and you're overall unsatisfied with the bike's performance; then grap your Clymers, open up the Tech section of this forum, and have at it. If, on the other hand, your bike is like mine; satisfactory performance, plenty of power for your riding needs, and only a "grandma fart" (pffft) on shut down, or occasionally on throttle roll off; then I'd say wait. Enjoy your bike. Get to know her. Put a couple thousand on the odometer, and then see what you think.

When I started on this forum, I was convinced that I needed to do the "white spacer" mod as soon as I got it home from the dealership. I waited til 600 miles, did my service, and a seat mod, and went for the carb. After 700 more miles, I returned it to stock. I wasn't as satisfied with the changes as I thought I would be. I had no perceptible improvement in performance, other than a decrease in hesitation at the 40-45mph range. (Which incidentaly, did not come back upon returning the carb to stock.) I took care of 95% of the backfiring with the "brass plug" mod, and Lancer's simple, basic carb tuning (see tech section). The most significant change, for me, in doing the "white spacer" was that my gas mileage took a nose dive. There are those here on the forum that might say I didn't go far enough. I should have rejetted, put on a Jardine, or Screamin Eagle, etc.; but that wasn't, and isn't something I'm prepared to do at this time. Honestly, I'm starting to think that at almost 2500 miles, the bike is just now starting to get "broke in" well, and coming into her own.
The bike runs well. It gets me from point "A" to point "B" just fine, and I have an ear to ear grin getting there. And incidentally, getting nearly 60 mpg doing it. The mileage really started to improve, and the performance really came into its own at about 2000 miles.

Don't get me wrong. The guys and gals on this forum are the best. I would have been lost without them, and probably would never have bought a Savage had it not been for their guidance and wisdom. (Actually it's an 08 S40, but I think it's been "officially" decided in a previous thread that the name is 'Savage'; regardless of what Suzuki decides.) When the time comes that I do want to make changes, you can bet that I will be in here looking for the pearls of wisdom, and asking for their advice. That said, many of this group are (I mean this with utmost love and respect) performance junkies and master tinkerers. They love taking things apart to see how they work, and to see if they can work "better". I'm more of a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of fellow.

So there you have it. A very looong winded answer to your question. And one I hope doesn't earn me the ire of my fellow Savages. If you like the bike as she is right now, ride it. Do change the oil and filter often (that's my fanaticism, or fetish, as the case may be). But ride it, enjoy it. The forum will be here for you when you decide what you want to do next.
Enjoy