Hi - I found this forum while doing research on the Savage. I'm right in the middle of looking for a bike. I've found a 2000 650 with only 347 miles on it. Sounds crazy but it's apparently true. It's been garaged all this time.

I know nothing about these bikes and am trying to decide whether to buy it or not. They are asking $2200 for it. I'd appreciate some guidance and knowledge about the pros and cons of this model.

Thanks

Hi Jeff,

I don't know about the price, might be pretty good, any smaller bike seems to be selling at a premium these days.

Plan on replacing the tires right away, 8 years is too old. The rubber dries out, gets hard, and loses traction. MSF says they should be replaced every three years, regardless of mileage.

Also, you may have some issues with carb being gummed up from just sitting around unused for so long.

I just bought one, and I love it, but I am a new rider so may not be the
best person to ask. I like that it is easy to work on, cheap to insure, and doesn't use a lot of gas. It is also light and easy to maneuver. You may or may not like the "thumper" characteristic. You might prefer a more refined feeling 2 cylinder engine.  I have not found the vibration issue to be the least bit objectionable, in spite of being warned against it by more experienced riders ( who have never actually ridden one ).

Regular is what is usually run in these bikes, the low compression ratio does not really work well with the higher octane fuels. There many threads concerning fuel octane on this site as well. I personally just run what ever fuel is cheapest price wise and have had zero problems.

Jeff Savage wrote on 08/18/08 at 13:13:03:


I've been shopping and $2k sounds reasonable for a 2k bike, check kbb and nada.com for prices.  At that mileage, I'd concider it an aged brand new bike.  But things to watch out for are clogged carb, leaky seals.  And possibly lemon.  This is a small bike and if one's ego can't compensate for all your hardly friends calling your ride a moped, it's going to sit in the garage.

The savage is an excellent daily, but capable of going cross county.

Jeff Savage wrote on 08/18/08 at 13:55:19:


Sign him up!  He's our kinda guy.  

Jeff Savage wrote on 08/18/08 at 13:55:19:


I researched a lot of bikes and selected the S40  for classic cruiser looks, great fuel economy (I'm getting 55-60 mpg), incredible ease of maintenance, etc. I did not need a lot of power, but find it to be more than adequate for the task and I have cruised at 70 with no concerns.  

I have the OEM saddlebags, which came with my bike, and I would not recommend them. I can fit my laptop and a book in one, and in the other I can fit gloves, rain suit and perhaps a ham & cheese sandwich, as long as I go easy on the mayo.

I mounted the Memphis Shades Classic Deuce windshield on mine. It was a 15 minute install, and the rake angle is easily adjustable.  Look for something that is adjustable so you can get the wind  flowing over your helmet, while still being low enough to look over the top.  I'm 6'1, so if it works for me, it should be fine for most riders.

I have no complaints about vibration.  If you get a Savage and you think it vibrates too much you can find  Kuryakyn rubber ISO grips for about $60, or slide some foam Grip Puppies over stock grips for around $8.50 delivered.

Price sounds decent, I paid $2500 for a 2004 with 7K miles on it. A good carb clean and new tires, nice new ride. Oh yeah, ya might wanna run the snot out of it that's been in there for 8 years. That part's fun

I'd say jump on it i paid 1700 for my 2000 but it had 8700 miles on it and a few scratches on it and needed new tires and the muffler was in bad shape so 2 grand sounds like a hell of a deal to me for a dependable and easy to handle bike. long live the savage