Hey, just went out to start my savage and white smoke.  I'm sort of stranded on campus and need to ride home - can i ride like this?

First, the only unusual things that are going on in the bike's environment - 1) it is very cold 2) I added oil to it a few days ago.  I thought at first maybe excess oil was burning but it appears actually to be low (which would mean that I have an oil leak).  3) in an attempt to mess with my hazard light switch while driving I hit the starter button and the bike died, I coasted to a stop, everything starts normal.

Concerning option 3 - I did smell smoke after I did this starter thing, but it was faint and I could've imagined it.  Again, everything starts fine.

Concerning 2 - would there be white smoke if there was too little oil?  This is the first time i've noticed it, it smokes immediately upon starting it.

Thanks a lot
Josh

I doubt it's condensation, there's a lot of smoke and today isn't THAT cold, its been a lot colder.  There does seem to be a lot of oil consumption.  What would cause oil to get into the combustion like that?

Did you check your oil level with your bike level (Propped up) or on the kickstand?

Hitting the starter while the engine is running will do no damage.  It just confuses some of the relays so sometimes the bike will shut off.   There is a starter clutch in there which is actually is a "one-way-thing-a-ma-bob".   The starter at max speed is still slower than the bike idles at so the "one-way-thing-a-ma-bob" will never engage.

So, back to the smoke.  Lots of smoke as in "kill the mosquitoes" type smoke????  Like the county uses in trucks driving around the neighbohodds and the kids running thru it,    type smoke.... ?

Or, smokke when you rev it smoke???? ( out the muffler).

Smoke from under the crankcase ... front or back...??     Does it smell like burning oil?

Smoke from under the case.....  There isn'tmuch there to cause smoke other then if you spilled oil on the exhaust pipe and it is burning off and the wind is blowing it that way....  The other possibility is a small hose located under approx the battery.  It's the drain for the Air box and it should be capped.  It drains the oil condensate from the CC Breather hose (top of head).   It the cap is off, you might get some smoke.....

uh, don't take this wrong please

What position is your choke button in?  (just ignore replying no matter what you find when you check it -- it is a dumb question, but I gotta ask it.  Just make sure it is all the way in ...)

Next, it is not unusual to get some whiteish smoking and oil stink from under your heat shield because you do get some oil in there when changing your oil filter.  It just naturally gets in there ...

It is normal and goes away in a day or so.