SuzukiSavage.com - Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering

shiphteey

YaBB Newbies

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 37

Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering
03/18/09 at 19:59:47

Well picked up the heap last winter for my dad for xmas, turns out he didn't want it. Sourced a pink gas tank with speedo cluster on ebay, promptly hit it with flat black several layers and spent an hour removing rust and debris from the tank. Got it running, took it to about 55 mph. Tires are still dry rotted and cracked but I ordered up a set of front pads (EBC HH).

I figured it just wasn't worth selling it, no one would pay much for a bike in this condition but it should be fine for commuting. Here's a rough pic....need to reattach the turn signals...nothing fancy, just your basic black cruiser.

Idling and riding it reminds me of an old beetle. Minor leak I notice (1 or 2 drops a day from the left side...probably a little oil....who cares!)

A.

Back to top

IP Logged

Jay Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1445 Fort Worth, Texas Gender:	Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering Reply #1 - 03/18/09 at 20:38:43 Diamond in the rough!
Back to top	You're invisible and naked. Ride safe, Jay IP Logged

Educatedredneck Senior Member Alliance Member Offline Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Posts: 458 Hampstead, Maryland Gender:	Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering Reply #2 - 03/18/09 at 22:22:09 Replace your tires dude, and congrats on the bike!!!!
Back to top	1997 Savage - Hard Chrome Drag Pipe, Seat Mod, 152.5 main, 1 - #4 washer, Di Hard Battery, T-Kat, 1" Drag Bar IP Logged

SavageDanny Full Member Offline I ate what? Posts: 206 Kansas City, Missouri Gender:	Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering Reply #3 - 03/19/09 at 04:50:22 I might tuck that electrical connection hanging out from under the pillion away somewhere safe. Other than that is looks fine to me. Just ride it and enjoy. (Do get the new tires though)
Back to top	Flat Black 88 IP Logged

Skid Mark Serious Thumper Offline FSO Posts: 1216 Calgary, Alberta Gender:	Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering Reply #4 - 03/19/09 at 09:54:10 Looks in pretty good shape overall. A little TLC and you'll have a great, inexpensive runaround bike. Like the other guys say thought, get new tires.
Back to top	2008 S40 , Windshield, Sigma Cycle Computer, after market backrest & luggage rack, Tkat Fork Brace, saddlebags, 12v power supply, Garmin GPS '09 C50SE, '09 C90 Shoulda got into this years ago IP Logged

T Mack 1 - FSO

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

sold 2001 LS650 for
a 1986 XLH1100

Posts: 2919
Emmaus,Pa
Gender: male

Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering
Reply #5 - 03/19/09 at 10:50:21

The VW sound is the muffler......

There are some here that will tell you to keep it... but..... replace the muffler with a Harley stock take off (the ones Harley riders take off because they're too quite) and it will have a deeper sound.... but not too loud....

Replace it with a HD Screaming Eagle or one of the aftermarket loud pipes and rejet and you might be a bit surprised..... may just want to keep it for errands.........

OR.... get a wrench and take one off one of those sport bikes and see if it will fit......

Back to top

Engineers design things, Technicians make them work.
---
30% of being mechanical is confidence/30% is knowing to go slow when needed/30% is looking repeatedly at what you have/10% is dumb luck Wink

IP Logged

T Mack 1 - FSO

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

sold 2001 LS650 for
a 1986 XLH1100

Posts: 2919
Emmaus,Pa
Gender: male

Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering
Reply #6 - 03/19/09 at 10:57:15

shiphteey wrote on 03/18/09 at 19:59:47:

........ Minor leak I notice (1 or 2 drops a day from the left side...probably a little oil....who cares!)

A.

Could be a standard leak coming from a rubber plug that covers one of the head bolts. Look in the hole above the the exhaust port.... if you see oil on the nut in there it's the standard leak.

Back to top

Engineers design things, Technicians make them work.
---
30% of being mechanical is confidence/30% is knowing to go slow when needed/30% is looking repeatedly at what you have/10% is dumb luck Wink

IP Logged

skatnbnc Serious Thumper Offline Spinning Pink Posts: 1286 New Bern NC Gender:	Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering Reply #7 - 03/19/09 at 13:01:18 Plenty of good years left in her. Get a fork brace and ride on!
Back to top	2006 LS650, HD pipe, Tkat fork brace, elkhide handgrips, badge-free zone, gel seat w/riser, silverblue, the one in FRONT of you, flying the Kings Colours IP Logged

diamond jim

Serious Thumper

Offline

Posts: 1425
North Alabama
Gender: male

Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering
Reply #8 - 03/19/09 at 15:39:04

shiphteey wrote on 03/18/09 at 19:59:47:

... Minor leak I notice (1 or 2 drops a day from the left side...probably a little oil....who cares!)

A.

If it's got a little leak with an occasional drip down low, tighten this bolt.

It's got a nut on the other side. I had the same thing. Justin told me to tighten it and it stopped.

Back to top

IP Logged

Mortation

Full Member

Offline

Posts: 205

Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering
Reply #9 - 03/19/09 at 18:09:51

diamond jim wrote on 03/19/09 at 15:39:04:

shiphteey wrote on 03/18/09 at 19:59:47:

... Minor leak I notice (1 or 2 drops a day from the left side...probably a little oil....who cares!)

A.

If it's got a little leak with an occasional drip down low, tighten this bolt.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/boltleak.jpg

It's got a nut on the other side. I had the same thing. Justin told me to tighten it and it stopped.

You wouldnt happen to have a template of those forward control brackets you have on their would you?

Back to top

1988 LS650 - Candy Apple Red w/ Ghost Flames, Harley muffler, S40 seat, white spacer Mod, #55 pilot, #155 main.

IP Logged

diamond jim Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 1425 North Alabama Gender:	Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering Reply #10 - 03/19/09 at 18:55:25 Check with Ed L. He makes them.
Back to top	IP Logged

shiphteey

YaBB Newbies

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 37

Re: Deciding on keeping it...minor tinkering
Reply #11 - 03/19/09 at 20:31:36

Got messing with it tonight. The left rear signal wasn't working...took the lens off and the bulb in there was stuck pretty good. No way I was going to pull it out w/out breaking the glass bulb, so I did it premptively. Flathead screwdriver....pliers...needlenose pliers....finally got that sucker out but it was shot and the blue green corrosion with brown/red rust left me wondering if a replacement bulb would really do the job...no suck luck...so I decided to remove the stock rear signals and install some from a Honda Magna I had laying around....and figured if I'm gonna do the left side I may as well have a matching right side.

....

......problem is they don't fit in the same stock housing location (rear sissy bar bracket) as the OEM ones did...borrowed a powerdrill with a unibit from a buddy and after removing the stock sissy bar and perimeter bracket (anyone wanna buy it?) decided I didn't want to go through the hassle of putting that sucker back on so I drilled 2 more holes in the rear sides of the fender to accomodate the slightly different set-up of the Honda signals. Worked like a charm, and do look a tad more modern.

While I'm at it I'll probably replace the stock front signals too since they are held on by electrical tape...

....

then again I should probably fix the cut wire at the brake light switch so the brake lights actually work. My goal with this thing is to get it as legal looking as possible....I have enough trouble with the cops when I'm on sportbikes....but the Savage's pep, while noticable doesn't leave me much in the braking and cornering department to inspire much of a police chase...should I need to....so best NOT to need to.

Pics of the progress coming soon.

A.

Back to top

IP Logged